Dear Doc:
What is high-risk breast cancer screening? If my results are positive for breast cancer, what are my treatment options?
Dear Reader:
Rochester Regional Health is proud to have The High-Risk Breast Cancer Screening Clinic, located at the Rochester General Breast Center. This is offered to help women with a strong family history of breast cancer learn about and mitigate their risk. High-risk breast cancer screening is offered to women with:
Multiple affected members on the same side of her family
• A family or personal history of breast cancer diagnosed before age 50
• Pre-menopausal breast cancer
• A personal history of 2 breast cancers, either in the same breast or in opposite breasts
• Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish descent with breast or ovarian cancer at any age
• A family history of breast and ovarian cancer
• A family history of male breast cancer
• A family history of BRCA1 or 2 mutation
• History of Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia or Ductal Carcinoma in Situ
Women who are at high risk for breast cancer are evaluated and referred for genetic counseling and assessment as necessary. High risk breast cancer screening may include any, or a combination of the following diagnostic tests:
•Clinical breast exam
•Mammogram
•Breast Ultrasound
•Breast MRI
•Hormonal therapy
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with breast cancer, don’t panic. With today’s state-of-the art treatments, there’s an excellent chance of surviving the disease. Once diagnosed, be sure to quickly seek out treatment with a team of compassionate, knowledgeable caregivers that you trust.
There are several ways to treat breast cancer, depending on its type and stage. Some of the more common treatments include: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. It is not uncommon to get more than one type of treatment.
It is important to discuss your treatment options with your treatment team. When discussing these options, be sure and ask about the goal of a particular treatment and any possible side effects. Discussing this with your doctor will help you make the decision that best fits your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when your doctor discusses treatment options with you. Some questions you might want to ask include:
• What are my treatment choices?
• What treatment do you recommend and why?
• What would the goal of the treatment be?
• How soon do I need to start treatment?
• How long will treatment last? What will it be like? Where will it be done?
• Will any of the treatment be done by other doctors?
• What should I do to get ready for treatment?
• Should I change what I eat or make other lifestyle changes?
• How will treatment affect my daily activities?
• Will I be able to work during treatment?
• Will I lose my hair? If so, what can I do about it?
• Will I go through menopause as a result of the treatment? Will I be able to have children after treatment? Would I be able to breastfeed?
• What are the chances the cancer will come back after this treatment?
• What would we do if the treatment doesn’t work or if the cancer comes back?

Don’t be afraid to take notes and tell the doctors or nurses when you don’t understand what they’re saying.
The Rochester General Health Breast Center is one of the highest volume breast centers in New York State and is a Center of Excellence in cancer care. There is also a breast center at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic (Finger Lakes Breast Care) and women’s health and mammography services are available at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital. All Rochester Regional Health breast care physicians and staff provide patient focused state-of-the-art comprehensive and coordinated multidisciplinary care in a compassionate and supportive environment, maintain excellence through supporting oncology clinical research, and serve as a community resource for referring and treating physicians as well as patients and their families.