This week being ‘Women’s Health Week’, experts at Cleveland Clinic are reminding women that, when it comes to breast cancer, it is important to explore options with healthcare teams in order to ensure the best treatment journey.

Due to recent expansion of treatment options, the survival rate for breast cancer is increasing.

“While one in eight women will get breast cancer, the mortality rate from the disease has dropped each year since 1990, thanks to earlier detection, new treatments and a better understanding of the disease,” Dr. Cassann Blake, Breast Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Florida, said.

“At Cleveland Clinic, our unique approach to breast cancer is born out of the belief that women should play an active role in their healthcare by asking questions, discussing treatment alternatives and working with their healthcare team to determine their best options,” Dr. Blake said.

The fight against breast cancer starts long before a woman ever gets diagnosed, with new screening technology helping to reduce the challenges of detecting breast cancer thus decreasing the chances of receiving a false positive and the need for additional testing.

In one study of almost 13,000 women, the use of 3D mammogram, also called ‘Breast Tomosynthesis’, resulted in a 40 percent increase in detection of invasive breast cancer.

“Tomosynthesis gathers images of the breast from several different angles, to create a series that forms the 3D image,” Dr. Maria Artze, Radiologist at Cleveland Clinic Florida, specializing in breast imaging, said.

“Tomography gives us much more detail compared to other types of mammograms.” Dr. Blake said. “Especially for women with dense breast tissue, this detail is important.”

However, mammograms are not the only breast cancer test that women should look into.

“The most commons causes of hereditary breast cancer include mutations in the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene,” Dr. Blake said. “At Cleveland Clinic Florida, high-risk women can be screened for mutations in the BRCA genes. However, genetic testing is done only when definitely indicated by a personal or a strong family history.”

When it comes to cancer treatment, there continues to be new products and trials constantly in development, leading to new treatments to help patients.

“Cleveland Clinic Florida’s plastic surgeons are highly skilled and offer the Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap procedure (DIEP flap), to provide patients with innovative reconstruction options after a mastectomy,” Dr. Blake said.

The DIEP flap is a surgical option for breast reconstructive surgery that uses the patient’s own tissue, and requires significant expertise in sophisticated microsurgical techniques.

“Using the DIEP flap technique women have been able to recover more quickly. It can also lower the risk of losing abdominal muscle strength compared to any of the other flap procedures,” Dr. Blake said.

Recognized for its state-of-the-art treatment capabilities, Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Breast Center has earned a three-year/full accreditation designation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) by the American College of Surgeons.

“At Cleveland Clinic Florida, our breast cancer team is dedicated to providing with advanced treatment options. Our physicians provide a personalized treatment plan and explore options to improve your chances of a successful outcome,” Dr. Blake said.

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S.News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 49,000 employees are more than 3,400 full-time salaried physicians and researchers and 14,000 nurses, representing 120 medical specialties and subspecialties. The Cleveland Clinic health system includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, nine community hospitals, more than 150 northern Ohio outpatient locations – including 18 full-service family health centers and three health and wellness centers – and locations in Weston, Fla.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2015, there were 6.6 million outpatient visits, 164,700 hospital admissions and 208,807 surgical cases throughout the Cleveland Clinic health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 180 countries.

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