Meridian Breast Care

Anderson Regional Breast Center

Anderson Regional Breast Center is Meridian’s only Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, offering a state-of-the-art, full-service facility for comprehensive breast care. We provide screening services, highly advanced diagnostic imaging and professional consultations in a warm, welcoming, family and patient-centered environment.

Center of Excellence

Anderson Regional Breast Center is also designated as Meridian’s only Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Accreditation in mammography, stereotactic biopsy, ultrasound breast, ultrasound biopsy, and breast MRI accreditation are required to achieve the center of excellence status.

Anderson Regional Breast Center has voluntarily gone through a rigorous review process by board certified, expert radiologists and medical physicists in advanced diagnostic imaging to ensure that the center meets nationally accepted standards of care set by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Our facility's personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance and quality control procedures meet the highest level of imaging quality and radiation safety, which qualified Anderson Regional Breast Center for the Gold Standard of Accreditation.

Anderson Regional Breast Center is also recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Certified Mammography Facility.

Patient Focused Environment

Our patients are very important to us. We strive to:

• Develop an active partnership with our patients
• Embrace our patients and their families
• Provide our patients with dignity and respect
• Promote education and early detection

Leading-edge Diagnostic and Screening Services

Anderson Regional Breast Center provides screening mammograms and clinical breast exams to aid in the screening and early detection of breast cancer. Upon discovery of a breast lump or an abnormal mammogram, immediate follow-up — in a timely manner — is provided, and a comprehensive array of diagnostic resources is available.

They include:

• The most advanced diagnostic imaging modalities, including full-field digital mammography, ultrasound and breast MRI, as well as lymphoscintigraphy for lymph node mapping
• Nonsurgical stereotactic and ultrasound guided breast biopsy to evaluate breast abnormalities, performed by diagnostic radiologist breast specialists
• Interpretation by diagnostic radiologists with specialty training in breast imaging
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy by experienced breast surgeons

Types of Breast Conditions and Breast Cancer Treated

Anderson Regional Breast Center specialists treat all types of breast conditions, including:

• Atypia
• In situ (or non-invasive) breast cancer
• Invasive ductal breast cancer
• Invasive lobular breast cancer
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Paget's disease
• Metastatic breast cancer
• Nipple discharge
• Breast pain
• Fibrocystic breast syndrome
• Short term follow-up of benign biopsy
• Short term follow-up of radiographic changes
• Family history of breast cancer
• Patient with benign breast history
• Mastitis/abscess

Comprehensive Breast Cancer Treatment Resources

Treatment options for breast cancer, in conjunction with Anderson Regional Cancer Center, include:

• Medical Oncology: The latest, most effective standard-of-care chemotherapy, hormonal treatment and trastuzumab (Herceptin®) regimens for all stages of breast cancer
• Radiation Oncology: Includes conventional external beam radiation and, for appropriate patients, HDR partial breast irradiation, a five-day targeted radiation therapy that places the radiation source inside the lumpectomy cavity
• Surgical Oncology: Depending on tumor location, size, grade and node status, surgical options include breast-conserving lumpectomy, quadrantectomy and mastectomy
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: Before undergoing mastectomy or other surgical treatment, patients can explore options for immediate or delayed reconstructive breast surgery
• Establishment of long-term survivorship care plan

Our Patient Navigator Gives Support

If a diagnosis of cancer is made, our patient navigator is available to help you through this time and provide the support you need to make sure you get the best care possible. Our patient navigator provides streamlined access to a range of local support services to help patients and their families deal with the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impact of a cancer diagnosis. Careful attention to each patient’s personal needs — and those of his or her family — is our patient navigator’s specialty.

Exceptional Education and Support

We provide an exceptional array of education and support resources, including:

• For women with a family history of breast cancer or other special concerns, risk assessment, genetic testing for the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene and genetic counseling are available by physician referral.
• Individual and group education on breast self-examination is available.
• Center staff provides up-to-date information on community-based breast cancer support groups as well as local, state and national advocacy and support organizations.
• For every biopsy patient, educational literature on breast cancer is available, providing a wealth of information and educational resources.
• Survivorship care plans are given to patients who have completed their treatment. This plan provides a summary of treatment received and the expected follow-up in the future.

Early Detection is the Key

Mammograms play a central part in the early detection of breast cancer because they can detect changes in the breast that may be early signs of cancer, but are too small or subtle to be felt. The use of digital mammography has greatly enhanced the ability to detect breast cancers at earlier stages and are a must for women with dense breast tissue. Remember that an annual mammogram is one of your best defenses against breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends:

• Breast exam yearly by your physician
• Self-breast exam monthly
• Mammogram yearly, beginning at age 40 to 45, depending on your family history and the recommendations of your physician

Media

Mammography

Dr. Amy Coleman explains the guidelines on how and when you should have your mammogram.

Tomotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer