Alliance Surgery Arizona
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is recognized nationwide during the month of October. It is an annual health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The national campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer and their loved ones.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem, there will be almost 6,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Arizona in 2018. The ACS also reports that, other than skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women and about one in eight (12 percent) women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.
There are several ways to treat breast cancer, depending on its type and stage. Some treatments are called local therapies, meaning they treat the tumor without affecting the rest of the body. Types of local therapy used for breast cancer include surgery and radiation therapy. These treatments are more likely to be useful for earlier stage (less advanced) cancers, although they might also be used in some other situations.
Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery as part of their treatment. There are different types of breast surgery and it may be done for different reasons, depending on the situation. For example, surgery may be done to remove as much of the cancer as possible (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy), find out whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection), restore the breast’s shape after the cancer is removed (breast reconstruction) or relieve symptoms of advanced cancer.
At Alliance Surgery Arizona, we have experience treating patients with breast cancer. Our physician, Ramon Mourelo, M.D., is an accomplished board-certified general surgeon with over 15 years of experience with breast and oncology procedures. Dr. Mourelo performs surgeries at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center and Dignity Chandler Regional Medical Center and his most common breast surgeries include Modified Radical Mastectomy, Mastectomy, Nipple Sparing Mastectomy, Lumpectomy, Breast Needle Core Biopsies and Excision of Breast Mass/Lump/Nodule.
In addition to the high-quality care and expertise patients receive at Alliance Surgery Arizona, they also get access to Alliance Arizona’s full Breast Cancer Care Team which includes Alliance Cancer Care Arizona, a team of board-certified hematologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists that are committed to supporting both the patient and their families through their cancer journey, and the Alliance Cancer Support Center, an organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for cancer patients, survivors and caregivers by providing support programs to assist them with emotional, spiritual and physical support. Programs at the Support Center include massages, life coaches, nutritionists, comfort quilts, wig fitting and much more.
Alliance Surgery Arizona offers quality, compassionate breast cancer care close to home. If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with breast cancer and would like to speak to someone about your treatment options, please contact us at 520-876-0416 or visit AllianceArizonaSurgery.com today.