Personal support puts cancer patients at ease
Each Sunday, Lynn Locantore and her husband get
in the car, leave the road maps behind, and drive.
Their "mystery trips" as they call them, give them time
together to discover new places. But, when Locantore
learned she had a suspicious mammogram, the
thought of starting a journey without direction wasn't
exciting - it was frightening. "My imagination started
running rampant," she remembers. "I was anxious,
and I wanted to know the next step right away."
"Anxiety like Lynn's is common," says Thomas
Kay, MD, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Virtua
West Jersey Hospitals. "Although 80 percent of breast
biopsies are benign, not knowing is overwhelming."
Like many patients, finding an experienced specialist
on her own was daunting. To support women like
Locantore, the Fox Chase Virtua Health (FCVH)
Cancer Program's Breast Care Navigation Program
quickly connects patients who have suspicious
mammograms to breast surgeons. Within 48 hours,
a breast navigator calls each patient to provide
options for surgeons.
"I got the results on a Monday and was called by a
navigator the next day," says Locantore. "By Thursday
morning, I was meeting with a breast surgeon."
For women diagnosed with breast cancer, the
program provides continual support and care from
the first abnormal findings through treatment and
recovery. Upon diagnosis, each patient is matched to a registered nurse navigator who offers personalized
attention based on the patient's specific needs.
"The program provides an important service and
resource," explains Eric Miller, MD, a FCVH breast
surgeon. "Because breast cancer is such a complex
disease, there are a lot of treatment options and
information to consider." Nurse navigators share
their knowledge of diagnostic tests and treatment,
and connect patients to support and education.
The navigators also help patients keep track of
appointments, and facilitate communication with
healthcare providers. "Navigation supports patients
on all levels - educationally, emotionally and
socially," says FCVH breast surgeon Michele
Fantazzio, MD. "Nurse navigators act as a contact
for patients to integrate the care of the many
doctors involved in treatment."
Less than a week after getting her mammogram
results, Locantore received the good news - she did
not have breast cancer. Still, she has a mammogram
every six months to monitor changes. She is comforted
knowing that should her journey one day take a new
route, she won't be alone.
"I have no fear or anxiety now because I know
Virtua has a map in place should I need it," she says.
"With the navigation team at the wheel, I know I
don't need to worry about the bumps in the road."
When should you get a breast MRI?
A highly sensitive test, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is often used to help
guide breast cancer treatment. And now, it's also used as a screening tool.
"While an MRI is not necessary for most women," says Virtua radiologist Andrew
Zeiberg, MD, "those at high risk may benefit from its ability to detect tumors at
their earliest stages, and increase the likelihood of treatment success." An MRI is
also helpful in monitoring women who have had cancer in one or both breasts.
But, MRI does have drawbacks. Its sensitivity may reveal abnormalities that are not
cancerous, leading to unnecessary biopsies. "If you're concerned about your risk, talk
to your doctor to find the best screening option for you," advises Dr. Zeiberg.