Breast Cancer Screenings with TidalHealth

SALISBURY, Md. – In this week’s edition of Health Beat, brought to you by TidalHealth, WMDT spoke with Dr. David Sechler, a general surgeon who specializes in breast surgery.

Dr. Sechler shared new information suggesting that women with a higher risk for getting breast cancer may want to start screening earlier than age 40. Preventative screening for breast cancer can take shape in different forms; including mammograms, MRIs, biopsies, and ultrasounds. For women with denser breast tissues, a 3D mammogram or an MRI may be used to help physicians see through layers of tissue.

Dr. Sechler explained that, if something comes up on a breast scan, one of two types of biopsies can be performed to get a better look. A mammogram-guided biopsy, also known as a stereotactic biopsy, or an ultrasound-guided biopsy.

“So if a biopsy were to come back showing someone had breast cancer, the first thing I would tell patients is the approach is going to be a team approach,” Dr. Sechler said. “Breast cancer is basically treated through three different specialties; surgery or myself would be involved, medical oncologist would become involved, and the radiation oncologist.”

While surgical options remain an integral part of the breast cancer treatment team, Dr. Sechler says much smaller and less invasive surgeries are now at the forefront of the conversation, as opposed to automatically opting for a mastectomy. He calls these “lumpectomies”.

“A lot of recommendations are kind of out there that suggest after age 70 or 75, [women] should stop getting mammograms because they don’t think there’s much utility to it,” Dr. Sechler said before countering with his own methodology. “If they look like they got a long, healthy life ahead of them and they’re still in their 70s or 80s, then we would recommend definitely still getting mammograms.”

To learn more about the services offered at the TidalHealth Breast Center, click here.