Episcopal Health Services alerts its community about breast cancer

Episcopal Health Services marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a series of community events.

EHS team members and breast cancer survivors took part in a breast cancer walk in Far Rockaway on Oct. 18.

On Oct. 20, team members gathered at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital wearing pink to show their support. From sharing hugs and stories during the walk to wearing pink in the workplace, these events served as a powerful reminder of the fiercely fought personal journeys behind every screening, diagnosis and treatment plan.

EHS encourages women 40 and older to prioritize breast health by scheduling regular mammograms, learning the signs and symptoms, knowing their risk factors and discussing their personal and family medical history with a physician.

According to the American Cancer Society, about one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. The organization estimates that 321,910 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026 and 42,140 will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among US women, excluding skin cancers.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to make breast health a priority throughout the year,” said Dmitriy Kim, DO, FACS, a board-certified general surgeon at EHS whose clinical focus includes breast cancer surgery. “Early detection through mammography remains one of your most powerful tools in the fight against breast cancer. When breast cancer is identified at an earlier stage, patients have more treatment options and a better chance for successful outcomes.”

Signs and Symptoms:

• A new lump in the breast or underarm.

• Changes in breast size, shape or appearance.

• Nipple changes, including turning inward.

• Nipple discharge other than breast milk.

• Skin dimpling, redness or swelling, including an orange-peel appearance.

• Peeling or flaking around the nipple.

Knowing Risk Factors:

• Age: Risk increases as you get older, with most cases diagnosed in women age 50 or older.

• Genetics: Inherited mutations in genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 significantly raise risk.

• Family History: Having a mother, sister, daughter or multiple relatives with a history of breast or ovarian cancer increases your risk.

• Breast Density: Having dense breast tissue means more fibrous and glandular tissue and less fat, which raises risk and makes tumors harder to see on a mammogram.

• Radiation Exposure: Past exposure to high levels of radiation can increase your risk.

EHS provides individualized breast cancer care through a team of breast surgeons, radiologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists. Specialists review imaging, pathology and other clinical findings to recommend treatment based on the cancer’s characteristics and the patient’s needs.

Treatment Options:

• Surgery: Lumpectomy removes cancer while preserving breast; mastectomy removes breast. Breast reconstruction.

• Radiation Therapy: Often used following lumpectomy to lower the chance of recurrence.

• Chemotherapy: May be recommended for more aggressive or advanced cancers.

• Hormonal Therapy: Used for hormone-sensitive breast cancers to help reduce recurrence risk.

• Immunotherapy: Helps the immune system attack cancer cells in eligible patients. 

To schedule a mammogram, call 718-869-5888 for the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center or 718-869-7780 for St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. To speak with a breast health navigator, call 718-869-5886. For more information, visit ehs.org/breastcancer.

Reported by EHS.