Sutter Delta - Index

Sutter Delta - spring2008magazine - Index

High-Tech Help in
the Fight Against
Breast Cancer
Has Never Been
More Close to Home
It was 1995 when Carol Jurczak
got the news. After regular mammograms
and testing, after one opinion and
then a second and a third, Jurczak knew
it was true: She had breast cancer.
“I immediately went into this survival
mode and agreed that we needed
to do whatever it took to get me healthy
again,” Jurczak says. Her story is one of
survival. Unfor tunately, a growing number
of women in East Contra Costa
County are facing their own fight
against breast cancer. In an effort to find
and treat breast cancer in its early stages,
Sutter Delta Medical Center has added
specialized, state-of-the-art equipment
that can help physicians more effectively
diagnose breast cancer and
determine a course of treatment.
Less Invasive Biopsies in East
Contra Costa County
A new stereotactic table maps the
precise site of a breast abnormality
before a tissue sample is taken for
biopsy. With a new stereotactic core
biopsy unit, physicians can obtain a
breast tissue sample through a very
small pinhole-sized incision in the
skin, minimizing procedure time,
tissue trauma and healing time. The
biopsy is done as an outpatient procedure
in about four hours, compared
to routine breast biopsy,
which can require hospitalization.
Sutter Delta has also acquired an
MRI breast coil, which is also among the
most minimally invasive detection systems
available. Sutter Delta general surgeon
Mary Cardoza, M.D., says patients
used to drive to Walnut Creek or San
Ramon for this kind of high-tech detection.
“It has been a huge barrier for
patients who just don’t want to drive
over the hill,” says Dr. Cardoza. Now
those days are officially over.
Dr. Cardoza adds that with the
best equipment for detection comes
the best planning for treatment, which
ultimately means the best chance for
survival.
“Having this equipment right here in our community
is such a blessing for women dealing with breast
cancer,” says breast cancer survivor Carol Jurczak
(far right), pictured with her children and friends.
The Highest Level of Digital Care
With aid from the Delta Memorial
Hospital Foundation and Auxiliary,
Sutter Delta made the financial commitment
to purchase nearly $330,000 worth
of new breast cancer detection equipment.
“Standard analog equipment was
the best practice for years, but times
have gone digital—and therefore more
accurate for younger women—so it
makes sense to see a change being
made,” says Carolyn Mahoney, director
of ancillary services at Sutter Delta. The
new technology will help bring Sutter
Delta to the highest level of standard of
care for the community.
Now 12 years cancer-free,
Jurczak understands just how
important early detection is.
“Having this equipment right here
in our community is such a blessing
for women dealing with breast
cancer and is even more important
for the ones who may face difficult
decisions down the road and don’t
even know it yet,” Jurczak says.
What’s your risk?
If you are concerned about your risk
of breast cancer, speak with a physician
at Sutter Delta Medical Center.
Visit thedoctorforyou.com or
call 1-800-4SUTTER.
6 yourhealth spring 2008 Get a FREE subscription to Your Health! E-mail your contact info to lombaa2@sutterhealth.org.