Yesterday, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) opened a new state-of-the-art breast center at the Hutchinson Metro Center at 1250 Waters Place. The center is home to some of the nation’s top breast cancer physicians, surgeons and researchers. It offers screening studies, advanced imaging, minimally invasive surgery, plastic & reconstructive surgery, a high-risk breast cancer prevention and lymphedema prevention program, as well as genetic counseling under one roof. Services like medical & radiation oncology, nutrition, and access to MECCC’s Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) wellness and support program, are also available. The goal of the breast center is to provide every patient with an unparalleled level of evaluation and care.

“Every square foot of the new space, every procedure being performed, and every clinician there has a single purpose: advancing our ability to deliver the most personalized care to our patients,” said Sheldon M. Feldman, M.D., chief, Breast Surgery & Surgical Oncology and director, MECCC Breast Cancer Services. “By tailoring every element of care to our patients’ needs, we will increase screenings and the number of minimally invasive treatment options for our Bronx community and beyond. Our goal is to reduce the incidence of late-stage cancers in New York.”

Nationwide, it takes over a month to schedule the necessary procedures to confirm the results of an abnormal breast exam – and on average, it takes another 60 days before the initiation of cancer treatment.

At MECCC’s new breast center, when someone has a breast lump, abnormal mammogram or ultrasound result, surgeons and radiologists will immediately have a consultation with patients, and together, determine next steps in “real-time.” This new patient-centered approach to care reduces the need for women having to come back for potentially repetitive appointments or procedures. For women with breast cancer, this new care delivery model ensures a more timely diagnosis and shortened time to begin treatment.

TAILORING TECHNOLOGY TO PATIENT NEEDS

The new breast center is outfitted with the latest technology from GE HealthCare including 3D tomosynthesis mammography. The system features advanced applications such as contrast enhanced mammography, which uses low dose X-rays and iodinated contrast dye to highlight areas of unusual blood flow. This enhanced capability helps clinicians see lesions that might otherwise go undetected.

“For many women, scheduling a breast exam means having to take off work, and then coming to an appointment that they feel anxious about,” said Laura J. Hodges, M.D., director, Breast Imaging & Interventions at MECCC and assistant professor of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Having the latest breast care technologies like the Senographe Pristina 3D mammography system from GE HealthCare, which gives women a handheld remote, allowing them to determine breast compression levels during their mammograms, are just some of the many elements at our new breast center that enables women to regain a sense of control.”

COMMITMENT TO CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

The new breast center reflects MECCC’s commitment to excellence in patient care. It also caps a year where its clinician-researchers led the field in addressing unmet patient needs.

In October 2022, the team at MECCC launched a clinical trial to test whether scalp cooling can protect Black and Latina women with textured hair types from hair loss due to chemotherapy;  they discovered a simple, low-cost antibacterial treatment that can prevent a severe skin problem caused by radiation therapy; and was recognized “as a leading force in preventing lymphedema,” a painful yet common side effect of breast cancer. 

MECCC has 320 active clinical trials, including research on breast conservation techniques where doctors deliver radiation at the same time as surgery while a patient is still under anesthesia. Montefiore has treated more than 200 patients with this form of therapy.

“This beautiful new center exemplifies the commitment of our breast team in advancing patient care,” said Susan Green-Lorenzen, R.N. M.S.N., system senior vice president of operations at Montefiore. “Screening is the best form of early diagnosis, and it is done most effectively when barriers to access are tackled head-on. From parking to how new technology is embedded during appointments, to the linkages among our clinical team members and our remarkable BOLD support program, we are truly advancing what it means to address the comprehensive needs of our community.”

For more information about the breast center and MECCC’s research and patient care, including its High-Risk Prevention and Surveillance program, visit cancer.montefioreeinstein.org.


                                                                                        ###

About Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center 

Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) is a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center and a national leader in cancer research and clinical care located in the racially and ethnically diverse borough of the Bronx, N.Y. MECCC combines the exceptional science of Albert Einstein College of Medicine with the multidisciplinary and team-based approach to cancer clinical care at Montefiore Health System. Founded in 1971 and an NCI-designated cancer center since 1972, MECCC is redefining excellence in cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and community outreach and engagement. Its mission is to reduce the burden of cancer for all, especially people from historically underrepresented groups.