Blumenthal Cancer Center has been recognized by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. This recognition signifies the highest level of quality breast care. There are currently only three hospitals that have received this recognition in the state.

Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center ensures that patients have access to:

• Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art procedures.
• A multidisciplinary team to coordinate the best treatment options.
• Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options.
• Quality breast care close to home.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women living in the United States. The American Cancer Society predicts that 192,370 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. While men can be diagnosed with breast cancer, the incidence is much less common.

According to Richard White, MD, co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at Blumenthal Cancer Center, 85 percent of breast cancer patients are living five years after diagnosis. Somewhere between 60 and 70 percent of these patients are cured. Among women with tumors less than one centimeter in size, the cure rate nearly 90 percent.

A commitment to innovative therapies and streamlined service are integral components in our Breast Cancer Program. We take a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from the expertise of a team of specialists at weekly conferences to determine the best treatment options and plan of care for each patient.

After a treatment course has been recommended, the physician and nurse coordinator meet with patients and their families to help them to fully understand the treatment, potential side effects and support services that are available.

For more information, please call 704-355-2884 or 800-804-9376.