Breast Health Center

Breast Health Services

We understand that a woman who comes to us for diagnostic procedures needs accurate information and strong support. Our Breast Health Center is committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive care to every woman. We have state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment options available, an opportunity to participate in clinical trials, as well as a range of preventive and educational services. Our staff is caring and knowledgeable about the procedures that are performed here, and they would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.

If you would like to schedule a consultation or inquire about breast cancer treatment, call 216.252.2235 to schedule an appointment to speak with our breast cancer specialists.

Please let us know your needs throughout your visit. We look forward to caring for you.

Stephanie Valente, DO
Program Director, Fairview Hospital Breast Health Center

Accreditation

Fairview Breast Center’s Excellence Recognized by Two Major Organizations

The Breast Health Center at Fairview Hospital is the only west side hospital to have achieved two major designations recognizing its excellence. According to the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, Fairview is the first center in Ohio to be awarded this distinction. This program requires centers meet 27 standards and go through a rigorous evaluation process reviewing their performance.

Fairview has also been recognized by the American College of Radiology as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. This designation looks at the quality of the mammograms, ultrasounds and stereotactic biopsies performed at a center.

Diagnosing Breast Cancer

Breast tumors are typically – but not always – painless, so it is important to have any breast or underarm lump checked. Swelling, discoloration, thickening of the skin or nipple discharge should also be checked immediately.

• A biopsy to determine if you have breast cancer can be done in an office setting using a needle to remove cells from the lump.
• A stereotactic biopsy uses mammography targeting to pinpoint smaller tumors and permit a small amount of tissue to be removed by a needle for diagnosis.
• Your surgeon may suggest removing the lump to see if you have cancer.

Diagnostic Technology for Breast Cancer

The best weapon against cancer will always be to identify it as early as possible and begin treatment to stop the disease from spreading. At the Breast Health Center, state-of-the-art diagnostic tests are used to evaluate and develop a treatment plan, if necessary.

• Digital Mammography: Digital mammograms are newer technology films that use a computer to produce your images. The equipment is especially effective at examining dense breast tissue. While digital mammograms are usually recommended for dense breast tissue or for women under the age of 50, they are the standard of care at the Breast Health Center.
• Computer Aided Detection (CAD): CAD helps detect more breast cancers at an earlier stage. After your screening and diagnostic mammogram is complete, our Cleveland Clinic radiologists use the CAD imaging system to help interpret the mammogram or other imaging tests.
• Ultrasound: An ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to outline the breast. Sound wave echoes are picked up and shown on a monitor. Ultrasound can also be used for aspirations and biopsies.
• Stereotactic Biopsy: Our Breast Health Center offers the minimally invasive Mammotome® Breast Biopsy System. The Mammotome® is useful in cases in which calcifications or a mass can be seen on a mammogram but cannot be felt. A computer maps the location of the mass to guide the placement of the needle biopsy. This outpatient procedure can be performed with one small incision, without stitches and with minimal, if any, scarring to the breast tissue.
• Image-guided Biopsy: Ultrasound-guided biopsy can also be performed by the physician in an office setting or by an interventional radiologist in the Breast Health Center or the hospital’s Radiology Department. MRI-guided biopsy is performed by interventional radiologists in the hospital.
• Fast Track Biopsy System: The Fast Track Biopsy System was created to reduce the time from abnormal mammogram to biopsy. When women with suspicious mammograms need a biopsy and do not have a surgeon preference, the nurse will notify the referring physician of the results and request a referral to a surgeon. The nurse will then arrange the surgical appointment for the patient. They are also available as a source of information and support throughout the diagnostic phase. If a cancer diagnosis is made, the nurse will follow the patient throughout their course of treatment.

Types of Breast Cancer

The breast is made up of ducts and lobules surrounded by fatty tissue.

• Cancer confined within a duct is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is cells confined to a lobule.
• Tumors that break through the wall of the duct or lobule are called infiltrating ductal or infiltrating lobular carcinomas.
• Inflammatory breast cancer may involve the entire breast with specific skin changes and swelling.

Surgical Options for Breast Cancer

• Lumpectomy: Lumpectomy and partial mastectomy are breast-conserving operations in which the surgeon removes the tumor together with some normal breast tissue surrounding it. In some cases, a second operation called a re-excision may be needed if microscopic examination finds tumor cells at or near the edge of the tissue that was removed (called a positive or close margin). Studies have shown that women with early stage breast cancer, who have a lumpectomy to remove the cancer followed by radiation, live just as long as women who have had a mastectomy.
• Mastectomy: Surgery which removes all or part of the breast and sometimes other tissues.
• Cryoablation: Using ultrasound and local anesthesia, a small probe is guided into the affected area and extremely cold temperatures are used to destroy a targeted benign fibroadenoma.
• Sentinel lymph node sampling: To see if your cancer has spread, your physician may remove several lymph nodes from under your arm. If any of these nodes contain cancer cells, more nodes may need to be removed.
• Reconstructive mammoplasty: After a mastectomy, some patients opt for reconstructive mammoplasty, a plastic surgery to rebuild the breast shape.

Cleveland Clinic Cancer Physicians

When you are choosing a breast center and seeking out breast cancer treatment, you should look at a number of factors to make sure that you are comfortable. You should also feel at ease with your physician and care team.

Cleveland Clinic breast cancer specialists are world-class doctors, with a special focus in breast cancer treatment.

Learn more about our doctors.

Radiation & Medical Oncology Treatment for Breast Cancer

Board-certified Radiation Oncologists and physicists are present on site at all times. Our therapy staff is certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Our leading edge treatment equipment includes the TrueBeam and Artiste linear accelerators. Services include Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and Volume Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).

• Partial Breast Irradiation: Doctors are studying ways to deliver radiation to only part of the breast. These techniques, available in a few clinics for a very select group of patients, are used after a lumpectomy to deliver radiation to the tumor site rather than the entire breast.
• Chemotherapy: An intravenous or oral medication that kills or stops the growth of cancer cells. Learn more about Chemotherapy.
• Biotherapy: An intravenous or oral medication that modifies either the patient’s own body systems or the way that the cancer grows in order to stop cancer growth.
• Hormonal Therapy: Oral medication given to appropriate patients that stops the growth of hormonally sensitive cancers.

• For more information on individual medication please visit www.chemocare.com.

Clinical Trials for Breast Cancer

People who participate in clinical trials help researchers evaluate a new medical treatment, drug or device. A clinical trial is a research program created to find new and improved methods of treating patients with various diseases and special conditions.

Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center at Fairview Hospital incorporates some of the most-up-to date treatment options and research. The center currently offers research in the areas of treatment, symptom management, screening and prevention of cancer. Trial participation does not exclude you from additional or different treatment.

• View Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

Cancer Clinical Trials App

Download our free smartphone app to stay up to date on more than 130 active cancer clinical trials at Cleveland Clinic. Available for iPhone.

• iTunes

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Genetic counseling services are available to patients with a personal and/or family history of cancer. Most cancers occur by chance, or are sporadic. However, some cancers are hereditary, or related to an inherited gene mutation. Identifying a hereditary predisposition to cancer allows individuals and families to personalize cancer screening, medical management and treatment options.

On-site testing and counseling is available twice a month. For more information or to schedule an appointment for cancer genetic counseling, contact a Certified Genetic Counselor at 216.636.1768.

• Learn more about genetics.

Team Approach to Breast Cancer

Patients benefit from the exchange of viewpoints, information and experience taking place among our Breast Health Center team members. Our physicians, breast health nurse case managers and technologists collaborate to ensure patients receive the best care possible. We are fully prepared to meet the complex needs of patients and their families.

Fairview Hospital holds weekly multidisciplinary breast cancer conferences. These conferences give specialized teams the opportunity to look over every aspect of a patient’s situation, allowing them to provide the best comprehensive care plan for an individual. Representatives of Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Pathology and Nursing attend these conferences.

At Fairview Hospital, our goal is for all patients to have the benefit of a friendly, empathetic guide throughout their cancer care. This is why patients scheduled for breast surgery at Fairview Hospital are referred to one of our breast health case managers who follow patients through the duration of their treatment; acting as a guide, ensuring a familiar and supportive face every step of the way.

Our cancer center team also includes oncology social workers who are available to help you with practical and emotional concerns related to your cancer diagnosis and treatment. They are here to help with counseling, referrals to resources, advocacy to address financial issues and to help you navigate the healthcare system.

Support Services for Breast Cancer

At the Breast Health Center, we offer a number of support opportunities that are open to any cancer patient, as well as family members and caring friends. Those who attend support opportunities often find them to be helpful, reduce stress and feelings of isolation. Our Breast Cancer Support Group offers an opportunity to gain emotional support from others coping with similar issues and concerns.

The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society also offers programs and services to help people with cancer manage their lives through treatment and recovery while finding the emotional support they need. In cooperation with the American Cancer Society, our monthly Look Good Feel Better® program helps patients cope with the physical effects of treatment and provides a safe environment for them to discuss these issues with other patients.

• Find American Cancer Society support programs in your area.

The Gathering Place

The mission of The Gathering Place is to support, educate and empower individuals and families touched by cancer through programs and services provided free of charge.

• To learn more visit touchedbycancer.org.

Community Services for Breast Cancer

The Breast Health Center seeks to raise awareness of cancer treatment and prevention through its community education programs. Whether the audience is the general public, healthcare professionals or cancer patients and support group members, we offer seminars, speakers and health programs throughout the year. Screenings for a variety of cancers are held frequently at Fairview Hospital and many other locations throughout the community. For more information about these programs, please call 216.476.7606.

• Wellness seminars: Featured topics cover a range of controllable risk factors, such as nutrition, age-appropriate exercise and environment. Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center at Fairview Hospital also partners with the American Cancer Society for Look Good Feel Better®, a series of group workshops that teach beauty techniques to female cancer patients to help them combat the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.
• Screening programs: Screening programs provide basic testing for various cancers, including skin cancer to produce an individualized cancer risk profile. Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center at Fairview Hospital also is part of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Project (BCCP), which provides high quality breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic testing and case management services at no cost to eligible women in Ohio.
• Survivorship program: Our robust survivorship program offers many classes and group therapies, including Facing Forward Live, a class that educates patients about late and long-term effects of cancer treatments. Our Fitness Forward classes teach cancer survivors how to exercise safely. Regular exercise can improve well-being during therapy and decrease the chance of cancer recurrence.

Cancer Answers

Free Breast Cancer Treatment Guide

This guide is a great resource for you to understand your treatment options. While you have many options, you should consider the experience of the program. Cleveland Clinic specialists offer the highest-quality care for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

The treatment guide includes:

• How to choose your breast cancer care.
• Types and stages of breast cancer.
• Breast cancer Treatment options.
• Options for breast reconstruction.
• Directory of breast cancer specialists.
• Get the guide.

Contact Us

Screening Mammography Locations

West Side Locations

Appointments for screening mammograms are available throughout Cleveland’s West Side. Please note that a physician’s referral is required for all mammograms.

Fairview Hospital Breast Health Center
18200 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111
216.476.9012

North Olmsted Physicians Center
24700 Lorain Road, Suite 120
North Olmsted, OH 44070
216.476.7200

Westlake Medical Campus
850 Columbia Road, Suite 320
Westlake, OH 44145
216.476.7200

Mammograms

Our Breast Health Center is certified by the Food and Drug Administration and accredited by the American College of Radiology. We use only FDA and MSQA Approved mammography units.

To schedule your mammography, call 216.476.9012. We require a physician's order for all mammograms.

The majority of mammograms done at the Breast Health Center are diagnostic mammograms. A diagnostic mammogram differs from a screening—or baseline—mammogram in that it is usually ordered by a physician after an abnormal area is found on a screening mammogram or physical examination.

A mammogram is a special X-ray that can find most breast tumors up to two years before they can be felt by hand. During mammography, it is necessary to compress the breasts. Flattening the tissues enables technologists to take clearer pictures of your breasts.

The HOPE Program

FREE Mammograms for Uninsured Women

Through grant money from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, we are proud to offer this service to our patients.

If you are uninsured, over the age of 40, and have a doctor’s order for a mammogram, please call Fairview Hospital at 216.476.9012 or Lakewood at 216.529.7229 to schedule your appointment.

Mammotome Breast Biopsy System

The Breast Health Center now offers the minimally invasive, outpatient Mammotome Breast Biopsy® System. Like the ultrasound and stereotactic procedures, the Mammotome is an image-guided procedure that helps physicians locate breast abnormalities and obtain samples for diagnosis in less than an hour. The Mammotome can be done with one small incision, without stitches and with less, if any, scarring to the breast tissue.

Procedure:

1. The Mammotome system's probe is attached to a special stereotactic imaging table. The table is equipped with an imaging system that takes X-rays of the breast from two angles. The patient lies face down on the table where there is an opening for the breast. Similar to mammography, the breast is compressed to facilitate the biopsy under image guidance.
2. Local anesthesia is administered and then a small incision is made in the breast for insertion of the sample probe. Placement of this sampling device is guided by a computerized system using x-rays. Once the probe is in position in the breast, a vacuum system gently draws tissues into a sample chamber.
3. Unlike other biopsy methods, the Mammotome is capable of sampling a variety of breast abnormalities with just one small incision. The procedure has the ability to accurately sample tiny abnormalities in the breast called microcalcifications making early diagnosis of breast cancer easier.

Screening Locations

We offer three convenient West Side locations for screening mammograms. Once the film is taken, it will be sent to Fairview Hospital's Breast Health Center for further evaluation by our radiologists.

A physician's order is required to schedule a screening mammogram.

Call 216.476.9012 to make an appointment at one of the following locations:

North Olmsted Physicians Center
24700 Lorain Rd., Suite 100
North Olmsted, OH 44070

Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center at Fairview Hospital, Moll Pavilion
18200 Lorain Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44111

Westlake Medical Campus
850 Columbia Rd., Suite 320
Westlake, OH 44145