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About Breastlink

Comprehensive breast centers to help women with breast cancer treatment, prevention, screening and diagnosis.

Breast cancer causes the West family to evaluate everything

The West family has dedicated their lives to Breast Health Awareness and to Breast Cancer Treatment, but even they were rocked by a cancer diagnosis.

Dr. John West, Director of Surgery at Breastlink Orange, has treated thousands of patients, written numerous peer-reviewed articles, founded the Breast Health Awareness Foundation and authored the book “Prevent, Survive, Thrive.” His wife Jan is a registered nurse who has spent her life teaching women how to perform breast self-exams, and their son, Dr. Justin West, is Medical Director of Breast Reconstruction and Plastic Surgery at Breastlink.

When Jan was diagnosed with breast cancer, the family was forced to confront their own vulnerabilities and humanity. Read how […]

By | April 5, 2018|Categories: Breast Cancer|1 Comment
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Why You Shouldn’t Wear Deodorant When Getting a Mammogram

A lot of women don’t understand why radiologists ask them not to wear deodorant when they come in for a mammogram. Most deodorants and antiperspirants contain aluminum, which blocks sweat ducts and prevents you from perspiring. The amount of aluminum in the average bar of deodorant is small, however, even a small amount is enough to interfere with a mammogram.

The aluminum particles in deodorant look like tiny white dots on mammogram, mimicking the appearance of calcifications on a mammogram. Calcifications can be an early sign of breast cancer. If there are any aluminum particles in the picture, it becomes difficult to distinguish deodorant aluminum from calcifications. This […]

By | November 22, 2017|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening|1 Comment
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Breastlink Tarzana Installs New GE Senographe Pristina 3D Mammography System

Breastlink Women’s Imaging Tarzana is excited to announce the installation of a new, state-of-the-art mammography machine: The Senographe Pristina. This 3D mammography system is designed around patient comfort. The Senographe Pristina also has gentle, rounded edges, which reduce discomfort, as well as soft armrests, rather than the traditional handgrips, easing muscle tension. These innovations have made mammograms noticeably more comfortable for patients.

Patient comfort is a key factor for achieving accurate mammograms. Relaxed patients move less while being x-rayed and that produces […]

By | November 21, 2017|Categories: Press Releases|0 Comments
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Myth: Mammograms are equally effective for all women

Myth: Mammograms are equally effective for all women.

Fact: Up to 50% of small cancers may not be visible on the screening mammogram.

Although the screening mammogram has been highly effective in terms of early detection of breast cancer, it is not without its limitations. A recently published study in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) demonstrated that screening mammography has a 47 percent cancer false negative rate in women with dense breasts. This means that up to 47% of cancers may not be seen on the mammogram. Other recent studies demonstrated that women with dense breast tissue have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, which some […]

By | July 9, 2017|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening, Breast Conditions, Cancer Research|0 Comments
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Can Stress Cause Cancer?

Cancer patients are often left with feelings of extreme helplessness. This experience of hopelessness, in addition to feeling overwhelmed by social and often financial constraints, can culminate in a state of severe psychosocial stress – or simply “stress.” While stress in and of itself can significantly detract from quality of life, research has also linked stress in cancer patients with decreased survival.

What is “Stress?”

In 1936, an Austro-Hungarian scientist named Hans Selye published the first treatise on stress. Through a combination of lab work and observation, he discovered what he called a “non-specific response of the body to any demand for change,” but which he later dubbed “stress.” The stress response […]

By | April 21, 2017|Categories: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Risks, Breastlink Thrive|1 Comment
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OCMA selects four Breastlink doctors as Physicians of Excellence

Every year, the Orange County Medical Association (OCMA) selects a small number of physicians for its Physicians of Excellence award. These physicians are ones who “go above and beyond in serving their profession and patients.” This year, OCMA has named four Breastlink doctors as Physicians of Excellence, a great honor: Dr. West has been at the forefront of breast cancer treatment for three decades. He founded Breastlink and pioneered the multidisciplinary approach we have used to save the lives of women across southern California. Dr. Curcio is an exemplary surgeon and a cancer survivor. She has used her unique experience as a patient to help her own patients prevent […]

By | February 19, 2017|Categories: Dr. Lisa Curcio, Media, Press Releases|4 Comments
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Michelle’s Place Library Dedication to Dr. John West

On October 7th, Dr. John West held a signing for his new book Prevent, Survive, Thrive at Michelle’s Place in Temecula. Michelle’s Place is a cancer support center that provides support groups for cancer patients and offers financial assistance to women who need mammogram screenings. Michelle’s Place was founded by Marilyn and Bill Watson, in memory of their daughter Michelle Watson, who died of breast cancer when she was 26. Michelle died because her cancer was misdiagnosed. Dr. West dedicated his book to her. He hopes it will empower women to recognize breast cancer symptoms early, when the disease is easy to treat, and become advocates for their own health.

The […]

By | October 14, 2016|Categories: Media, Press Releases|1 Comment
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Breast Implants, Breast Cancer & Mammograms

One of the biggest questions women ask when getting breast implants is, “Will breast implants raise my risk of breast cancer?” Fortunately, the answer is no. The chance of a woman developing breast cancer because of her breast implants is negligible. Until very recently, doctors believed the odds were actually zero, which is why the FDA declared them safe and effective in 2006. However, recent studies suggest they may play a small role in a very rare type of cancer known as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Doctors haven’t found a direct link, so if you’re considering breast implants, you shouldn’t be scared. No doctor is warning women not to […]

By | October 9, 2016|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening|0 Comments
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How Yoga Helps Breast Cancer

It’s hard to stay active when you have breast cancer. Fatigue, distress, and nausea are just a few of the reasons why cancer patients give up exercise, has been shown to reduce chronic pain, boost energy, and even help reduce some medication-associated side effects. If you’re having trouble staying active, consider yoga. It’s a gentle exercise that can accommodate people of every age and condition. Pace and intensity can be adjusted to fit your physical needs, and studies have shown that cancer patients who practice yoga benefit in multiple ways.

How Yoga Helps Breast Cancer Patients

Indian priests known as Brahmans created yoga 5,000 years ago, as a way to strengthen the […]

By | October 9, 2016|Categories: Breast Cancer, Breastlink Thrive|0 Comments
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What is “Chemo Brain”?

“Chemo brain” is a side effect of cancer treatment. It mostly affects patients who receive chemotherapy, but it can affect other cancer patients as well. Patients describe it as a “fog” that makes it hard to think clearly. Fortunately, “chemo brain” only affects patients while they’re being treated for cancer. Symptoms appear when treatment starts and fades after it’s finished. Though sometimes these symptoms can linger for several months or several years following treatment, most patients make a full recovery and suffer no or very minimal long-term side effects.

What are the Symptoms of “Chemo Brain?”

“Chemo brain” impairs your ability to think. Some of the most common symptoms are:

  1. Difficulty […]
By | September 16, 2016|Categories: Breast Cancer|0 Comments
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Authors

Breastlink
John Link, M.D.
John West, M.D.
Nancy Link, R.D.N.
Nimmi Kapoor M.D.
Tchaiko Parris, M.D., Ph.D.

Disclaimer

All information provided by Breastlink on this blog is of a general nature and is not intended to be and cannot substitute medical treatment or personal advice. The information is intended only for general purposes. Many patients have different needs, reactions or forms of treatment. If you have questions regarding your own or a loved one’s treatment or care you must consult with your own physician or seek the guidance of a treating physician.

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