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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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Dr. Parris Paper: Breast Cancer Screening

There is an established consensus in the breast health community that mammography is the mainstay imaging examination for screening breast cancer. However, there are varied national recommendations among stakeholders and major institutions in the topic of breast cancer screening. Lack of consensus in screening criteria includes risk stratification, age to initiate screening, and the interval of screening. The differences in practice guidelines are mainly due to variation in design and interpretation of screening trials over the past decades. As debates for and against the use of screening mammography continue to escalate, both providers and patients are often confused and wrongly perceive the recommendations as directives. The purpose of this article […]

By | October 26, 2016|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening, Cancer Research|0 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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Nuts: One of the World’s Healthiest Food

What’s the healthiest food? Most people say broccoli or kale, but the real answer is nuts. Even though they’re small, they provide a concentrated dose of vitamins and nutrients that help combat a number of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and even cancer. Studies have shown that people who eat nuts more than twice a week live longer, healthier lives than those who don’t, and the more you eat the longer you live. If you don’t eat nuts, you should start, and if you do eat them, you should start eating more.

Why Nuts Are So Healthy

Nuts contain high concentrations of fiber, acids, minerals, vitamins, and healthy […]

By | October 9, 2016|Categories: Breastlink Thrive, Nutrition|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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Breastlink’s Marica Ray Center Provides Breast Cancer Screening in Glendale

For over 20 years, Breastlink has helped thousands of women all across southern California. Originally centered in Orange and Riverside Counties, Breastlink has recently expanded into Los Angeles with the opening of the Marcia Ray Breastlink Women’s Imaging Center in Glendale. The new location will make it easy for women to obtain mammograms and other diagnostic breast imaging from top radiologists without traveling far from their homes in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley.

How Breast Imaging Improves Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer affects more women than almost every other type of cancer. Breast imaging provides doctors with the information necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat breast cancer early and effectively. […]

By | August 5, 2016|Categories: Cancer News, Press Releases|0 Comments
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BPA & It’s Effects

In recent years, more and more people have become more conscious about the foods they eat. Everyone expects their food to be healthy and safe for themselves and their families. Unfortunately, food packaging may be harboring hidden chemicals that many would like to avoid. One of the most well-known is the toxic chemical known as bisphenol A (BPA). This chemical is found almost everywhere, especially in common household products like water bottles and tin cans. A new report released by the Breast Cancer Fund found that 67% of nearly 200 food cans samples tested positive for BPA, a well-known hormone disruptor. Hormone disruptors are chemicals that, at certain doses, can […]

By | May 3, 2016|Categories: Breast Cancer Risks, Breastlink Thrive, Nutrition|Tags: |0 Comments
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When is Double Mastectomy Appropriate?

Most women have heard of mastectomy, which is commonly performed to treat or reduce risk for breast cancer. In the age of improved cancer treatment, improved screening tools, and emphasis on long-term survival and benefits, it is important to question exactly when and for who a double mastectomy is beneficial.

Risk-Reducing Prophylactic Mastectomy

Prophylactic mastectomy is the most commonly performed preventive surgery in women at very high risk for breast cancer. Prophylactic mastectomy involves the surgical removal of virtually all breast tissue. Some high-risk women with no previous breast cancer diagnoses may consider this option. Some women previously diagnosed with breast cancer may also consider prophylactic mastectomy in their unaffected breast to […]

By | April 7, 2016|Categories: Breast Surgery|4 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.