Sanford Breast Health Institute - A Team Approach

High Risk Breast Cancer Surveillance Program

Are you at high risk?
Talk to your physician if you have any personal or family history of:

  • Breast cancer diagnosed under the age of 50
  • Breast cancer in two or more close relatives
  • Bilateral breast cancer
  • Male breast cancer
  • Breast and ovarian cancer in the same woman or in close relatives
  • Ovarian cancer at any age
  • Ashkenazi Jewish with breast or ovarian cancer at any age
  • Clustering of multiple cancers in your family

Sanford’s new High Risk Breast Cancer Surveillance Program is specifically created to provide consistent screening and follow-up for breast cancer survivors and women with high risk factors for breast cancer. The program gives women peace of mind through genetic counseling and screenings with the most thorough technologies. This helps identify potential areas of concern long before they could be found with traditional techniques.

Who is considered high risk?
There are multiple factors that can identify a woman as high risk for breast cancer including a personal history or family history of the disease, carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, two genes closely associated with breast cancer, or having extremely dense breast tissue.

What is the High Risk Breast Cancer Surveillance Program?
Sanford Breast Health Institute brings together all of Sanford’s breast health specialists to provide education and advanced screening to women in the high risk program. These advanced screening techniques allow physician to rule out breast cancer or find it while it is still extremely small.

Full Field Digital Mammography creates enhanced images of breast tissue, allowing physicians to identify areas of concern while they are still small.

Breast Specific Gamma Imaging (BSGI) uses blood flow and metabolism to locate and diagnose areas of concern for high risk breast cancer patients.

3T Breast MRI uses magnetic resonance technology with a high-contrast dye to locate and highlight areas of concern with great detail. The exam produces hundreds of 3D images to give physicians valuable information about breast conditions that cannot be obtained by other imaging tests. The 3T MRI is used in conjunction with mammography to provide advanced breast screening. 
 
 
Sanford's High Risk Breast Surveillance Team includes:
  • The region’s only fellowship trained breast radiologist
  • Board certified surgeons dedicated to breast health
  • Board certified genetic counselors
  • Board certified medical oncologists