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Chemotherapy/Radiation Therapy
Will I lose my hair if I am getting chemotherapy?
Hair loss is a potential side effect of chemotherapy. A lot depends on the type of
chemotherapy, and strength and length of therapy.
Will I be nauseous and vomiting if taking chemotherapy?
Not all patients are sick with nausea and vomiting. Again it depends on the
chemotherapy agent being used, the strength and the length of treatment. There are
anti-emetics (medications given pre-treatment and during treatment) that will lessen or
control the nausea and vomiting.
Will I get skin burns from radiation therapy?
Skin burns are a potential side effect. It depends on the area being treated, the
dosage of radiation delivered and length of treatment. There are topical products that
can be prescribed to treat skin irritations or burns if they occur.
Will I be radioactive if receiving radiation therapy?
No. This is an external beam treatment. If you have implants placed inside the body,
there are precautions you would have to abide by for a certain length of time to
decrease exposure to you family/and or visitors.
How many treatment of chemotherapy/radiation will I need?
This is very individualized. Your doctor will determine this depending on the type of
cancer, site, and staging.
How long do the treatments last for chemotherapy/radiation?
Chemotherapy can be as quick as an injection over a few minutes to an intravenous
infusion that could last for hours.
Radiation therapy is usually very quick. The initial session is the longest — that
is when the site is mapped out precisely. After that, radiation treatment usually takes
10-20 minutes.
Can I receive radiation treatments and chemotherapy at the same time?
Yes. This will be determined by your physician. There are many variables that determine
this type of combination treatment — type of cancer, location, staging, presence of
metastasis and acute symptoms.
Mammography
When are they going to invent a machine that doesn't hurt?
Although, there have been several advancements made in technology for diagnosing breast
disorders, Mammograms still remain the best screening tool available. Ultrasound and MRI
are used primarily for adjunct diagnosing. The "hurt" comes from the need for adequate
compression which is essential for reducing tissue overlap and increased sharpness of
the images.
When will my Physician get the results? How do I get them?
Mammogram reports are usually completed by the following business day. Reports are then
faxed or mailed to your Physician once the Radiologist releases them. This takes an
average of 3-5 days. You should call your Physician for the results. You will also
receive a letter from us within 30 days.
Why is the technologist taking more films, does she see something wrong?
The technologist will make sure that she is visualizing as much breast tissue as
possible, and that the images are of good technical quality without motion or blurriness.
Only a Radiologist can call for any additional or specialized views.
Why are they demanding I get my previous mammograms from another facility?
Comparison of prior mammograms to the current study is crucial for the best
interpretation possible. A radiologist can only see if subtle changes have occurred when
the other films are available. Also, if there are findings that remain unchanged over
several years, additional, specialized imaging can be eliminated, reducing radiation
exposure and needless worry.
How can I release my films?
The Mammography Quality Standards Act requires facilities to release original films to
the patient for comparison purposes. However, films cannot be released before the report
is completed. HIPAA Privacy regulation.
To make arrangements for film pick up, please call the Breast Center at (732) 321-7000,
ext. 61156. You will be asked to leave your name, date of birth, and a phone number, so
your films can be located. Please note that films are not stored at the Breast Center and
it will take 24-48 hours before they are available for pick up. Our office will call you
to confirm your request.
Films can be picked up at the Imaging Center (60 James Street), Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,
and Friday between the hours of 2pm and 8pm. Wednesday and Saturday, films are available
for pick up between 8am and 12noon.
Because films are not stored at the Imaging Center, they can only be held for one week. If
they are not picked up within one week, they will be returned to storage and you will need
to request the films again.
What is the difference between a diagnostic and a screening mammogram?
A diagnostic mammogram is a "problem focused" exam. It requires a prescription
indicating a diagnosis, (ex. lump, discharge, history of breast cancer, follow ups,
etc.) Our radiologists also require patients who have implants to be a diagnostic exam.
A screening mammogram is "prevention focused". It is a routine, annual exam. Sometimes
the Radiologist may see something on the screening exam, which requires additional
imaging. You and your physician will be notified as soon as possible.
What is the digital mammography?
Digital mammography is a new breast imaging modality. The images are projected on a
monitor for the Radiologist to review. While there are some advantages to digital over
film/screen, (no films to process, capability to adjust contrast on monitors), both
require the same compression and provide a uniform accuracy level. Digital mammography
is not appropriate for all breast types.
Will my insurance company pay for the mammogram?
Most insurance companies allow for one mammogram a year. However, there are multiple
contracts out there, so it is best to check with them. A good number of insurances
follow the 12 month rule which means if your previous mammogram was in November you
would not be able to have another until the following November.
What is the correlation between mammograms and menstrual cycles?
Right before your period, your breasts may be too tender for adequate compression to be
administered. This may compromise the quality of your films and/or cause more
discomfort. For those women in their childbearing years, it is best to have their
mammograms during the first 10 days of their menstrual cycle to be sure that they are
NOT Pregnant.
What is the best method of breast healthcare?
A combination of yearly mammography, clinical breast exams (by your doctor) and monthly
breast self exam gives every woman the tools she needs to combat breast cancer with
early detection.
Pathology
What is the role of a pathologist in a cancer diagnosis?
Cancer is diagnosed and classified by the examination of tissue or individual cells obtained
by various methods. Using a microscope and other special tests, pathologists are specially
trained to recognize many tumor types, and to help predict a patient's prognosis by giving
the stage (size and extent) and grade (level of aggressiveness) of their tumor. Pathologists
are also trained to help surgeons determine whether a tumor has been completely removed.
Additionally, pathologists perform a growing array of special molecular and genetic tests to
assess prognosis in certain tumor types.
What kind of training do pathologists have?
Pathologists have MD or DO medical degrees. They do 4 or 5 years of residency training with
options for 1 or more years of fellowship training in various specialties. At Solaris, our
pathologists are Board Certified in Pathology and have subspecialty training and Board
Certification in Cytopathology and Hematopathology.
How do pathologists ensure the accuracy of their diagnoses?
At Solaris, new cancer diagnoses are reviewed by at least two pathologists, a procedure that
greatly reduces the chance of an error. Several pathologists review challenging cases. In
addition, numerous special stains and state of the art molecular techniques are used to assist
in the classification of tumors.
What happens to my specimen when it arrives at the laboratory?
A pathologist or a specially trained pathology assistant first examines your specimen with the
naked eye. The specimen is processed by an elaborate method that allows the pathologists
to view sections of the specimen under the microscope. Many diagnoses can be finalized
without further testing. Those specimens which are more challenging or require prognostic
tests are evaluated by more sophisticated techniques, some of which are described below.
What is fine needle aspiration biopsy?
Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a technique by which cells are obtained from a tumor
with a very thin needle, usually thinner than the ones used for drawing blood. With lesions
that can be felt by hand, our specially trained cytopathologists perform the procedure. In
deep sites that require x-ray guidance, radiologists perform the procedures with the
assistance of pathologists.
What is flow cytometry?
Flow cytometry is a method of analyzing large numbers of cells by computer. Most
commonly, cells are stained with tags called fluorescent antibodies, and then counted and
analyzed by the computer. A pathologist interprets the data obtained by the computer. These
procedures are performed on a daily basis at Solaris, especially for leukemia, lymphoma,
and breast cancer.
What is Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH)?
FISH is a method of looking at individual genes that are present in a cell using a tag that
fluoresces under ultraviolet light in a specially equipped microscope. This procedure is
performed at Solaris on invasive breast cancers. This test allows us to assess whether a
patient might be expected to respond to Herceptin, a drug that targets a protein in the breast
cancer cells.
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