Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - CH - 5

to early detection and accurate diagnosis," Nicholson says. "Everything we
do is designed to decrease waiting and
decrease anxiety."

The Tumor Board

Tinsley followed up with oncologist
Mohamad Kassar, MD, who explained
that the mammography and biopsy
revealed a lesion called atypical ductal
hyperplasia (ADH). Women diagnosed
with ADH do not have breast cancer, but
have a higher risk of developing it in
the future.
Before treatment, Tinsley's
care was reviewed at one of the
Community Healthcare System's Tumor
Board conferences. At these meetings,
physicians, surgeons, medical geneticists, medical oncologists, radiation
oncologists, pathologists, radiologists,
pulmonologists, nurses, respiratory/
physical/occupational therapists and
other specialists come together to
ensure the best plan possible for each
patient. If a woman has ADH cells found
on a minimally invasive imaging-guided
core biopsy, as well as other risk factors
for breast cancer, further evaluation
is done to calculate her risk of one day
developing breast cancer.
Recommendations for the next appropriate preventive steps are then presented to the patient. These steps may
include surgical biopsy, lifestyle changes
and medications like tamoxifen.

Cathy and her oldest son, Jack, participate in the 5K run during
the annual Unite & Fight fundraiser for the Cancer Resource
Centre in Munster.

One in 1 Million

Tinsley's recommendations from the
breast conference and Kassar included
a surgical biopsy similar to lumpectomy
and regularly scheduled screenings for
vigilant surveillance. The Tumor Board
and Kassar's findings also revealed that
both Tinsley's ADH and her sister's
breast cancer were not due to a hereditary breast cancer gene. Kassar says that
the chances of two sisters both having
breast cancers that were not hereditary
were about 1 in 1 million.

WEBSITE

Comprehensive Cancer Care
For more about oncology care and services offered at the hospitals
of Community Healthcare System-Community Hospital, Munster,
St. Catherine Hospital, East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center,
Hobart-visit COMHS.org/cancer.

"I thought about how far treatment
has come since the time that they diagnosed my grandmother," Tinsley says.
"Back then, there was no early detection and only limited treatment. I had a
lot of decisions to make and my oncologist gave me a lot of information. In the
end, Dr. Kassar was great about letting
me make the choices that were best
for me."
"I can't say enough about all
the cancer services offered within
Community Healthcare System," she
says. "I was not in a position to go
downtown for treatment, which means
having your spouse drive you downtown, finding parking, taking the day off
work and all this other stuff that has to
happen ... and if you have back-to-back
appointments, you can spend the whole
day there. I have kids; I have a job. It
would have added a lot more stress to
our family. It's very comforting to have
such wonderful care right here in our
own backyard." ■
FALL 2019

http://www.COMHS.org/cancer

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - CH

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - CH