Breast Health

When it comes to caring for your breast health, Central Maine Healthcare offers a spectrum of services to help screen, diagnose, and treat. From the moment you walk in the door, we’ll be there with you the whole way. Compassionate care is our priority, paired with the newest advances in breast health. You’ll know you’re in great hands with our team.

Prevention: It’s always a good idea to come in for regular screenings, whether your family has a history of breast cancer, or you are simply interested in prevention. We offer full breast health analysis, from tissue screening to genetic testing. We’ll uncover your level of risk and talk about ways to manage your prevention protocol.

Diagnosis: All three of our hospitals offer mammography and breast ultrasound services. These can detect or confirm the presence of cancerous cells or tumors. For more advanced diagnostic needs, patients can visit our specialist care team at the Bennett Breast Center in Lewiston. There, we offer ultrasound-guided and stereotactic core breast biopsies. Surgical biopsies are performed in a surgical suite at the hospital in Lewiston (CMMC).

Treatment: Central Maine Healthcare offers a full range of surgical options, including breast reconstruction. Our treatment services also include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy. We also help patients coordinate other treatment modalities, as needed. We offer support services including massage therapy, support groups and assistance with transportation for treatments and follow-up meetings. We can link you to The Dempsey Center, a cancer support center. The Dempsey Center offers a variety of educational and wellness resources for patients, their families and caregivers.

Advanced Diagnosis

In the unlikely event that your annual screening exam reveals a suspicious lump or other tissue changes in your breast, Central Maine Healthcare is here for you. We will hold your hand and offer the most compassionate support through the whole process. To ensure that we get the proper diagnosis, we offer several diagnostic options. We value the newest research and technology, which allows us to provide the best care for our patients.

Breast Ultrasound: We know that ultrasound is an important tool in breast disease detection, so we offer it at all our hospital locations. Breast ultrasound is an imaging technique that uses high frequency sound waves to scan the breast to locate, measure, and evaluate abnormal changes or lesions found on a mammogram. Ultrasound can determine if a breast lump is solid, which is indicative of a benign or malignant tumor, or is filled with fluid, which indicates that it is a cyst, a benign condition.

Breast Ductogram: A mammography procedure called a ductogram finds breast changes and looks for small growths in a breast duct, to determine what is causing clear or bloody discharge from the nipple. Ductography is a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure that involves inserting a tiny catheter tip into the duct. A small amount of liquid is then inserted then tracked through a mammogram. This helps detect abnormal growths in the tissue. Most of the time, the growth is a papilloma which is a benign growth in the lining of the breast duct.

Breast MRI: We offer MRIs to our patients at CMMC. MRIs help with further detection of breast cancer once suspicious tissue or growths have been identified. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be recommended in combination with mammography for women with dense breasts and with a high risk of hereditary breast cancer. Our MRI features the largest diameter bore for patient comfort and produces detailed and high-quality images. It’s a painless procedure. Patients lie comfortably in the MRI unit for a short time, as images are produced.

Breast Biopsy: CMH offers comprehensive breast biopsy services at The Bennett Breast Center, which is located at CMMC in Lewiston. Our biopsy services include care for a range of issues. The following procedures are performed at our Breast Center:

• Breast cyst aspiration: A simple procedure of removing fluid from a cyst using a fine needle. We usually use ultrasound to guide this procedure. A cyst is a fluid-filled, non-malignant growth that is aspirated only if is painful or very large.
• Ultrasound and stereotactic core breast biopsy: Performed to obtain tissue to send to pathology for testing. It is minimally invasive and done using either ultrasound or digital mammography to guide the procedure.
• Needle localization: The insertion of a fine wire into an area of concern prior to an open surgical procedure. This guides the surgeon when a breast lesion can’t be felt.
• Sentinel node evaluation: A procedure done to guide the surgeon in removing the important lymph nodes in a patient undergoing breast cancer surgery. This involves the injection of a small amount of radioactive solution into the breast which is then filtered out by the key lymph nodes that act as gatekeepers. The lymphatic system carries the dye to the first lymph node in the sentinel node pathway. The injection is done on the day of surgery in the nuclear medicine department. The surgeon uses a special detector to locate and remove the identified node(s) for testing by pathology.

Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction

When you’re facing a diagnosis of breast cancer, Central Maine Healthcare is here to guide you through the process of healing. Through our programs at The Bennett Breast Center, we offer the latest in surgical and reconstructive services to ensure you can kick your cancer in the smoothest way possible. Our team is multidisciplinary to make sure we offer comprehensive services and address all your needs, including compassionate support.

Your Experience Matters: Breast cancer patients meet with breast cancer surgeons to discuss the best treatment plans. Our surgeons are part of a team that includes radiologists, pathologists, and medical and radiation oncologists. Our team also includes plastic surgeons, who work with patients who choose to have reconstructive surgery following breast surgery. As a team, healthcare providers communicate with each other to give each patient individualized, focused care. We also have a Nurse Navigator who an advocate for patients. This person is available to help patients with other parts of the process, such as understanding financial and health insurance requirements, the day-today-impact of treatments, and other needs as they arise.

Breast Cancer Surgery: Depending on what kind of cancer you’re dealing with, we will recommend various surgeries. The standard option for breast cancer is a mastectomy, or removal of the breast tissue. How extensive this surgery needs to be is individual and will be customized to your situation. We’ll walk you through the process of procedures and risks, ensuring that you feel supported the whole way. Here are a few of the various types of mastectomy surgeries you might encounter in your conversations with your provider:

• Lumpectomy (Partial Mastectomy): We’ll remove the tumor and just the immediately surrounding tissue. This will ensure you’re breast tissue is still mostly intact.
• Total (Simple) Mastectomy: For the serious cancer case, we’ll remove the whole breast including the nipple.
• Modified Radical Mastectomy: When the cancer has started to spread, we will remove the whole breast, nipple, and the lymph nodes under the arm.
• Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy: For this surgery, we’ll remove the breast tissue while preserving the nipple and areola, giving the breast a more natural look when surgery is completed.
• Skin-Sparing Mastectomy: This surgery option leaves the skin on the breast but removes the skin on the area where the tumor was removed as well as the nipple and areola.

Education and Support

Women’s health is important stuff and at Central Maine Healthcare, we want to make sure you’ve got the health resources you need to always feel your best. That’s why we offer classes, events, online information, and one-on-one support to make sure you get your questions answered and your wellness leveled up. We’re here to make sure you feel empowered.

Educational Classes and Events: We know that you want to be an active participant in creating a life full of health and joy, which is why we regularly hold classes that will teach you how to do just that. Whether you’re planning a birth, are trying to stop smoking, or want to get your fitness back on track, we’ve got a class for that! Our events are focused on getting you moving or helping you create safety for your family. You can choose to participate in events such as getting your infant care seat checked (highly recommended) or even learn infant CPR to make sure you’re already prepared for those rare emergencies.

Guides and Online Classes: Choose to sign up to receive our guides for birth, lactation, and parenting and even get online for more resources. We make learning accessible and something you can take home with you after your appointments. We’re happy to discuss any of the things you learn in our custom guides, as well, ensuring that you know exactly how to care for yourself and your baby.

Consult Our Dieticians and Join Our Fitness Programs: If you have a health need that requires dietary intervention, talk with your provider about scheduling an appointment with one of our board-certified dieticians. These skilled nutritionists can help you design a nutritional program that fits your health condition and will help you improve your health. Join up with our fitness program in partnership with the YMCA to learn more about caring for your body through exercise. We’d love to help you feel fit and strong again!

Understanding Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer
Presented by:  Dr. Nicholette Erickson

Understanding Lymphedema and How to Manage It
Presented by: Rachel Maier, Physical Therapist

Mammography

Screening for breast cancer is one of the most important preventative actions you can take to ensure you’re healthy for life. At Central Maine Healthcare, we want to ensure that you get the proper screening while also making the experience as comfortable as possible. We work with the latest techniques and technology to meet our goal of quality and compassionate care for every patient that walks through our door.

Mammograms are Essential for Breast Health: Our digital mammography systems provide our patients with the highest quality of care in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Digital mammography allows the radiologist to view and manipulate the images on high-resolution computer monitors to enhance visualization of the breast tissue.

Screening Recommendations: An annual screening mammogram, beginning at age 40, is recommended for women who have not had any breast abnormalities. A diagnostic mammogram is given to a patient with breast changes such as lumps, pain, or nipple discharge. This type of appointment requires a referral from your primary care provider.

Preparing for a Mammogram: Be sure not to use deodorants cremes or powders under your arms or near your breast on the day of your mammogram. Consider wearing a two-piece outfit, since you will only need to remove your top. Tips to make the exam even easier: reduce caffeine consumption one to two weeks prior to your appointment if you have tender breasts. If you are still menstruating, schedule your appointment about 10 days after the first day of your period.

Screening Accessibility: Accessibility is important to us, which is why we offer mammography at all three of our hospitals. This makes it convenient for you to schedule and attend your annual screening! For more advanced diagnostics, The Bennett Breast Center at our hospital in Lewiston is ready to help. Within just a short drive, you have access to all the breast health care that you might need, from preventative screenings, to diagnostics, to treatment. We care and want to support you in your breast health journey.

CMH Imaging Locations

Central Maine Medical Center
300 Main Street, Lewiston, ME  04240
Main Hospital: 207-795-0111
MRI Scheduling: 1-800-258-4674
Directions

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Bridgton Hospital
10 Hospital Drive, Bridgton, ME  04009
Main Hospital: 207-647-6000
Imaging: 207-647-6092
Directions

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Rumford Hospital
420 Franklin Street, Rumford, ME  04276
Main Hospital: 207-369-1000
Imaging: 207-369-1131
Directions

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Topsham Care Center
105 Topsham Fair Mall Road, Topsham, ME  04086
Main TCC: 207-798-6300
Imaging: 207-798-6370
Directions

Shields Health Care Group offers state-of-the-art imaging, including: MRI, PET/CT, Mammography, CT, Echocardiography and Ultrasound