Early detection and proactive care are key to improving breast cancer outcomes. However, for individuals at high risk, routine screenings may not always be enough. That’s where innovative programs like the Ambry CARE Program® (CARE) make a difference, allowing healthcare providers to assess personal and family histories to identify high-risk patients and offer personalized care.
High-Risk Screening Program
Midstate Radiology Associates, one of the first Radiology providers in the United States to offer a high-risk screening program within all Women’s Imaging locations, is a proud partner of CARE, a secure application to collect and analyze patients’ medical information and family history.
The results of this assessment help to identify patients who are at increased risk for breast cancer and determine if they meet the criteria for hereditary cancer testing.
Angie Butler’s CARE Journey
One patient, Angie Butler, knows the devastating effects of cancer all too well. The disease has continuously impacted her family – one sister succumbed to stage four breast cancer at age 65, another is in remission from endometrial cancer, and her family history also includes cases of ovarian cancer and even a brain tumor.
Despite this significant family history, Angie’s routine screenings over the years had never included genetic testing or an assessment of her breast cancer risk. That changed in 2023, when Angie underwent a mammogram and breast ultrasound at a Midstate Radiology Associates location offering CARE. For the first time, she was presented with an opportunity to take proactive steps tailored to her risk profile.
The Power of Genetic Testing and Risk Assessment
Through CARE, Angie was offered genetic testing to check for mutations associated with an elevated cancer risk. While her results came back negative, the assessment revealed that her personal and family history placed her at higher risk for breast cancer. Based on Angie’s risk score, she qualified for a breast MRI, a diagnostic tool capable of detecting cancers that mammograms and ultrasounds might miss.
It was during this MRI that Angie’s care team discovered an early-stage breast cancer. Thanks to this timely diagnosis, she underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy, and she is now cancer-free. Without the breast MRI, her next routine mammogram and ultrasound were scheduled for June 2024, a delay that could have resulted in a later diagnosis with potentially different treatment options and outcomes.
Advocacy for Personalized, Proactive Care
Angie’s experience underscores the life-changing impact of comprehensive high-risk screening programs like CARE. By empowering healthcare teams to consistently identify and support high-risk patients, Ambry Genetics® is helping to save lives.
Angie is deeply grateful to the team at Midstate Radiology Associates for their dedication to personalized care and she hopes her story will inspire others to:
- Understand and share their family history with healthcare providers
- Seek proactive screening and genetic testing when offered
- Encourage healthcare teams to adopt complete screening practices that account for individual risks
To schedule a mammogram or learn more about genetic testing, contact Midstate Radiology Associates today.
