It's Your HEALTH - Cancer Screening

IT’S YOUR HEALTH

Regular Cancer Screenings Could Save Your Life

Learn which ones you need, why you need them, and how often you should get them.

Hear from Santa Clarita Valley Residents who survived cancer because of routine screenings.

Importance of Routine Cancer Screenings WELCOME

Medical science has made great strides in the fight against cancer over the last 50-plus years, but sadly, cancer remains a vexing and often lethal disease. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetimes.

A person’s odds of surviving cancer are considerably greater when cancer is detected in its early stages. That’s why regular cancer screenings are so important. I urge you to talk to your primary care physician about the latest cancer screening guidelines.

In this issue, you can read about recommended screening guidelines for four types of cancer— breast, colon, lung, and prostate. You can also read about four patients who, thanks to timely screenings, had their cancers diagnosed early and have undergone successful treatments.

For those dealing with a cancer diagnosis, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital’s partnership with Keck Medicine of USC offers a range of world-class treatment options right here in the Santa Clarita Valley. You can learn more at henrymayo.com/ keck.

I have had the great privilege of leading Henry Mayo over the last two decades. As I retire from this role, I know that Henry Mayo is well positioned to continue to serve the health and wellness needs of this community. Thank you for your continued support of our independent hospital.

Yours in good health,

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MANY PEOPLE

DELAYED OR CANCELED THEIR ROUTINE CANCER SCREENINGS. AS A RESULT, THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE PREDICTS MORE THAN 10,000 ADDITIONAL CANCER DEATHS WILL OCCUR OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

The likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer increases with age, yet most people do not experience symptoms of cancer until it is in an advanced stage. Having routine cancer screenings is vital because the screenings may detect cancer before symptoms appear. If you wait until symptoms appear, the cancer may have grown or spread to other areas of the body, making it more difficult to treat. However, when abnormalities are detected early, successful treatment and remission are more likely.

It’s important to note that most screening tests do not diagnose cancer. Instead, they screen for abnormalities that will require diagnostic tests to check for cancer.

Some people are at higher risk of developing certain cancers, including those with a personal history of cancer, family history of cancer, exposure to cancer-causing substances, and older age. Not having a risk factor doesn’t mean cancer won’t occur. Cancer can also develop in those who are considered low risk. Continuing with routine screenings is important, even if you are in a low-risk category.

There are different risk factors for breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers, including age, genetics, and lifestyle habits. For example, 85% of lung cancers are attributed to using tobacco products, and the chances of developing prostate cancer greatly increase if there is a family history of prostate cancer.

Roger E. Seaver President/CEO

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We hope you’ll take time to read about the different types of cancer screenings in the pages ahead. If you haven’t already, now is the time to make regular cancer screenings part of your routine again. Talk to your doctor today, or visit henrymayo.com/screening or call 661.200.1332 for more information.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo.

Sumsusunod ang Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital sa mga naaangkop na Pederal na batas sa karapatang sibil at hindi nandidiskrimina batay sa lahi, kulay, bansang pinagmulan, edad, kapansanan o kasarian.

It’s Your Health is produced by the Marketing Department at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and is provided free to the community. This publication in no way seeks to serve as a substitute for professional medical care. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise or dietary guidelines.

©2023. Reproduction of this publication or use of its contents without written permission is prohibited. For reprint permission, to subscribe or unsubscribe, or to submit ideas for future issues of It’s Your Health , please contact the editor at stewartrl@henrymayo.com or 661.200.1301.

Some photographs in this issue were taken before social distancing measures and masking policies were put in place.

Colorectal CANCER SCREENING

HAVE YOU HEARD? 45 IS THE NEW 50 FOR EVERYONE AT AVERAGE RISK FOR COLORECTAL CANCER.

Colorectal cancer cases are on the rise among younger adults, which is why the screening guidelines have changed. People should now begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45 instead of age 50. The good news is, the relative five-year survival rate is about 90% when colorectal cancer is detected at an early stage, before it has spread, according to the American Cancer Society.

The best way to find colorectal cancer early is by having routine screening tests. People of average risk should have their first test at age 45. How often you should be screened can depend on which test you choose. People at high risk for colorectal cancer may need to screen earlier and more frequently, based on their physician’s recommendations.

Although researchers don’t yet know the exact cause of colorectal cancer, a lot is known about certain risk factors and how to prevent, treat, and screen for the disease.

Here are some different ways to screen for colorectal cancer.

1) Get a colonoscopy every 10 years.

• Your doctor can remove polyps, prevent, and detect colorectal cancer in one step.

• May be more frequent if polyp(s) are found.

THE TWO-STEP TEST

1) Step one: STOOL TEST

FIT (fecal immunochemical test) every year OR Cologuard® (Multitarget Stool DNA test) every three years OR

FLEXIBLE SIGMOIDOSCOPY every five to ten years OR IMAGING TESTS: CT colonography every five years OR Colon Capsule every five years

2) Step two: If results are positive, schedule a colonoscopy.

Visit henrymayo.com/screening or call 661.200.1332 for more information.

Nancy Bilek

Valencia resident Nancy Bilek had a routine screening colonoscopy in August 2022, 13 years after her last colonoscopy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to put off the test, as did many people.

Bilek’s colonoscopy detected a tumor, and she and her providers prepared for treatment. Thankfully, Bilek’s cancer was detected early, at stage 1, and chemotherapy was not recommended for her. After five days of radiation therapy overseen by Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and Keck Medicine of USC radiation oncologist May Lin Tao, MD, Bilek had colorectal surgery in early November to remove the tumor. Henry Mayo and Keck Medicine colorectal surgeon Joongho Shin, MD, performed the surgery. Bilek is now in recovery and doing well.

“I’ve been fortunate—I had a wonderful experience,” she says, adding how important it is to stay current with routine cancer screenings. “I’ve had two family members get colonoscopies after hearing what happened to me!”

THE ONE-STEP TEST

Breast CANCER SCREENING

WHEN BREAST CANCER IS DETECTED EARLY, A WOMAN HAS THE GREATEST RANGE OF TREATMENT OPTIONS AND THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD OF A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME.

Eevery woman has some risk of developing breast cancer. Women of average risk should begin having annual mammograms at age 40. For women at high risk for breast cancer, it may be best to start even sooner. Your doctor can help you determine your risk level.

WOMEN AT AVERAGE RISK

All women at average risk of breast cancer, especially women of color, should have a risk assessment by age 30.

Angela Horlings

Santa Clarita resident Angela Horlings always had her routine mammograms at the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center. Although she missed the recommended date for her most recent routine screening mammogram by a few months, she had it done in April 2022.

The next day, the Breast Center staff called Horlings to schedule additional tests. Those tests revealed stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma.

“Never in a million years did I think I would get a breast cancer diagnosis,” Horlings says.

Horlings didn’t need chemotherapy, but she did have a lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy.

During her next checkup last December, Horlings was thrilled to learn that her cancer was undetectable. The treatment she received was successful.

“Everyone at the Breast Center was caring, concerned and very thorough,” Horlings says.

“I was only a few months over my regular exam, proving just how prudent annual screenings truly are!”

According to guidelines from the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging, women should begin annual mammograms at age 40.

WOMEN AT HIGH RISK

Speak to your primary care provider or radiologist or contact our High Risk Breast Clinic about the age to start screenings, the frequency of screenings, and what test(s) are needed. Factors that put a woman at high risk include:

• Genetic mutation associated with increased breast cancer risk (BRCA 1 and BRCA 2)

• History of chest radiation before age 30

• Family history of breast cancer

• Prior abnormal breast biopsy

• Personal or family history of ovarian cancer

• Very dense breasts

PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING

IT’S A SHARED DECISION WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men after nonmelanoma skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Prostate cancer often doesn’t have symptoms, so the only way to find it early is through screening, either with a digital rectal exam or a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

Men ages 55–69 should discuss regular PSA screening with their physicians, as men in this age group appear to have the greatest benefit from screening. Men age 70 and older and men at high risk for prostate cancer should discuss how often they should have a PSA screening.

YOU ARE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK IF:

• You have a family history of prostate cancer.

• You are Black.

• You have a genetic mutation in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA 2, that increases your risk.

THE PROS OF SCREENING:

• Screening can save lives and offer a better chance for successful treatment.

• Treatment can prevent or slow the spread of prostate cancer.

• A normal PSA test can give peace of mind.

THE CONS OF SCREENING:

• False positives can occur. A high PSA may not mean you have cancer.

• If a biopsy is done, mild side effects may occur and are rarely serious.

• There’s the possibility of over-diagnosis and over-treatment.

Visit henrymayo.com/screening or call 661.200.1332 for more information.

James Pritchett

James Pritchett has been conscientious about getting a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every year. The last few times he was tested, the numbers were trending upward.

“I had a family history of prostate cancer on my mother’s side,” Pritchett says. “Her brothers and father all had it. Two of them died from prostate cancer. So I didn’t want to wait too long before addressing my situation.”

Pritchett was referred to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital urologist Sevan Stepanian, MD.

“With PSA test results, in addition to looking at the absolute number, you also want to look at the trend over time,” Dr. Stepanian says.

“That’s one of the reasons regular screening is so important.”

After consulting with Dr. Stepanian, Pritchett had a biopsy that discovered cancerous cells. He opted for robotic-assisted surgery, which Dr. Stepanian performed in January 2022. It turned out to be the right decision.

“We measure how aggressive prostate cancer cells are with something called a Gleason score,” Dr. Stepanian says. “The Gleason score in the small tissue sample we retrieved from his biopsy was a six. But the pathology reports after his surgery showed a Gleason score of seven, indicating more aggressive disease.”

For Pritchett, recovery is going well. “Surgery hasn’t changed my level of activity,” he says. “I’m still engaged in camping and other scouting activities with my grandson. Early detection is key!”

Lung Cancer SCREENING

EARLY DETECTION IMPROVES LUNG CANCER TREATMENT OPTIONS AND SURVIVAL.

Lung cancer patients are often diagnosed in the late stages of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society, and most patients are former or current smokers. Through our Lung Cancer Screening Program at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, our goal is to screen patients at risk and diagnose lung cancer in the early stages.

WHO QUALIFIES?

• Current or former smokers who quit within the last 15 years

• Patients ages 50–77 (Medicare) OR ages 50–80 (commercial payers)

• Patients with a 20-pack year or more smoking history (number of pack(s) daily multiplied by number of years)

BENEFITS OF SCREENING

• Screening reduces your risk of dying from lung cancer.

• Data show annual low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer early, and this has shown to provide a significant reduction in lung cancer deaths among patients at risk.

• Screening leads to better treatment options.

• Early lung cancer may be more easily removed by surgery. The most common type, non-small cell lung cancer, can often be cured by surgery alone if found early enough. Advanced lung cancers may be inoperable, result in cancer spreading beyond the lungs, require more intensive treatment, and have lower cure rates.

CONS OF SCREENING

• False positives (false alarms) may occur and lead to additional scans or invasive procedures that may not be needed. Screening and follow-up testing exposes patients to low doses of radiation.

WHAT IF SOMETHING ABNORMAL SHOWS UP ON MY SCAN?

If an abnormality is detected through screening, Henry Mayo’s multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists may determine if lung cancer exists by using noninvasive, accurate diagnostic biopsy techniques, including:

• Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)

• Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy

• CT-guided biopsy (percutaneous)

• Video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS biopsy)

TREATMENT

Our team will determine if you have cancer, what stage it is, and provide you with treatment options based on best practices. These treatments may include:

Lourdes Ramirez

Some years ago, a nodule was discovered on one of Lourdes Ramirez’s lungs. Since then, she’s had annual CT scans to monitor her lungs. During what she thought was just another CT scan, the nodule showed signs of growth. That’s when she was referred to Henry Mayo physician Mostafa Tabassomi, MD, for a biopsy.

“I was strongly encouraged to have a biopsy done, but I was nervous,” Ramirez says. “But everyone was very thorough with explaining the steps of the process.” Ramirez’s test results came back, and she was diagnosed with stage 1 adenocarcinoma lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer in nonsmoking patients. She had surgery but fortunately didn’t need chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Ramirez was able to recover quickly from her surgery, return to work, and have what she calls a “totally normal life.” She continued to have follow-up appointments for monitoring.

“Having any stage of cancer is scary,” Ramirez says. “But I’m glad I followed my doctor’s advice and got the biopsy. Keeping up with screenings can be challenging, but they are crucial for maintaining good health.”

call 661.200.1332 for more information.