TTUHSC El Paso Assists With Preventive Care

From April 2019 to December 2022, 334 underinsured or uninsured women received breast cancer screenings at the Foster School of Medicine’s Medical Student Run Clinic, thanks to $73,000 in grants from the American Breast Cancer Foundation, National Breast Cancer Foundation and Texas Medical Association.

“I’m entering my 33rd year of breast cancer, and I’m fortunate that TTP El Paso is interested in all aspects of my case,” said Davis, who also worked with gastroenterologist Sherif Elhanafi, M.D., and neurologist Darine Kassar, M.D. “From the oncologist to the neurologist, all my doctors are exceptional. I have the care I need and wouldn’t want to trust anyone else with it.”

Across the Borderplex, that care is essential. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer incidence has increased in El Paso County over the past decade, with a rate of 106 cases per 100,000 women. It’s the primary cause of cancer death among Hispanic women, and a substantial number of cases in Hispanic women are the more aggressive triple-negative breast cancers. El Paso County has a population of 840,000, of which 83% identify as Hispanic.

Patients with cancer often face additional complications beyond the cancer itself or due to treatments. Complications vary depending on the type of cancer, if it has spread and what treatment methods are in use, and often include pain, bone complications, gastrointestinal issues and neurological problems.

“Patients with cancer already suffer from cancer itself, including the side effects of treatment and the mental effect imposed by such diagnosis,” said Dr. Kassar. “Having access to multiple specialties at TTP El Paso allows patients to address different concerns in one convenient location. It also allows the providers to communicate with each other concerning the treatment plan for each patient.”

In addition to focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the Breast Care Center provides emotional support for patients through the Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic.

Like Davis, many survivors have ongoing physical and psychological needs following a cancer diagnosis, but breast cancer survivorship care is relatively new. Because of new treatments and early detection, there are more survivors than ever, with more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. today, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Thanks to the incredible specialists and world-class facilities at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, I can live an upbeat life, limit negative thoughts and do everything I can with the days I have,” Davis said.