Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminder: Screening saves lives
When caught early, there is a 99% chance of long-term survival, says UCI Health surgical oncologist
IN THE NEWS: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It serves as a reminder for women who are 40 or older to get their screening mammograms.
To spread the word, Dr. Alexandra Lopez-Aguiar, recently spoke with KNX News about the importance of screening.
“This is an incredibly important task that can save lives.”
She says that women have a 12% to 13% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime. Detecting it early is key.
“If you can catch a breast cancer early, you have a 99% chance of long-term survival. The earlier you catch this cancer, the better the patient does.”
Lopez-Aguiar is a board-certified UCI Health general surgeon and complex surgical oncologist. She has a special interest in the treatment of breast cancer. She is also an assistant professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Her specific areas of expertise include hormone positive and negative breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, genetic mutations that increase the risk of cancer, benign breast diseases and sentinel lymph node biopsies. She is dedicated to taking an individualized and multidisciplinary approach to each of her patients as she aims to improve their quality of life.
Make an appointment at UCI Health Breast Cancer Services by calling 714-456-8000.
Schedule your mammogram by calling 714-456-7237 (RADS).
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,513-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, its newest facility, UCI Health — Irvine Rehabilitation Hospital, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health system, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.