Audio Narration by Dr. Barker:
While breast cancer remains a top concern for most women, it isn’t the only problem that can affect a woman’s breasts. At Surgical Care of the Virginias & MammoCare 3D Mammography in Bluefield, Virginia, Dr. Frederick Barker specializes in Comprehensive Breast Care. He helps women sort out the many issues that can affect their breasts. Many more women have non-cancerous breast problems than those who actually are found to have cancer. So, relieving the anxiety of uncertainty is one of Dr. Barker’s prime objectives.
From screening, to surgery, and follow-up, Dr. Barker is available for all of your breast care needs. To learn more, call or schedule an appointment with us online.
Another very informative video about breast cancer can be found at http://youandbreastcancer.com/en-bc/home. For more detailed printed information about breast cancer treatment you might like to visit these sites:
Comprehensive Breast Care Q & A
What conditions can affect the breast?
With breast cancer diagnosed in an estimated 1 in 8 women in the United States, at some point in their lives, this disease remains a top concern when it comes to a woman’s breast health. But, there are many non-cancerous problems that can affect your breasts too. These include:
- Cyclic breast pain due to hormone changes
- Noncyclic breast pain, which encompasses discomfort outside of your hormonal cycles
- Mastitis, an infection of the breast tissue
In addition to these conditions, many women develop benign (non-cancerous) lumps or masses in their breasts. Sometimes simply these lumps go away on their own. Occasionally they may cause considerable discomfort and may need something further to be done. At MammoCare, we have the experience and technology to address a full spectrum of breast problems, often in a single day.
What if I have cancer?
Breast cancer management can be very complicated and invariably requires a team approach. Radiologist, pathologist, surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and occasionally a plastic surgeon all have important roles to play.
At MammoCare, Dr. Barker serves as the team’s captain, making sure that your care and follow-up are properly coordinated. Dr. Barker’s special interest and experience in breast cancer means you may be given treatment options locally which would otherwise require that you travel several hours away to receive. To ensure an accurate diagnosis, your mammograms from MammoCare are double-read by Dr. Barker and a breast radiologist who specializes exclusively in breast imaging. Dr. Barker also personally reviews your pathology slides of biopsies and surgical specimens with the pathologist.
Should you require a breast MRI, facilities with the best equipment and most experienced radiologists are readily available locally at Princeton Community Hospital, Bluefield Regional Medical Center, and Clinch Valley Medical Center.
What if I need surgery?
Dr. Barker is a thought leader in the delivery of breast care in rural Appalachia. He was the first doctor in the region to offer minimally invasive stereotactic and ultrasound-guided core biopsies, and he was an early adopter of sentinel lymph node biopsy, for accurately sampling axillary lymph nodes in women with breast cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is important because it reduces your chance of developing arm lymphedema (arm swelling) after surgery.
To ensure that you have the best chance of clear margins and optimal cosmetic results, Dr. Barker has incorporated oncoplastic techniques into his surgical practice.
Dr. Barker was also the first surgeon in the region to offer Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI), which can dramatically reduce the number of radiotherapy visits in certain women who choose lumpectomy and radiation.
Recently, Dr. Barker became the region’s first surgeon to offer IntraOperative Radiation Therapy (IORT), which provides many women with a “one and done” breast-conserving surgical option.
Watch this short video to learn more about IORT.
For comprehensive and compassionate breast care, call Dr. Barker or use the online scheduling tool to set up an appointment.
Schedule an appointment or telemedicine consult using the online tool.