National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual celebration of life that is held in hundreds of communities around the world on the first Sunday in June.
The day is a celebration for those who have survived, an inspiration for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of support for families, and an outpouring of thanks to the medical community.
This day provides an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer – including America’s more than 16.9 million cancer survivors – to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize those who have supported them along the way.
It is also a day to draw attention to the staggering number of new cancer cases and deaths projected for this year. In 2021, there will be an estimated 1.9 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 608,570 cancer deaths in the United States.
According to a report by the Cancer Research UK, the survival rate for people with eight of the most common cancers is more than three times higher when the disease is diagnosed early.
More cancer research data suggests that just over 80% of those with cancer survive for at least 10 years when their disease is diagnosed at stage one or two but only a quarter of those diagnosed at stage three or four live for at least a decade more. Ten-year survival is more than 90% for people whose cancer is diagnosed at stage one, compared with 5% for those whose disease is found at stage four.
In an effort to detect breast cancer as early as possible, Dr. Darren Sachs, Director of Breast Surgery at EMU Health, recommends that all women forty and over receive an annual 3D Mammogram.
“Screening mammograms provide the best chance of detecting breast cancers when they are small and treatable. If we detect breast cancers when they are small and early stage, not only are more lives saved from breast cancer death, but women are also able to undergo less extensive surgeries and system therapies,” said Dr. Sachs.
Dr. Sachs completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glen Head, NY, his residency at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, and his SSO Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the prestigious Fox Chase Cancer Center.
He is now a Surgical oncologist at EMU Health and a member of the Surgical Specialists of NY; a multi-specialty practice specializing in general surgery, founded by accomplished surgeon, Panagiotis Manolas.
Besides his work at EMU Health, Manolas is currently the Chief of General Surgery, Ambulatory and Outpatient, at Lenox Hill Hospital, a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and assistant clinical professor at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine.
Many medical centers still offer conventional 2D mammograms, which have a history of producing unclear results, false alarms, or worse – cancer being missed.
EMU Health offers the Genius Exam; advanced 3D Mammogram technology that allows doctors to examine your breast tissue one layer at a time. The imaging system uses high-powered computing to convert digital breast images into a stack of very thin layers or “slices” for your radiologist to review.
“3D mammography technology provides us with the best breast imaging available, allowing us to detect breast cancer as early as possible. Patient survival outcomes are improved if breast cancer is detected in its early stage,” said Dr. Sachs.
EMU Health doctors also utilize Savi Scout; a new revolutionary method for locating breast tumors. With this machine, EMU Radiologists can precisely identify the tissue that needs to be removed during surgical breast biopsies & lumpectomies.
To schedule your yearly 3D Mammogram appointment with Dr. Sachs at EMU Health, click here and fill out the appointment form, or call 718.850.4368. EMU Health is located on 83-40 Woodhaven Blvd Glendale, NY 11385.
Patients come from near-by areas like Middle Village, Kew gardens, Woodhaven, Ridgewood & Richmond Hill, however, EMU’s award winning facilities and staff are worth a trip from anywhere in Queens, Brooklyn & Manhattan.
