St. Joseph's Breast Care Program: The best in breast care

The stats are startling. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her lifetime. But what’s also known is that the chances of successful treatment are greatly improved when breast cancer is found early.  

At St. Joseph’s, the best in breast screening, diagnosis and surgery is transforming the breast cancer journey for patients. 

St. Joseph's Breast Care Program brings together a team of surgeons, radiologists, medical radiation technologists, advanced practice nurses, spiritual care providers and others in a setting that nurtures and support seamless, innovative care for breast care patients focused on individualized care needs. Together, they offer leading-edge breast imaging, diagnostic and surgery services.  

The unique and specially designed Norton and Lucille Wolf Breast Care Centre is the main hub of the program. Designed for patient and family comfort, the centre includes separate areas for breast imaging, surgery consultation and procedures.

New breast imaging technology showing results

At the Breast Care Centre, the latest wave in breast imaging is making a significant difference in precision and confidence in diagnosing or ruling out breast cancer.

Contrast-enhanced mammography and tomosynthesis (or three-dimensional mammography) are now in use by St. Joseph’s Breast Care Program.

Result of cutting-edge imaging tools

  • More accurate diagnoses
  • Reduced need for follow-up visits, saving patients and caregivers valuable time
  • Decreased unnecessary biopsies
  • More useful information collected by breast surgeons
  • Faster overall diagnostic process, which is improving access to breast assessment for all patients

At the same time, the Breast Care Program is leading a shift across Canada to new breast surgery techniques that are dramatically changing the outcome and quality of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Breast Care Program: key stats

As the primary location for hospital-based breast imaging, diagnostic and surgery services in London, about 24,000 patients a year are seen at St. Joseph’s for imaging and surgery services.

  • About 27,000 mammograms, 12,000 breast ultrasounds, 700 high-risk breast MRI scans, 1,600 breast MRIs and 50 MRI-guided breast biopsies are performed each year at St. Joseph’s.
  • About 120 patients a day receive breast imaging.
  • About 700 breast surgical procedures are performed each year at St. Joseph’s, which is the only hospital in the region offering MRI-guided breast biopsies. Other procedures include aspirations, lumpectomies, mastectomies and reconstructive surgery. 
  • For women as young as 30, St. Joseph’s is a high-risk breast screening site of the Ontario Breast Screening Program. A centre of excellence in breast imaging, care and research since the 1980s, St. Joseph’s is leading the way in progress for women faced with breast cancer. 
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