Webinar with Chief of Breast Surgery of Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute Highlights the Importance of Prevention, Screening, Treatment, and Breast Cancer Awareness at All Ages

The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 years and older begin routine screenings for breast cancer and continue those screenings for as long as they are physically able and willing to receive treatment should doctors discover abnormalities—regardless of age.

“There is no stop date for when someone should cease having routine mammograms provided that they have a good performance status and the patient is willing to receive treatment if something is found,” said Dr. Jane Mendez, chief of breast surgery at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute.

Dr. Mendez recently discussed routine screenings and a variety of related topics while presenting a webinar in partnership with Belmont Village Senior Living entitled “Breast Cancer Basics: Prevention Screening and Treatment.” The presentation also highlighted Belmont Village’s educational programming and events for residents, family members, and professionals driven by an ethos that also emphasizes the importance of women advocating for their own overall health.

Additionally, the webinar highlighted the unique partnership between Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in South Florida, and Belmont Village Senior Living.

Together they are looking forward to opening Belmont Village’s newest Florida community in Coral Gables in the Fall of 2023—a partnership that is not only a first in senior housing but represents the future of senior living. The goal is to create an environment where health and wellness are a priority and people can thrive as they age. Belmont Village Senior Living provides award-winning independent living, assisted living and memory care programs as well as ongoing collaborations with university partners including Baptist Health South Florida, UCSD, and UCLA at its 34 locations across the country and in Mexico City.

“We are committed to helping our residents and the communities in which we live to stay healthy through educational programs such as this latest webinar,” said Belmont Village Senior Living founder and CEO Patricia Will. “Dr. Mendez led an insightful session for the community, and brought greater awareness to the disease, its prevention and detection.”

During the webinar, Dr. Mendez explained the two most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender and age, underscoring the importance of regular breast cancer screenings. Starting at the age of 40, annual screening mammograms are recommended annually for women regardless of symptoms or family history. She also noted the importance of self-breast exams in between screenings. When checking for breast cancer, she shared that it does not always present in the form of lumps and could instead cause changes to the skin texture, breast size or show up as an unusual rash.

“It’s important to know your body. Oftentimes patients detect symptoms before their doctors do, and early detection can make all the difference when it comes to breast cancer outcome,” said Dr. Mendez. “The earlier it’s found, and the diagnosis is made, the higher the chances of survival and the less invasive the treatment is.”

In addition to regular screening, Dr. Mendez also highlighted the role of lifestyle choices in breast cancer prevention. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine can help to decrease the risk of developing breast cancer, even in women with genetic or other risk factors. This underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach to breast cancer prevention, including both regular screening and healthy lifestyle choices.

To view the “Breast Cancer Basics: Prevention Screening and Treatment” webinar, click HERE.

About Dr. Jane Mendez, M.D.

Dr. Jane Mendez is the Chief of Breast Surgery at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute. Board certified by the American Board of Surgery and fellowship-trained at New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Mendez specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and performs all types of breast surgical procedures. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her medical degree from Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. She also completed a surgery residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital.

About Belmont Village Senior Living

Now celebrating 25 years, Belmont Village is known for pioneering proprietary, award-winning resident programming, often in partnership with leading research universities and healthcare institutions such as USC, UCLA, and Baptist Health South Florida. Today, Belmont Village owns and operates 34 communities with just under 5,000 units, with an additional 1000 units in development. The company is a market leader in major markets including the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Austin, and South Florida. Belmont’s communities are renowned for distinctive design, high standards of life safety, quality of care, and leading-edge, award-winning programs. Belmont Village is certified as a Great Place to Work® and has been ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s 50 Best Workplaces for Aging Services since 2018.

About Baptist Health Cancer Care

Baptist Health Cancer Care is the largest cancer program in South Florida, providing local, out-of-state and international patients with the most advanced cancer care. With locations from the Florida Keys to the Palm Beaches, the program provides cancer patients access to a full array of innovative clinical trials, physicians dedicated to bringing discovery to the bedside, access to personalized cancer treatments and comprehensive patient support services – all delivered with unparalleled compassion. Baptist Health Cancer Care includes its state-of-the-art premier institutes, Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute and Baptist Health Lynn Cancer Institute, with renowned subspecialized surgical oncologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, and highly advanced technologies available to treat every common and rare cancer.

Baptist Health Cancer Care is part of Baptist Health, based in South Florida, providing care through a network of 12 hospitals as well as more than 150 outpatient facilities and physician practices, welcoming more than 1.5 million patients from around the world each year. Baptist Health Cancer Care is also Florida’s only member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, an alliance based on common standards of care and many shared clinical trials.

To learn more about Baptist Health Cancer Care, visit Baptisthealth.net/Cancercare.

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