The Breast Center
The breast cancer care you need, right here in Kern County
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American women, according to the American Cancer Society. One woman in 8 will get this diagnosis during her lifetime.
If you have breast cancer now, or you're at risk for a future cancer due to your family history, you need to know that the Adventist Health AIS Cancer Center offers the very best breast cancer care in Kern County, and we deliver that care with compassion you can feel.
Full accreditation breast center by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC)
Our Breast Center is a fully accredited Breast Center by the National Accreditation
Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Accreditation by the NAPBC is only
given to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the
highest level of quality breast care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation
process and review of their performance. During the survey process, the
center must demonstrate compliance with standards established by the NAPBC
for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast
disease. The standards include proficiency in the areas of: center leadership,
clinical management, research, community outreach, professional education,
and quality improvement. A breast center that achieves NAPBC accreditation
has demonstrated a firm commitment to offer its patients every significant
advantage in their battle against breast disease.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that there would be 232,340
patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States in
2013. In addition, hundreds of thousands of women who will deal with benign
breast disease this year will require medical evaluation for treatment options.
Receiving care at a NAPBC-accredited center like our Breast Center, ensures
that a patient will have access to:
- Comprehensive care, including a full range of state-of-the-art services
- A multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate the best treatment options
- Information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options
- Quality breast care close to home
In-depth breast cancer screening: Finding cancer early
Routine mammography is one of the best ways to spot breast cancer in its early stages, when it is easier to treat—but some mammogram machines can see things others pass right by.
Through our partnership with Quest Imaging, we can offer you a 3D mammogram, right here in Bakersfield. This test is much more sensitive than an average mammogram, and it adds only a minute or so to your overall test time.
Not sure how often you should have a mammogram? We can help. We offer genetic counseling to women with a family history of breast cancer. Meet with our team to find out if a genetic test is right for you, and use the results of that test to help you develop a customized screening program for breast cancer, based on your risk.
Quick and comprehensive breast cancer staging: Planning for care
Timely treatment after a breast cancer diagnosis provides you with the best shot at a complete recovery. At The AIS Cancer Center, every person we care for is offered services as soon as they have a positive mammogram. That means no delays—and quicker care—so that you can get back on your feet as fast as possible.
When your mammogram shows something unusual, we'll spring into action and provide you with follow-up tests that can confirm your diagnosis. We'll use those test results to help us understand how your breast cancer developed—and what your team will need to do to fight it.
Innovative breast cancer treatment: Offering the solutions you need
We've invested in top-of-the-line treatment options so that you can get just the right care for the cancer you have, right now.
As you fight breast cancer, you might tap into our:
- Genetic counseling services—So you can understand how your genes might play a role in your breast cancer.
- Chemotherapy and infusion suite—Get cancer-killing medications in a soothing, calm environment.
- Radiation oncology suite—Our machines can attack breast cancer precisely, while sparing healthy tissue.
- Surgical suite—Your skillful surgeon can find and treat breast cancer with high-tech, state-of-the-art surgical tools.
All of these options are available to you in one place, so you won't have to travel all across Kern County to get the comprehensive breast cancer care you need.
Breast cancer expertise: A team you can count on
Your treatment team is truly top of the line. You'll work with oncologists, surgeons and radiologists who specialize in breast health. Our affiliation with UC Davis gives your team access to knowledge about new and innovative breast cancer treatments. Your team can also tap into the global knowledge of the virtual tumor board—giving you access to a team of oncology experts, all focused on your health and healing.
Through it all, you'll work with a nurse navigator. This breast cancer expert will be your go-to person for questions about your care. Wondering when your next appointment should be? Worried about a treatment's side effects? Unsure about how a test or a treatment works? Your nurse navigator can help. This professional will also help to coordinate all of your care, and all of your therapies, so the team stays on track.
Compassion and empathy: Caring for you as you heal
We offer a number of special amenities that could help to soothe your soul as your body heals. Sign up for our free classes. Attend a support group meeting, either alone or with your family. Or ask any member of our team to pray with you.
We know cancer is difficult. We also know that breast cancer can be beaten. We see successes every day. To be a part of those successes, call (661) 323-4673.