Breast care & mammograms in Albuquerque & Roswell, NM
At Lovelace, our dedicated breast health specialists specialize in providing comprehensive breast care services in Albuquerque and Roswell, NM. We offer everything from preventive education, breast cancer screenings, and genetic risk assessments to advanced treatments for breast cancer at the Lovelace Women’s Hospital. We also offer 3D and digital mammography services to ensure you receive a full spectrum of preventive care. No matter your needs, our breast care team is here to provide exceptional care you and your loved ones can depend on.
Breast care centers in Albuquerque and Roswell
When you visit Lovelace for breast care, you can expect:
- A collaborative approach to care: Our esteemed team of physicians and experts convenes weekly to discuss each patient with a suspected or confirmed breast cancer diagnosis. This collaborative approach guarantees that you receive personalized and effective treatment options.
- Diverse expertise: Our multidisciplinary team is comprised of radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, lymphologists, surgeons, plastic surgeons, medical assistants, and a dedicated Breast Care Navigator.
- Nationally accredited expertise: As the sole NAPBC-accredited breast care center in New Mexico, we ensure exceptional standards for our patients.
- The highest standard of breast care: From mammograms and clinical exams to treatments and aftercare, we offer a holistic approach to maintaining your breast health.
Our comprehensive breast care services
Our breast health specialists within the Lovelace Health System provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to stay healthy. At our breast care centers across Roswell and Albuquerque, we offer a variety of amenities and services, including:
- 3D mammograms: Women over the age of 40 should schedule regular mammograms. At Lovelace, we provide state-of-the-art 3D mammography at the Lovelace Women’s Hospital in Albuquerque. Talk with your health care provider about your risk for breast cancer and the best screening plan for you.
- DEXA scans: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans provide a quick, non-invasive way to measure bone density and assess the risk of osteoporosis. Our advanced imaging technology ensures accurate results, helping you and your healthcare provider make informed decisions about your bone health.
- Diagnostic testing: Our fellowship-trained radiologists offer advanced diagnostic procedures to ensure precise and timely assessments, including breast cancer screenings, breast ultrasounds, breast MRI, and biopsies. Breast MRIs are available at Lovelace Women’s Hospital for high-risk breast cancer patients.
- Education for women of all ages, such as tips for diet, exercise, and self-examination
- Genetic risk assessments: Patients with a personal or family history of breast, ovarian, tubal or peritoneal cancer, or who have an ancestry associated with BRCA1/2 gene mutations, are at higher risk of breast cancer. We offer genetic risk assessment to be able to determine your overall risk of developing breast cancer and can provide education and recommend strategies to help mitigate that risk.
- Patient navigation services: Our team will guide you through every step of your breast care journey, offering support, education, referrals, and assistance.
- Support programs: We offer access to a range of programs designed to meet your unique needs and help you feel supported.
We offer walk-in availability for a quick, more comfortable process and our breast health center is open Saturdays for your convenience. Patients can self refer for a mammogram, but all other services require a doctor’s order. For breast self-exam instructions, click here. To schedule a breast exam, call 505-727-6900.
Please note: Some services received in our clinics may be considered hospital-based. Therefore, patient billing statements will be divided into two separate charges, which may include both a facility fee and a provider fee. For questions, please contact our Patient Financial Services office at 505-727-0100 or 866-948-1444 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. Patients are responsible for the amount due portion of the statement for patient care services rendered.
Schedule your mammogram online
Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital
The Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital is New Mexico’s only breast care center accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). Our breast health caregivers provide comprehensive breast care through preventive education, screening, diagnostics, and treatment of breast cancer. We are here to support you in maintaining optimal breast health.
Our multidisciplinary team is a group of well-established physicians and experts that meet face-to-face weekly to discuss, in confidence, every patient with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer. This approach ensures that the best treatment options are presented to the patient.
Our breast care team includes:
- Breast care navigators
- Medical assistants
- Medical oncologists
- Pathologists
- Plastic surgeons
- Radiation oncologists
- Radiologists
- Surgeons
Our team will guide you through mammograms, clinical exams and treatments. We will also teach you the proper method for breast self-exams, as well as patient navigation services, educational resources, referrals, and support programs. The Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital is here for you every step of the way – from screenings and diagnostic testing to treatment and aftercare.
About our breast cancer support team
We are here to be an advocate and connect you to any resources you might need. No matter your needs, we will support you throughout your diagnosis, treatment and aftercare.
Our team includes:
Breast Care Navigator
Our Breast Care Navigator is a trained health care professional who is available to all breast cancer patients and their loved ones to help coordinate care, support, and act as an advocate. A breast care navigator’s main goal is to be a resource to you through every step of your care to help give you peace of mind and comfort.
A Certified Breast Care Navigator serves as:
- A consistent care coordinator throughout the continuum of care assessing the physical, emotional and social needs of the patient.
- A support person for the breast cancer patient and their loved ones in understanding and coping with the strong emotions and social recovery.
- A facilitator of available community resources for patients and their loved ones (such as gas vouchers, co-pay relief, transportation services, local support groups, etc.)
- An educator in breast cancer treatment options and general breast health issues.
- A personal advocate for the needs of breast cancer patients and their loved ones.
Counselors and social workers
We understand that the diagnosis and treatment of cancer can be a difficult time for patients and their families. Lovelace Women’s Hospital has a licensed social worker who is able to help our patients and their families cope with during cancer treatment. See below for the list of services we provide for patients and families.
services for patients
- Provide acute interventions and assessments
- Provide additional emotional support
- Assist the Patient Navigator in identifying and obtaining resources
- Provide on-site counseling
- Help with stress reduction techniques, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Guided imagery
- Meditation sessions
Services for families
- Provide a family assessment to identify internal supports and resources
- Provide ongoing information about patient symptoms and how these may affect the family dynamic
- Assist the Patient Navigator in the identification of community support networks for your spouse, children and parents
- Provide ongoing education, referrals and handouts
- Provide other supports as identified throughout the process
Breast cancer treatment
The Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital is here for you every step of the way – from 3D mammography and diagnostic testing to treatment and aftercare of cancer and non cancer-related breast health issues. We are accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers for providing the highest level of quality breast care to our patients.
Our experienced breast care support specialists will guide you through mammograms, clinical exams and treatments, and we will teach you the proper method for breast self-exams – so that you are part of the team that is monitoring your ongoing breast health. We also offer patient navigation, education, community resources, and psychosocial and emotional support programs.
To schedule an appointment or for more information about our breast health services, breast care specialists, and comprehensive breast care, call 505-727-6900. Visit us at Lovelace Women’s Hospital, conveniently located at 4701 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. Trust us to be with you, providing unparalleled care and support throughout your breast health journey.
Breast cancer surgery
All of our highly-skilled breast surgeons are board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and are members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. Our surgeons offer the following breast cancer surgery treatments:
- Axillary node dissection: The fat containing lymph nodes is removed to determine if the lymph nodes contain cancer.
- Breast biopsies: A breast biopsy removes a small sample of breast tissue for laboratory testing. This procedure is considered the best way to evaluate a suspicious area in your breast to determine if it is breast cancer.
- Lumpectomy: This is a breast-sparing surgery where the surgeon removes the cancer and margin of normal tissue surrounding the cancer.
- Mastectomy: A mastectomy is the complete removal of the breast tissue, including the nipple but not the muscle of the chest wall.
- Nipple-sparing mastectomy: This procedure involves the complete removal of the breast tissue, excluding the nipple and the muscle of the chest wall.
- Prophylactic mastectomy: This procedure involves the removal of one or both breasts to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, prophylactic mastectomy in high-risk women may be able to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by 90 percent.
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy: During this procedure, lymph nodes most likely containing cancer are removed.
We also offer treatment of benign breast problems and issues, such as fibrocystic conditions.
MarginProbe System
The Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital offers the MarginProbe System to patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer. During a lumpectomy, the breast surgeon will remove the cancerous tumor and some of the surrounding tissue (called “margin”) to determine if there are any remaining cancer cells. Traditionally, the tissue is examined by a pathologist and the process can take several days to confirm results. If the results show that cancer cells are still present in the margin, more surgeries are required to remove the tissue.
However, by using the MarginProbe System, our breast surgeon can determine results in real-time during surgery. The MarginProbe System differentiates between the regular cells of healthy tissue and cancerous cells by assessing the electromagnetic response of tissue during the lumpectomy. The system allows our surgeon to achieve a “clean margin”, meaning there are no cancer cells left at the edge of the removed tissue. This also greatly reduces the need for re-excision surgery, benefiting the patient emotionally and financially.
All patients who undergo a lumpectomy qualify for the margin probe.
Consultations with plastic surgeons to perform breast reconstruction are available, as well as a post-breast cancer rehabilitation program at the Lovelace Women’s Hospital outpatient rehabilitation clinic.
Signs and symptoms of breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States (except for skin cancers), so recognizing the signs of breast cancer is a great way to stay ahead of your health. A lump or mass in the breast or armpit is the most common sign. These lumps may feel soft and rubbery or hard. However, there are many other symptoms patients should be aware of, including:
- Dimpling or puckering on the breast
- Enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit
- Nipple changes (inversion, retraction or pulling)
- Nipple discharge (not breast milk)
- Persistent pain in an area of the breast
- Redness or flaking of the skin
- Scaliness on nipple
- Swelling of all or part of the breast
- Thickening of the skin (orange-peel texture)
- Ulcer on the breast or nipple
Patients with a personal or family history of breast, ovarian, tubal or peritoneal cancer are at a higher risk of breast cancer. Patients with an ancestry associated with BRCA1/2 gene mutations are also at a high risk. Our breast health clinic provides genetic risk assessments to help determine your overall risk of developing breast cancer. Our team provides education and will recommend strategies to help mitigate your risk.
All patients with positive findings will be referred to the Lovelace Women’s Hospital.
Treatment for benign breast conditions
It is very common for women to experience benign (not cancerous) breast conditions during their lifetime. These typically do not lead to cancer, but it is still important to talk to your provider about any changes in your breasts. Oftentimes, they will recommend a biopsy to check for cancer. If the condition is benign, there are a variety of treatments available.
One common benign breast condition is fibroadenoma, which is a solid breast tumor. Fibroadenomas are benign, meaning they are not cancerous and they will not turn into cancer. Some fibroadenomas can be felt during a breast self-examination or clinical examination, while others are detected during a mammogram. Once it has been identified, you will be scheduled for a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and confirm if the tumor is benign.
In many cases, fibroadenomas require no treatment. However, some women choose surgical removal for their peace of mind. Seek a consultation with a breast health specialist to find out more on treatment options.
Survivorship program
Lovelace Cancer Center’s Embrace Series provides support for patients and their families throughout the treatment process. By offering educational resources, support groups and health classes, our aim is to help our patients find connection and empowerment. The Embrace Program integrates the Healing Circles Langley model as an effort to better incorporate support services into the cancer journey. Healing circles are safe spaces that allow us to step out of ordinary time and into a safe and accepting environment where we can explore healing. Click here for more information.
Additional breast cancer support services
Support from your family, friends and medical professionals is of great benefit after treatment. Our Breast Care Navigator can provide information about various special resources and support services to help you and your loved ones.
Our additional support services include:
- American Cancer Society Gift Closet (free wigs, scarves, bras and prostheses)
- Breast health education and information
- Dietary consultation
- Community partnerships (local support groups, etc.)
- Education & psychosocial support
- Embrace survivorship program
- Genetic testing and counseling
- Instruction on performing breast self-exams
- Multidisciplinary consultation
- On-site nipple areola re-pigmentation
- Patient & family support
- Permanent make-up technician
- Rehabilitation
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 505-727-6900.