Adventist Health Castle | Windward Health | Summer 2021

LEARN MORE about how to prevent hereditary cancers at AdventistHealthCastle.org/AHEAD . The Adventist Health Early All-Around Detection (AHEAD) program enables patients to identify their risk of hereditary cancer syndrome and helps those who are at higher risk with options to reduce their risk or actually prevent cancer. Jessica Mowry, a mammography technologist with Adventist Health Castle, has a family health history of breast cancer and was aware this history put her at higher risk for having hereditary cancer syndrome. “When this program was brought to Adventist Health Castle, I was unsure if I wanted to do it,” Mowry says. “But I decided if I need to take preventative measures, I’d like to know sooner rather than later.” Hereditary cancer syndrome is a term for inherited disorders in which there is an above-average risk of certain types of cancer caused by mutations in certain genes passed from parents to children. Research has shown that up to 10% of cancers are due to factors that are passed from one generation to the next. “Where you come from influences where you are going, which is why knowing your family history is critical,” says Jaqueline Lee, MD. “We can help prevent cancer in your future.” Risk evaluation and cancer prevention Dr. Lee, a surgeon, leads the AHEAD program at Adventist Health Castle to help women, like Mowry, learn about their risk and prevent cancer through genetic testing and care planning. When the results from her cheek swab came back from the lab, Mowry was relieved to learn she was negative for a BRCA mutation—a mutation in either of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are tumor suppressor genes. Hundreds of different types of mutations in these genes have been identified, some of which have been determined to be harmful and to increase the risk of cancers. “I was very fortunate,” says Mowry. “To have the knowledge that a surprise diagnosis isn’t looming around the corner has freed me.” IMAGING CENTER UPDATE Our new imaging center will be unveiled in the fall. We are excited to offer the community new advanced diagnostic imaging tools, including: - Revolution EVO TM 128-slice CT scanner - Signa Artist TM MRI - 3-D mammography - Digital radiography - DEXA bone densitometry - Ultrasound Jessica Mowry, AHEAD patient Meet Dr. Lee Jaqueline Lee, MD, brings her expertise to the Adventist Health Castle AHEAD Program as its medical director. She is a compassionate and skilled board-certified general and transplant surgeon. Dr. Lee is skilled in all aspects of general surgery and kidney and liver transplants, with particular clinical interest in breast, GI, endocrine and trauma surgeries. She has a long-standing interest in outcomes research, with emphasis on quality improvement and patient safety. Stay AHEAD of cancer: Genetic testing can help WINDWARD HEALTH | 3 CASTLE NEWS