HealthLinks Charleston Sept/Oct 2022

84 | www. Char l es tonPhys i c i ans . com | www.Hea l thL i nksChar l es ton . com C H A R L E S T ON CO U N T Y M E D I C A L S OC I E T Y DR. ASHLEY JETER: ONCOLOGY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF BREAST CANCER By L. C. Leach III Even with advances in modern medicine, about 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with this disease and some will die from it. But within her lifetime, Charleston medical oncologist Dr. Ashley Jeter hopes to see a day cancer and its fears are permanently in the past. “The best part of my job is being a part of a patient’s cure, and I have witnessed incredible miracles during my career,” said Dr. Jeter, a partner with Charleston Oncology in North Charleston. “However, I feel equally honored to care for patients for whom a cure is not yet possible.” Committed to delivering the highest quality of cancer care, Dr. Jeter specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy and hormonal, biological and targeted therapy. She not only educates her patients on every kind of available treatment but on every preventive measure to keep their risk as low as possible. “I encourage women to begin breast cancer screening at age 40,” she said. “But each woman should discuss this with her doctor since it may be an earlier age for some.” Her recommendation comes regardless of family history, heredity and predisposition – as only around “5% to 10% of breast cancers are the result of genetic mutations passed down from a parent.” “About 90% to 95% of breast cancers have no hereditary link,” she said. “Thus, even without a family history, every woman is recommended to begin screening for breast cancer with a mammogram or other imaging modalities – MRI, ultrasound – at the appropriate age. And as more patients undergo genetic testing, more information about hereditary risk is being gathered.” So what can women do on their own to reduce their risk of breast cancer? Dr. Ashley Jeter Few words inspire such fear in women as “you have breast cancer.”

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcyNTM1