Alaska Breast Center’s comprehensive breast care program is specifically designed to meet the needs of Alaskan residents who are concerned about breast health and breast problems.

Alaska Breast Center offers a full range of breast health services, including prevention and screening through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Regular mammograms and breast exams can help women detect changes earlier in their breasts that allow them to receive prompt medical care with the highest chances of success.

Alaska Breast Center is home to women’s healthcare programs that provides women with breast care, health education, support and resources. Alaska Breast Center differs from other providers who treat breast cancer in the following ways:

Alaska Breast Center addresses the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, including breast-related conditions such as fibroids, cysts, noncancerous tumors and infections. Alaska Breast Center specializes in HIGH RISK breast cancer patients. Research shows that family history and genetic marker testing can help predict if someone is high risk of developing breast cancer in the future. Alaska Breast Center is specialized and proficient in recognizing and diagnosing breast cancer and using all the various treatment options for the HIGH RISK Breast Cancer patient.

Alaska Breast Center is unique in that it is proficient in Breast Preservation Surgery, also called Breast Conserving Surgery. New surgical techniques combine the expertise of the breast cancer surgeon working with a plastic surgeon to provide the best possible appearance of the breasts after surgery. Breast cancer treatment may also involve chemotherapy or hormone therapy. Because early detection is crucial for the best possible surgical outcome, Alaska Breast Center emphasizes that every woman should do frequent self screening for breast lumps for early detection of breast cancer. 

The Alaska Breast Center team is very experienced in assessing breast care problems, including cases of whether breast lumps are malignant or non-cancerous. Studies show there is significant variation of quality in healthcare, and some physicians may take an overly aggressive surgical approach to BENIGN LUMPS that are not cancerous and present no danger to the patient. Some women, for example, are prone to having benign, non-cancerous lumps in their breasts because of hormones, change in age or family history. Benign lumps are not cancerous and do not require aggressive surgical removal. Sometimes these lumps go away on their own over time. Consequently, going to a surgeon who doesn’t fully understand the difference between non-cancerous and cancerous lumps can be disastrous for the woman.

Alaska Breast Center is experienced with all stages of breast cancer management, from initial diagnosis, non-surgical treatment options, biopsy, and surgical options when necessary.

While some doctors are not concerned with the cosmetic appearance after the breast cancer is removed, Alaska Breast Center is highly skilled and proficient with that latest Breast Preservation Surgery techniques. Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is sometimes called a lumpectomy or a partial mastectomy. Breast preservation surgery removes any cancerous tissue while trying to salvage most of the healthy breast tissue and retaining it’s natural appearance.

While this approach is more time consuming and tedious for the surgeon, it is crucial to the woman in retaining her appearance. Breast Preservation Surgery may also include a plastic surgeon who can insert breast implants to match the appearance of the other healthy breast, or enhance both breasts during surgery so they appear the same. In every case, our goal is for the patient to have the absolute best possible cosmetic result from surgical intervention to remove breast cancer. 

Dr. Charles Portera is the lead physician and founder of Alaska Breast Center. Dr. Portera is fellowship-trained in surgical oncology and cancer biology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. MD Anderson Cancer Center is one of the top cancer referral centers in the world. Fellowship training is the highest level of medical education in the U.S. Dr. Portera is also Board-Certified in General Surgery. Dr. Portera spent most of his medical career in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he founded a very successful surgical oncology practice. In 2014, Dr. Portera relocated to Anchorage and founded Alaska Surgical Onology and Alaska Breast Center. Dr. Portera has done more than 10,000 successful cancer surgeries over his career. This additional training makes Dr. Portera well qualified to deal with the surgical removal of cancerous and noncancerous tumors.

Alaska Breast Center will personalize treatment tailored to your personal preferences, age and general health. Our breast cancer program offers a compassionate approach to care delivered in an environment that promotes healing and wellness.

As a free community service, Alaska Breast Center provides a 12-page Breast Care Guidebook that has a link to an online calculator that enables a woman to know her personal 5 year and lifetime risk of breast cancer. Click below to download a digital copy.