Jennifer Montes on the Role of Nurses in Treating Breast Cancer

Jennifer Montes, MD, New York University Medical Center, discusses the role of nurses in treating patients with breast cancer.

Montes says that nurses are one of the greatest assets in the healthcare industry in terms of educating patients about reducing their risks.

Having a higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with higher incidence of breast cancer and more aggressive disease. Nurses can educate patients about the importance of nutrition, exercise, and lower alcohol intake to reduce their risk.

Nurses can also educate patients on advancements in less invasive treatments to convey to patients that a breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, but a treatable disease, Montes says.