Breast Cancer Care

Chemotherapy — medications that stop or slow the growth of cancer cells — can be delivered through an IV or sometimes in pill form. The goal might be for the chemotherapy to shrink a tumor before surgery, kill cancer cells that remain in the body after surgery or radiation, or treat tumors that have developed in other areas. Whenever possible, our medical oncology providers use newer medications that help minimize the side effects of chemotherapy.

Some breast cancers are hormone receptor positive, which means they are fed by estrogen or progesterone. You may receive a medical oncology treatment called hormone therapy to stop your body from producing these hormones to keep the tumor from growing. Hormone therapy can be in pill form or injections.

A type of medical oncology treatment, immunotherapy boosts your immune system and trains it to find and destroy cancer cells similar to how it attacks a virus or infection. Immunotherapy can also help control side effects resulting from other breast cancer treatments.

This nonsurgical treatment uses high-energy rays directed precisely at the tumor to stop the cancer cells’ ability to multiply without damaging surrounding tissue.

Radiation therapy treatments last just a few minutes and typically occur every weekday for several weeks.

Sometimes, a diagnosis can't be made with minimally invasive techniques and surgery is required. Surgical breast biopsy is used to rule out or confirm cancer after an abnormal mammogram. It involves removing a small sample of breast tissue for testing.

Lumpectomy, also called a partial mastectomy, is a breast-conserving surgery that involves removing the cancerous tissue from the breast through a small incision while leaving as much of the healthy breast intact as possible. It allows patients to maintain the overall appearance of their breast with as minimal change as possible. Eligibility for this surgery depends on the size and location of the tumor and other factors.

There are several types of mastectomies, based on how the surgery is done and how much tissue is removed (see below). Each patient has different needs and treatment paths. If you need a mastectomy, we work with you to find the right option.

• Nipple-sparing mastectomy: Breast tissue is removed, leaving your skin, nipple and areola behind to allow for a more natural breast reconstruction after surgery.
• Skin-sparing mastectomy: This procedure allows your surgeon to remove breast tissue but leave the skin intact for breast reconstruction. The nipple and areola often get removed along with the breast tissue.
• Simple (or total) mastectomy: This procedure removes the entire breast, including the nipple. Having both breasts removed is called a double mastectomy.
• Radical mastectomy: A combination of simple total mastectomy, removal of all axillary lymph node tissue and removal of chest wall (pectoral) muscles. This is an extensive procedure that is rarely performed in modern breast cancer treatment options.

Breast reconstruction is a procedure or series of procedures coordinated between the breast oncologic surgeon and plastic surgeon to recreate natural-looking breasts. If cancer has affected the appearance of one or both of your breasts, reconstruction using natural tissue or breast implants can help rebuild your confidence and aid healing.