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Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. It can start in one or both breasts. Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get breast cancer too. It’s important to understand that most breast lumps are benign and not cancer (malignant). Breast cancers can start from different parts of the breast. It can spread when the cancer cells get into the blood or lymph system and then are carried to other parts of the body (metastases). Not all women with cancer cells in their lymph nodes develop metastases, and some women with no cancer cells in their lymph nodes might develop metastases later.

There are many types of breast cancer. The most common breast cancers are carcinomas such as ductal carcinoma in-situ and adenocarcinoma. The level of invasiveness is determined by diagnostic testing and imaging.

Hematology Oncology Center will take careful steps to stage and grade the tumor to assess the best way to create and manage your treatment plan. Our goal is to achieve the very best outcome while preserving your quality of life.

What are the risk factors for Breast Cancer?

It may not be possible to avoid risk factors for breast cancer. The best plan is to catch it early. Lifestyle and hereditary factors include:

  • Drinking alcohol
  • Being overweight or obese
  • Not being physically active
  • Not having children and not breastfeeding
  • Some methods of birth control
  • Menopause hormone therapy
  • Breast implants
  • Inheriting certain gene changes
  • Family history of breast cancer
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Dense breast tissue
  • Early menstruation
  • Late menopause
  • Previous radiation to the chest

If you fall into any of these categories, do a breast self-exam each month. The self-exam may help you catch problems early when treatment is easier.

Learn More About Our Approach to Cancer Care

Symptoms of Breast Cancer Include:

  • A new lump or mass in the breast (the most common sign)
  • Skin dimpling (sometimes looks like an orange peel)
  • Breast or nipple pain
  • Nipple retraction (turning inward)
  • Nipple or breast skin that is red, dry flaking, or thickened
  • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
  • Swollen lymph nodes under the arm or near the collar bone

Many of these symptoms can also be caused by non-cancerous tumors. Remember that knowing what to look for does not take the place of having regular screening for breast cancer.

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We know you have a choice about where you get your cancer care but we hope you’ll choose us.

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Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

At Hematology Oncology Center, once cancer has been diagnosed, our specialists may order diagnostic testing and imaging to help determine the stage and extent of the disease. We use the most advanced therapies available to treat breast cancer. An individualized plan of care may include multiple types of treatments. It is very important to do a comprehensive breast cancer work-up to carefully evaluate the extent of breast cancer.

  • Mammogram
  • Ultrasound
  • MRI scan
  • CT scan
  • Needle-guided biopsy
  • Blood tests for tumor markers, hormone receptor status and HER2 status
  • Genetic testing

Depending on the type and stage (severity) of the breast cancer, the following treatments may be necessary:

Surgical options may include:

Breast Conservation Surgery* – Removal of the cancer as well as some surrounding normal tissue. Only the part of the breast containing the cancer is removed
Mastectomy* – Removal of the entire breast and nearby tissue
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy* – procedure in which the surgeon injects a dye and then removes only the lymph node(s) under the arm that have taken up the dye. These lymph nodes are where the cancer would likely spread first. Removing only one or a few lymph nodes lowers the risk of side effects such as arm swelling that is also known as lymphedema.
Axillary Lymph Node Dissection* – is a procedure that does not use a dye and in which the surgeon removes many (usually less than 20) underarm lymph nodes.

Other forms of non-surgical interventions for breast cancer include:

Radiation* – Any remaining cancer cells left after surgery are destroyed with high-energy radiation beams. For some breast cancer, treating with chemotherapy at the same time can make radiation therapy work better. It is possible to receive radiation therapy before, during or after surgical intervention. Also, when surgery is not possible, radiation can be used to help slow the growth of the tumor.
Chemotherapy – Chemotherapy (chemo) are anti-cancer drugs that may be given intravenously (injected into your vein) or by mouth. The drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells in most parts of the body. Chemotherapy can sometimes be given before, during or after surgery. At Hematology Oncology Center, our team provide extensive education and supportive care through your therapy.
Targeted Treatments – Targeted drugs work differently from chemo drugs. They sometimes work when chemo drugs don’t, and they often have different side effects. They can be used either along with chemotherapy or by themselves if chemotherapy is no longer working. Targeted treatment options are determined by further genetic testing of the tumor cells. This type of testing is usually done on the biopsied tissue of the tumor cells.
Immunotherapy – Immunotherapy is the use of medicines to help a person’s own immune system better recognize and destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapy can be used to treat some people with advanced breast cancer.

*Treatment option is currently not offered at HOC, but patients meeting the requirements for these treatment options may be referred to our network of providers.

Why Choose HOC?

We know you have a choice about where you get your cancer care. Here are the top reasons why we believe HOC is the best choice:

  • We embrace technologies and therapeutic methods that give patients real hope for recovery.
  • Our treatment plans follow national guidelines and are the same protocols as those used by the top academic cancer centers.
  • Our staff is comprised of specially trained, board certified experts with a combined experience of over 75 years.
  • We work as a one team that is closely coordinated, with one focus.
  • We want everyone to feel like family.
  • Your quality of life is important to us! We work closely with you to personalize your treatment and care focusing on all aspects of your life.

Talk To A Team Member Today

We know you have a choice about where you get your medical care and we hope you’ll choose us.

If you are a current or former patient, and this is an emergency, talk to a team member immediately by calling one of our locations or visiting the link below.

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