Breast Cancer Treatments
Our team of oncologists, breast surgeons, pathologists and other
breast cancer specialists will give a thorough evaluation and devise a
treatment plan based on the size of your tumor, its location and the
type of cancer. Our physicians may also determine if you are eligible
to receive experimental treatments through clinical trials conducted at
Jefferson on an ongoing basis.
Our specially trained nurse
breast care coordinator will assist you through every step of your
treatment to ensure you receive the support, information and resources
you need. The coordinator will help handle the logistics of your care
and address any concerns you may have with your medical and support
team.
There are many advantages to having your breast cancer treated at Philadelphia's Jefferson Hospital:
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We tailor your treatment to your specific condition
Every
staff member of our Breast Care Center approaches breast cancer care with the
knowledge that you have a unique set of requirements and tailors a
program of care to meet your unique needs. -
Comprehensive breast services
Our
Breast Cancer Center offers a comprehensive approach to breast care to provide the
highest levels of convenience, meaning all of your screenings, testing
and treatments are done within the Center. This approach also involves
a continuity of care, meaning that our radiologists, lab technicians,
oncologists, nurses, surgeons and other specialists know you and know
where you are in your treatment. There are no lost records or
unnecessary phone calls tracking down results, reducing the stress of
managing your care. Our services include the most advanced imaging and
screening techniques to hereditary counseling to plastic surgery and
follow-up care. -
Breast care coordinator
If
you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you will have a breast care
coordinator who will assist you during this difficult time. The
coordinator provides you with:
- Assistance in scheduling specialist appointments
- Answers to your questions about your treatment plan
- Referrals to and information about hospital-based and community support groups and services
- Access
to information including publications, books, videos and web sites on a
variety of topics related to breast health and breast cancer
- Resourceful information about wigs, prostheses, classes and support groups
- Assistance in communicating your concerns to your healthcare team and family
Additionally,
if you require surgery, the expert breast and plastic surgeons at the
Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson will discuss your options with you.
These may include:
Surgery
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Lumpectomy –
Unlike a mastectomy, which removes the entire breast, a lumpectomy
entails the removal of cancerous tissue while sparing the rest of the
breast. When combined with radiation therapy following surgery, a
lumpectomy may be as effective as a mastectomy if performed by
experienced, highly skilled surgeons, such as those you will find at
Jefferson. Jefferson was also one of the U.S. hospitals to develop
standard radiation dosages for the best therapeutic and cosmetic
results following lumpectomy surgery.
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Mastectomy
– If it's determined that breast conservation is not an option, or if
you choose a mastectomy, the skilled plastic surgeons at Jefferson may
be able to provide immediate breast reconstruction. Our surgeons are
experienced in performing many different reconstruction procedures,
including an innovative technique that uses an implant filled with
tissue transferred from the back, belly or buttocks. Through this
procedure, called latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction, surgeons are
able to take tissue from the back to maintain the new breast's shape
until a permanent implant can be put in.
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Sentinel lymph node biopsy
– The sentinel lymph node is believed to be the first lymph node to
which breast cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor.
Therefore, if the sentinel node is free of cancer, it is likely there
is no cancer in the other lymph nodes. This can help avoid the removal
of additional lymph nodes through a full, axillary lymph node
dissection.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation
oncologists at Jefferson have developed several new cancer treatments
and have helped pioneer the use of advanced radiation therapies that
precisely target cancerous tumors while minimizing the effects on
surrounding health tissue. Radiation therapy methods available for
breast cancer include:
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Active Breathing Coordinator,
a breathing technique that helps spare lung, heart and liver tissue
from adverse effects of radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer in
the left breast. Specifically, it is designed to help patients who may
have trouble breathing hold their breath in a consistent manner while
receiving radiation.
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Brachytherapy,
a procedure that involves implanting tiny radioactive seeds at the site
of the tumor, which, compared with external radiation therapy, allows
for a higher dose of radiation to be safely administered
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Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), which involves the delivery of a large dose of radiation directly to a tumor exposed through surgery
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Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which
delivers radiation doses that precisely fit the 3-D shape of a tumor.
It also tightly regulates the intensity of the radiation to more
closely target tumors and spare surrounding tissue.
Jefferson
physicians are also experienced in treating breast cancer through
chemotherapy and hormone therapy, which may be used in conjunction with
other treatments depending on the nature and progression of your
cancer. Your medical team will help you weigh the benefits and risks of
each treatment, so you can choose the option that is best for you.