Personalized Breast Cancer Care for You
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with or is worried about developing breast cancer, you’re not alone. It is the most common cancer for women and one in eight women will be diagnosed in their lifetime.
At Edith Sanford Breast Center, we’re committed to helping you, from screening and prevention through diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Our multidisciplinary team of breast specialists will put you first and create a care plan tailored to you.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
While anyone can develop breast cancer, certain factors may put you at a higher risk. Some of them include:
- A personal history of non-cancerous breast conditions that cause extra cell growth in the ducts or lobules of your breasts
- Your mother, daughter or sister having been diagnosed with breast cancer
- Inherited changes in certain genes (BRCA1, BRCA2 and others)
- Dense breast tissue
- Radiation therapy to the breast or chest in the past
- Drinking alcohol
- Being overweight
Additionally, if breast tissue is exposed to estrogen, you could be at a higher risk. This may be caused by:
- Menstruating at an early age
- Having never given birth or giving birth at an older age
- Starting menopause at a later age
- Taking hormones prescribed to treat menopause symptoms
If you are at higher risk of breast cancer, talk with your doctor about a screening plan that’s best for you. You may need to be screened earlier and more often than other women. For average-risk women, Sanford Health recommends getting screened annually starting at age 40. Learn more about breast screening.
Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer symptoms can vary, but there are a few things to look out for, including:
- A lump on or around the breast or in the underarm
- A change in the color or shape of the breast, like flatness or puckering
- Swelling or an increase in breast size
- Skin changes like dimpling, pitting, thickness or fluid buildup
- Skin on the breast that’s red or hot to the touch
- Sores on the breast that don’t heal
- A nipple that is inverted, flattened or tugging inward
- Scaly, red or crusted skin on the nipple or areola
- Fluid, other than breast milk, leaking from the nipple
- A vein on the breast that has increased in size or become more noticeable
Understanding the signs and risk factors of breast cancer is important, but knowing your body is just as important. Practicing breast self-awareness helps you know what’s normal for you. That way it’s easier to identify when something is abnormal so you can reach out to your provider quickly.
While it is possible for men to get breast cancer, it’s very rare. Less than 1% of annual diagnoses are in men. Still, if a man notices any of the symptoms above, they should reach out to their primary care provider.
How is Breast Cancer Treated?
Our team uses advanced care and training to personalize your breast cancer journey based on your genetics and cancer type. At Edith Sanford Breast Center, patients benefit from:
- A care team guiding you through every step
- Collaboration with specialists across disciplines to create a treatment plan
- Genetic counseling and testing for you and your family
- Access to the latest clinical trials
- The most innovative treatment options available
Breast Cancer Treatments
Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction
Surgery is used to treat cancer in a few different ways. It’s important to consider the stage of cancer, location and size of the tumor, size of your breasts, characteristics of your cancer, your genetic risk factors and personal preference. Often your choices include:
- Lumpectomy – taking out the cancer and leaving most of the breast
- Mastectomy – removing the whole breast
- Mastectomy with reconstruction – removing the whole breast and then creating a breast shape using an implant or tissue from another part of the body
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy can be taken orally, injected into a vein or muscle, or put directly into an organ or body cavity. Chemotherapy delivery type depends on the kind and stage of the cancer being treated.
If it’s given before surgery, chemotherapy may shrink the tumor and reduce the amount of tissue that needs to be removed during surgery. After surgery, some patients may be given radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or hormone therapy to kill any cancer cells that may be left.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy removes or blocks hormones to stop cancer cells from growing. Hormones travel through the bloodstream and can sometimes cause certain cancers to grow. Drugs, surgery or radiation therapy is used to reduce the production of the cancer-causing hormones.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy stimulates your body’s immune system to help it recognize and attack cancer cells. It uses substances that are either made in the body or in a lab to either boost the immune system overall or help it to better target cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two types of radiation therapy:
- External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer.
- Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer.
Personalizing Your Cancer Care
Your care is about you. We’ll be your partner, advocate and guide, equipping you with everything you need to know about your options. Together, we'll create a breast cancer care plan tailored to you.
Nurse Navigators
From day one, nurse navigators answer questions, help you find your way and make sure you fully understand your treatment plan. Your nurse navigator:
- Coordinates appointments and assists in finding places to stay or transport during treatment
- Guides you through the health care system
- Helps clarify your diagnosis and treatment
- Offers survivorship support services and educational resources
- Refers you to additional services such as nutrition, fertility preservation, case management and financial counseling
They are available for you to call with any questions or concerns.
Tumor Board
Each breast cancer case is brought to our weekly breast tumor board. Our team of medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, researchers and other breast experts work together to find the most effective treatment options for you. Learn more about why a tumor board is critical to breast cancer care.
Oncofertility
Cancer and cancer therapies can affect fertility. Oncofertility, a combination of cancer and fertility medicine, helps you preserve fertility before cancer treatment. Learn more about our oncofertility services.