Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer treatment at the Margie Petersen Breast Center is planned through a multidisciplinary team at Saint John’s Health Center. Breast surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, breast imaging specialists, pathologists and reconstructive specialists work together to review each patient’s diagnosis and determine which treatments are appropriate.

Depending on the type and stage of breast cancer, biomarker findings, overall health and personal preferences, treatment is coordinated through Saint John’s and may include surgery, systemic therapy, radiation therapy, breast reconstruction or a combination of approaches.

How Breast Cancer Treatment Is Planned

Breast cancer treatment is based on more than one finding. The care team considers the histologic type of cancer, tumor size, lymph node involvement, stage, grade, hormone receptor status, HER2 status, other biomarker findings and the patient’s overall health and preferences.

At the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Saint John’s Health Center, specialists review these findings together and coordinate the sequence of care. Some patients begin with surgery, while others may receive systemic treatment before surgery. Radiation therapy, reconstruction and supportive services may also be incorporated at different points depending on the individual treatment plan.

Surgical Treatments

Breast surgery at Saint John’s Health Center may include breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, lymph node surgery and oncoplastic approaches depending on the location and extent of the cancer. Surgical planning also considers whether reconstruction is appropriate and whether it should be performed at the same time as cancer surgery or at a later date.

Breast surgeons work closely with medical oncology, radiation oncology, breast imaging, pathology and reconstructive specialists so that surgical decisions remain coordinated with the complete treatment plan.

Learn more about breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, lymph node procedures and oncoplastic approaches. See Surgical Treatments for Breast Cancer.

Medical Treatments

Medical oncology treatments use medications that can reach cancer cells throughout the body. Depending on the biology and stage of the cancer, treatment may include chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, HER2-targeted therapy, immunotherapy or other systemic treatments.

At Saint John’s Health Center, medical oncologists work with the broader breast team to determine whether systemic therapy should be given before surgery, after surgery or as the primary treatment for advanced disease. Biomarker testing plays an important role in identifying treatments that are most likely to be effective for an individual breast cancer.

Learn more about chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and other systemic approaches. See Medical Treatments for Breast Cancer.

Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT)

For selected patients with early-stage breast cancer, intraoperative radiation therapy may allow radiation to be delivered directly to the surgical site during breast-conserving surgery. IORT is performed at Saint John’s Health Center through collaboration between the Margie Petersen Breast Center and Vasek Polak Radiation Oncology.

Eligibility depends on factors such as tumor size, location, pathology, lymph node findings and overall health. The breast and radiation oncology teams evaluate these findings together to determine whether IORT is appropriate.

Learn more about eligibility, treatment planning and what to expect during this approach. See Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) for Breast Cancer.

External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT)

Radiation therapy may be recommended after breast-conserving surgery, after mastectomy in selected patients or as part of treatment for more advanced breast cancer. The type, dose and timing of radiation depend on the extent of the cancer, prior treatments and the overall treatment plan.

Radiation therapy at Saint John’s Health Center is provided through the Vasek Polak Radiation Oncology Department, where radiation oncologists work with breast surgeons and medical oncologists as part of the multidisciplinary breast care team.

Learn more about radiation treatment, technologies and the radiation oncology care team. See Vasek Polak Radiation Oncology Department.

Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction may be considered after mastectomy or as part of breast-conserving surgery when appropriate. Reconstruction can sometimes be performed at the same time as cancer surgery or may be planned for a later date depending on the treatment sequence and the patient’s preferences.

At Saint John’s Health Center, breast surgeons and reconstructive specialists work together to discuss available options and how reconstruction may fit with surgery, radiation therapy and other parts of the treatment plan.

Learn more about reconstructive options and how reconstruction may be incorporated into breast cancer treatment. See Breast Reconstruction.

We Are Ready to Support You

Breast cancer treatment can involve several specialists and more than one type of therapy. The purpose of multidisciplinary care is to bring those decisions together so each part of treatment supports the larger plan.

At the Margie Petersen Breast Center at Saint John’s Health Center, our breast team coordinates surgical, medical, radiation and reconstructive care while helping patients understand what comes next at each stage of treatment.