Breast Health Center
Treatment
Breast Health Center
Beverly Hospital at Danvers
480 Maple Street
Danvers, MA 01923
978.304.8101
Our distinctive program, the Multidisciplinary Physician Case
Conference with Beth Israel Deaconesss Medical Center brings those
newly diagnosed with breast cancer together with breast specialists
in a single session to recommend the best plan of care. After
individual evaluations with the patient, the specialists will meet
as a group with our radiologist and pathologist to review test
results, share their opinions based on their specific areas of
expertise, and develop the most appropriate course of action. At
the end of the session, the patient is presented with a cohesive,
step-by-step treatment plan.
Breast cancer treatments are coordinated through the Breast
Health Center and include:
Breast-conserving surgery that
removes the whole tumor while saving as much breast tissue as
possible.
Surgery to remove a breast. It is
performed either to treat or to prevent breast cancer. Only
high-risk patients have surgery to prevent cancer. There are four
main types:
- Total mastectomy - removal of breast tissue and nipple
- Modified radical mastectomy - removal of the breast, most of
the lymph nodes under the arm and often the lining over the chest
muscles
- Lumpectomy - [see above]
- Radical mastectomy - the removal of the breast, lymph nodes and
chest muscles. This is no longer common.
Which surgery you have depends on
the stage of cancer, size of the tumor, size of the breast and
whether the lymph nodes are involved. Many women have breast
reconstruction to rebuild the breast after a mastectomy.
Chemotherapy is one of the most
powerful tools to fight cancer. It kills cancer cells in the whole
body by interfering with cell growth and division, but not all
chemotherapy is alike and not all breast cancer patients are alike.
Because you are unique as a breast cancer patient, your
chemotherapy regimen will be tailored to your particular
needs.
Radiation therapy is a cancer
treatment. Its goal is to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. In
high doses, radiation destroys cells or keeps them from
multiplying.
Breast reconstruction is surgery to
rebuild a breast's shape after a mastectomy. In breast
reconstruction, a surgeon forms a breast mound by using an implant
or tissues from the belly, back or buttocks. Implants are silicone
sacs filled with salt water or silicone gel. The type of
reconstruction you get depends on your body type, age and cancer
treatment.
- Individual, Group, Family counseling
