Medical Oncology

The Breast Center at Providence Hospital works closely with Southern Cancer Center located on the hospital campus. The cancer center provides the highest quality cancer care in the region. Physicians at the center are credentialed by the M.D. Anderson Physician Network. The services they provide include the following:

• Preoperative (Neoadjuvant)chemotherapy Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is treatment that would be given before surgery. This treatment is used to shrink the size of the primary tumor, making it easier to remove. This treatment also decreases the chance of a recurrence. This is the standard of treatment for women who have tumors that are too large to remove surgically and would prevent breast conservation. It is also the standard treatment for inflammatory breast cancer
• Adjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy and Hormonal Therapy
  Adjuvant chemotherapy’s aim is to improve the cure rate and overall survival rate for breast cancer patients. Chemotherapy stops cancer cells from growing and kills cancer cells that may have spread from the primary cancer.
• Hormonal Therapy
  Hormonal therapy works by stopping the production of the hormone, estrogen. Estrogen causes breast cancer cells to grow. The drugs given for hormone therapy block the estrogen inside the cancer cells. If your breast cancer is hormone positive, your doctor may recommend hormonal therapy to block the estrogen production and decrease the growth of cancer cells. Hormone therapy does not help patients whose breast cancer is estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) negative.
• Clinical Protocols and Research
  Clinical protocols and research are utilized to evaluate new treatment and testing options. Clinical protocols are conducted by doctors to test the safety and effectiveness of new drugs, prevention strategies and screening tests for cancer patients. The integration of clinical protocols and research into clinical practice improve the standard of care for patients
• Consultation and "Second Opinion" Services
  Your doctor will use the information gathered from test and procedures to determine the type of breast cancer and the best course of treatment for you. You may want to confirm what your doctor suggests for treatment is the most up-to-date and effective option. A second opinion provides an independent review of you disease and recommendations for a treatment plan. Treatment for cancer is a serious undertaking and you need to feel confident in the treatment decision you make and in the doctor who treats you. A second opinion is a standard procedure and can offer additional options.
• Pain ManagementEffective management of pain improves quality of life and can be well managed in breast cancer patients. This management is individualized to each person and their needs. Frequent pain assessment and treatment evaluation are important components of effective pain management.
• NutritionYour nutritional needs will change as you go through treatment. Eating well will help you stay strong during the course of treatment. There is evidence that some cancer treatments are more effective when a high calorie, high protein diet is consumed .Discuss your diet with your oncologist and clinical staff. Registered dietitians and other resources are available for management of your nutritional needs.