Oncologist Near Me: Finding Breast Cancer Treatment Options

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are you have been scouring the internet for an “oncologist near me” to find the right treatment. Fortunately, there are many types of breast cancer treatments available. Cutting out the cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are the most well-known, but there are other options as well. A trained oncologist near me will help you make an informed decision about which treatment to move forward with based on your needs.

Diagnosing breast cancer

Breast cancer can affect one or both breasts. However, not every breast cancer is the same. Knowing which breast cancer type a patient has is crucial in developing an effective treatment plan.

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer can start in any part of the breast: the fat and connective tissue, nipples, ducts, lobules, and even blood and lymph vessels. The type of breast cancer is determined by where it started and which cells it affects. Breast cancer that begins in the milk ducts (ductal carcinoma) is the most common. Other types of breast cancer include sarcoma (starting in the connective tissue) and angiosarcoma (originating in the lymph and blood vessels).

Breast cancer stages

Cancer is when abnormal cells grow out of control and destroy tissue as they spread into other parts of the body (metastasis). When developing a patient’s treatment plan, an oncologist near me will determine how severe the cancer is (how much it has grown and spread) through cancer staging. There are five stages of breast cancer: Stage 0 to IV, with Stage 0 being the least severe. Seeking professional treatments is crucial since any cancer left alone can progress into a more severe stage.

Treatment options from an oncologist

There is no catch-all treatment for cancer. An oncologist near me will look at the patient’s type of breast cancer, cancer stage, and personal and family medical history to develop a treatment plan. Trusted breast cancer treatments include the following:

Surgeries

Surgery to remove the cancerous tumor is one of the most common breast cancer treatments. Other surgeries can help doctors check the status of the patient’s cancer. Take a closer look at the types of breast cancer surgery below:

• Breast-conserving surgery: Also known as a lumpectomy or wide local excision, this treatment involves cutting the cancer out of the body. A minimal amount of normal tissue is removed, leaving most of the breast tissue intact.
• Mastectomy: Unfortunately, it is sometimes necessary to remove the entire breast to treat cancer effectively. This procedure is known as a mastectomy. A double mastectomy means a patient had both breasts surgically removed.
• Breast reconstructive surgery: A patient may opt for breast reconstruction after receiving a lumpectomy or mastectomy to restore the breast to its previous shape. It may be possible to have this procedure done immediately after breast cancer treatment.
• Surgery to remove underarm lymph nodes: This procedure involves removing lymph nodes to determine whether the cancer is spreading. Often, underarm (axillary) lymph nodes may be removed while the patient is receiving a lumpectomy or mastectomy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment that involves administering strong chemicals into the body to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. Many patients receive IV chemotherapy, but there is also oral chemotherapy medication (chemo pills) for breast cancer. Either way, patients can expect to receive chemotherapy over the course of several months.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy, often referred to as radiotherapy, uses intense energy rays to kill cancer cells. These rays are usually high-dose X-rays. A patient may receive internal or external beam radiation depending on the type of cancer, tumor location, and tumor size, among other factors.

Other potential treatments

Other breast cancer treatments include hormone therapy and biological therapy. Hormone therapy uses medications known as hormone blockers to slow the spread of cancer, shrink cancer cells, and prevent cancer from coming out of remission. It is only effective on hormone-sensitive breast cancers, meaning those in which estrogen or progesterone plays a role.

Alternatively, biological therapy (targeted therapy) empowers the immune system to fight cancer. Keep in mind that most types of biological therapy are in the clinical trial stage. While they may be an option for some patients, an oncologist near me will likely recommend a proven breast cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.

Book an appointment with an oncologist

If you have found yourself typing “oncologist near me” into the search bar for a breast cancer screening or treatment, Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center can help. Not only can we discuss risk factors for breast cancer, recommend screenings, and provide diagnoses, but we also offer various treatment options. Call our Marlton office to learn more.

Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.

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