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The Cancer Center has a specialized team of experts who focus exclusively on breast cancer. This division is directed by a physician with significant clinical and research expertise in this type of cancer. The physician leads a close-knit team of medical, research, nursing, and support staff dedicated to researching, diagnosing, and treating breast cancer, which translates into more advanced, comprehensive care for patients. Almost all cases of breast cancer are treated with a combination of methods: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, and/or peripheral stem cell transplantation. Your physicians will discuss the best combination for you, based on the size and location of the tumor, how much the cancer has spread, and your age and general health. If you are considering breast reconstruction, a plastic surgeon will be available for consultation. For more information about the The Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, call (201) 996-5900. Breast Cancer Treatment Options Surgical Options There are several types of surgery used to treat breast cancer. General anesthesia is used in most of them, and patients usually spend at least one night in the medical center. Some patients may have same-day surgery. •Breast conservation surgery, also known as partial mastectomy or lumpectomy, is usually an option when the cancer has been diagnosed early and is localized. Your surgeon will remove the tumor and some healthy surrounding tissue. Your surgeon may also remove some lymph nodes from under your arm. Radiation therapy must be combined with breast conservation surgery for the treatment to be successful. When used together, these two methods are as effective for long-term survival as a modified radical mastectomy. •A simple mastectomy includes removal of the entire breast but not the lymph nodes or any chest muscle. A modified radical mastectomy involves removal of the entire breast and some of the lymph nodes, but not any chest muscle. These procedures can be done as skin sparing mastectomies, leaving most of the skin and producing excellent cosmetic results with plastic surgery. •Sentinel node biopsy is a less invasive surgical procedure in which only the suspected node is removed. •Breast reconstruction is an option available to many women. Breast reconstruction may take place at the same time as the mastectomy or, most commonly at a later time using one of two procedures. The first is breast reconstruction utilizing a tissue expander made of a soft plastic shell that is sequentially filled to form a breast mound. The expander is then changed for a permanent implant. The second form of reconstruction uses a woman’s own body tissues, called TRAM (Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous), which are rearranged to form a breast mound. Radiation Therapy Radiation therapy is often prescribed in conjunction with other breast cancer treatments. Hackensack University Medical Center’s Radiation Oncology Division uses state-of-the-art technology to deliver high-energy X-ray beams to kill cancerous cells. Two dual energy linear accelerators are on the premises and provide the most advanced medical technology available for the treatment of breast cancer. Chemotherapy Your physician may prescribe chemotherapy, using drugs that go throughout your body to destroy cancer cells and to prevent them from multiplying. Most chemotherapy regimens for breast cancer involve using a mixture of two or three anti-cancer medications, either given in pill form or by intravenous infusion into a vein. Hormonal therapy may also be used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. The majority of chemotherapy treatments are performed on an outpatient basis at The Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. Inpatient treatment is delivered at the medical center’s dedicated oncology unit. The Cancer Center features a comfortable infusion suite for chemotherapy and blood transfusion services, furnished with private rooms, recliner chairs, and televisions. All our registered nurses specialize in oncology and are certified to administer chemotherapy. They and other nurses were instrumental in the medical center being one of only seven hospitals in the nation and the first in the state to receive the Magnet Hospital Recognition Award for nursing excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This prestigious award is a tribute to the dedication and advanced skills of our nurses. Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation Hackensack University Medical Center is one of only 18 sites in the country designated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group to perform both autologous (using a patient’s own marrow and cells) and allogeneic (using a donor’s) transplantations. When breast cancer is resistant to standard treatment or diagnosed as high risk, a woman’s physician may recommend a peripheral stem cell transplant. This type of transplant involves “harvesting” a woman’s own (autologous) stem cells from the bone marrow or peripheral blood and storing the samples. The patient then undergoes a period of high-dose chemotherapy. Upon completion of chemotherapy, the healthy stem cells are then reinfused into the patient, where they will grow new cells. Some patients may be able to receive treatment at an outpatient center and stay at one of our apartments, rather than during an inpatient stay at the medical center. During the reinfusion period, which takes eight to 14 days to complete, patients are discharged to a hotel for overnight stays, returning to the center each day for reinfusion, medical monitoring, and follow-up. Patients have 24-hour access to The Cancer Center’s medical staff, in addition to a variety of home care services, including physical therapy and counseling. The medical center offers a state-of-the-art transplantation laboratory, dedicated to diagnostic, treatment, and research studies necessary to carry out these transplants. |
