Breast Care Center

All of our highly-skilled breast surgeons are board-certified by the American Board of Surgery and are members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

Surgical treatment options include:

• Lumpectomy - breast-sparing surgery where the surgeon removes the cancer and margin of normal tissue surrounding the cancer.
• Mastectomy - complete removal of the breast tissue, including the nipple but not the muscle of the chest wall.
• Nipple-sparing mastectomy - complete removal of the breast tissue, excluding the nipple and the muscle of the chest wall.
• Sentinel lymph node biopsy - lymph nodes most likely containing cancer are removed.
• Axillary node dissection - the fat containing lymph nodes is removed to determine if the lymph nodes contain cancer.
• Breast biopsies - procedure to remove a small sample of breast tissue for laboratory testing. Breast biopsy is considered the best way to evaluate a suspicious area in your breast to determine if it is breast cancer.
• Treatment of benign breast problems/issues such as fibrocystic condition
• Prophylactic mastectomy - surgery to remove one or both breasts to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, prophylactic mastectomy in high-risk women may be able to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by 90 percent.

In recent years, a new approach has become available for the treatment of breast cancer. For some patients, a less invasive approach called intraoperative radiation therapy may be a treatment option. For more information on this technology please click here, or discuss this option with your physician. 

The Breast Care Center at Lovelace Women’s Hospital offers the MarginProbe System to patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer.

During a lumpectomy, the breast surgeon will remove the cancerous tumor and some of the surrounding tissue (called “margin”) to determine if there are any remaining cancer cells. Traditionally, the tissue is examined by a pathologist and the process can take several days to confirm results. If the results show that cancer cells are still present in the margin, more surgeries are required to remove the tissue.

However, by using the MarginProbe System, our breast surgeon can determine results in real-time during surgery. The MarginProbe System differentiates between the regular cells of healthy tissue and cancerous cells by assessing the electromagnetic response of tissue during the lumpectomy.  The system allows our surgeon to achieve a “clean margin”, meaning there are no cancer cells left at the edge of the removed tissue. This also greatly reduces the need for re-excision surgery, benefiting the patient emotionally and financially.

Who is a candidate for MarginProbe?

• All patients who undergo a lumpectomy

Consultations with plastic surgeons to perform breast reconstruction are available as well as a Post-Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Program at the Lovelace Women's Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic.

It is very common for women to experience benign (not cancerous) breast conditions during their lifetime. These typically do not lead to cancer, but it is still important to talk to your provider about any changes in your breasts. Oftentimes, they will recommend a biopsy to check for cancer. If the condition is benign, there are a variety of treatments available.

One common benign breast condition is a fibroadenoma, a solid breast tumor. Fibroadenomas are benign, meaning they are not cancerous and they will not turn into cancer. Some fibroadenomas can be felt during a breast self-examination or clinical examination, while others are detected during a mammogram. Once it has been identified, you will be scheduled for a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and confirm if the tumor is benign.

In many cases, fibroadenomas require no treatment. However, some women choose surgical removal for their peace of mind. Seek a consultation with a breast health specialist to find out more on treatment options.

Personal support when you need it most. Our breast care navigator is a trained health care professional who is available to all breast cancer patients and their loved ones to help coordinate care, support, and act as an advocate. A breast care navigator’s main goal is to be a resource to you through every step of your care to help give you peace of mind and comfort.

A Certified Breast Care Navigator serves as:

• A consistent care coordinator throughout the continuum of care assessing the physical, emotional and social needs of the patient.
• A support person for the breast cancer patient and their loved ones in understanding and coping with the strong emotions and social recovery.
• A facilitator of available community resources for patients and their loved ones (such as gas vouchers, co-pay relief, transportation services, local support groups, etc.)
• An educator in breast cancer treatment options and general breast health issues.
• A personal advocate for the needs of breast cancer patients and their loved ones.

Support from your family, friends and medical professionals is of great benefit after treatment. Our breast care navigator can provide information about various special resources and support services to help you and your loved ones.

• American Cancer Society Gift Closet (free wigs, scarves, bras and prostheses)
• Breast health education and information
• Dietary consultation
• Community partnerships (local support groups, etc.)
• Education & psychosocial support
• Embrace survivorship program (Click here for more information)
• Genetic testing and counseling
• Instruction on performing breast self-exams
• Multidisciplinary consultation
• On-site nipple areola re-pigmentation
• Patient & family support
• Permanent make-up technician
• Rehabilitation (Click here for more information)

We understand that the diagnosis and treatment of cancer can be a difficult time for patients and their families. Lovelace Women’s Hospital has a licensed social worker who is able to help our patients and their families cope with during cancer treatment.

Services for Patients

• Provide acute interventions and assessments
• Provide additional emotional support
• Assist the Patient Navigator in identifying and obtaining resources
• Provide on-site counseling
• Help with stress reduction techniques, including:
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Guided imagery
  • Meditation sessions

Services for Families

• Provide a family assessment to identify internal supports and resources
• Provide ongoing information about patient symptoms and how these may affect the family dynamic
• Assist the Patient Navigator in the identification of community support networks for your spouse, children and parents
• Provide ongoing education, referrals and handouts
• Provide other supports as identified throughout the process

Lovelace Cancer Center's Embrace Series provides support for patients and their families throughout the treatment process. By offering educational resources, support groups and health classes, our aim is to help our patients find connection and empowerment. The Embrace Program integrates the Healing Circles Langley model as an effort to better incorporate support services into the cancer journey. Healing circles are safe spaces that allow us to step out of ordinary time and into a safe and accepting environment where we can explore healing. Click here for more information.