Breast Cancer Treatment & Care
Beebe's breast cancer treatment services include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery. We provide team-based care designed for you.
Why Choose Beebe Healthcare for Your Breast Cancer Treatment?
Beebe Healthcare is proud to offer comprehensive breast care services for women and families.
Beebe’s care has been nationally recognized and is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Beebe is also accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and the Commission on Cancer, both administered by the American College of Surgeons.
Beebe Provides Team-Based Care Designed for You
As a patient at Beebe Healthcare, you will work with a multidisciplinary team of cancer doctors, nurses, imaging technologists, genetic counselors and other specialists to give you unmatched care and support. You'll work with a nurse navigator who will help arrange services, connect you with resources and answer your questions.
Beebe is proud to partner with academic medical centers to provide our patients access to genetic counseling and clinical trials right here in Sussex County. You don’t have to travel to a larger institution to participate in trials. We can provide them right here, close to where you live.
We make sure you and your family have the information you need to make well-informed choices about your health.
Common Treatment Options for Breast Cancer
Each patient and each diagnosis is different. That is why our team works directly with you, your family, and your entire health team to create an individualized treatment plan.
Our breast cancer experts are continually looking for better ways to find and treat breast cancer. We are dedicated to your health and well-being.
Treatment options include:
- Cancer Surgery: Surgery is a common method of treating certain kinds of cancer, and it is considered a local treatment in the sense that it focuses on a specific part of the body. The doctor operates to remove the tumor and nearby tissue that may or may not contain cancer cells. Surgical oncology fellowship trained surgeons at Beebe Healthcare perform surgery to remove tumors. Surgeons work closely with other physicians involved in a patient's care to help ensure the best possible outcome. Learn more about Surgical Oncology.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation is the local treatment of cancer using high-energy X-rays or radioactive particles. Radiation therapy targets specific tumors with an exact amount of radiation. It is possible that some normal cells surrounding the tumor may receive some radiation but, unlike cancer cells, most of them recover from the effects of radiation.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. These drugs destroy cancer cells by stopping them from growing or multiplying. Healthy cells can be damaged, especially those that divide quickly. It is harm to healthy cells that causes side effects, but these cells usually repair themselves after chemotherapy.
- Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy is a treatment that blocks cancer cells from getting the hormones they need in order to grow. In some cases, hormone therapy is used during other breast cancer treatments. In other cases, it is used after you complete treatment as a way to prevent the cancer from returning. Your doctor will discuss this therapy if it is right for you.
- Clinical Trials: A clinical trial, or protocol, is a carefully controlled study to answer specific questions about a potentially new type of treatment or to study new ways of using an existing treatment. The purpose of a clinical trial is to determine whether a treatment is safe in humans and effective in treating a particular disease or condition. This includes looking at the benefits as well as the potential risks of the treatment. Generally, clinical trials compare the standard treatment with a potential new treatment option. Your doctor can help you determine if a clinical trial is right for you. Beebe is proud to partner with academic medical centers to provide clinical trials for our patients right here in Sussex County. Instead of driving for hours to participate, we can work with you and your care team to provide access to many trials from our cancer center locations. Talk to your medical oncologist to learn more.
Beebe Healthcare certified breast surgeons perform surgery at the Margaret H. Rollins Lewes Campus, at the Beebe outpatient surgery center, and at the Specialty Surgical Hospital on the Abessinio Health Campus.
Chemotherapy and radiation oncology treatment are provided at our cancer centers – Tunnell Cancer Center at the Abessinio Health Campus and the South Coastal cancer center near Millville.
Your Health Team
Beebe Healthcare’s team of cancer care experts are with you every step of the way – from diagnosis to treatment and beyond. Our team works with you to develop an individualized treatment plan based on your type of cancer, your age and background, your previous medical history, and of course, your personal wishes.
Our cancer centers are home to the area’s most experienced specialists, including:
- Nurse Navigators
- Breast surgeons and surgical oncologists
- Radiologists
- Medical oncologists
- Radiation oncologists
- Nurse practitioners
- Genetic counselors
- Social worker (referrals to supportive services)
- Wellness and integrative health coaches
- Clinical trial specialist
- Plastic reconstructive surgeons
Beebe offers support services, including support groups for patients and families going through cancer. In addition, through general donations and support from our community, Beebe offers wig-fitting services, integrative health resources, and monetary support for those who qualify through our Patient Special Needs Fund.
