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At Blue Ridge Cancer Care, we offer the latest and most effective breast cancer treatments in patient-friendly cancer centers conveniently located close to home. You can receive breast cancer care at one of our locations in the Southwest Virginia area, including Roanoke, Salem, Blacksburg, Pulaski, Wytheville, Rocky Mount, Lexington, Bedford, Princeton, Fairlea, and Low Moor. Each of our patients receives the most advanced, personalized breast cancer care without the stress of navigating large hospital systems.

Our expert team includes medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and support staff who work together closely with patients and their families to provide individualized treatment plans that address both physical and emotional well-being.

A Personalized Approach to Breast Cancer Treatment

Every patient at Blue Ridge Cancer Care receives the care they need based on several factors. The medical and radiation oncologists will meet to discuss the best treatment pathway based on:

  • The type of breast cancer including hormone receptor (HR) status and HER2 status
  • The presence of genetic mutations in genes including BRCA1 and BRCA2, PIK3CA, TP53, or ESR1
  • The cancer’s stage, which takes into account the tumor’s size, grade, lymph node involvement, and any spread outside of the breast
  • The patient’s overall health, age, menopausal status, and personal preferences

We will also coordinate the treatment plan with the breast cancer surgeon who will remove the tumor and oversee the reconstruction process.

Therapies Commonly Included in a Breast Cancer Treatment Plan

Most breast cancer patients will receive more than one type of treatment, often starting with surgery. However, depending on your specific needs, therapies such as radiation or chemotherapy may be given before surgery to shrink the tumor, requiring less of the breast to be removed.

Surgery for Breast Cancer

The type of surgery that’s right for you depends on its location in the breast, size of the tumor, and the likelihood of the cancer recurring after treatment is complete.

Breast-Conserving Surgery (Lumpectomy)

  • Removes the cancerous tumor and a margin of surrounding tissue. This procedure is proven to be effective without removing the whole breast for many women.
  • Typically followed by radiation therapy to reduce recurrence.
  • Preserves most of the breast’s appearance, including the nipple when possible. Some plastic surgery may be done to help balance the size of the breasts and to reshape them, if necessary.

Mastectomy

  • Removes the entire breast
  • May be recommended for larger tumors or if there is more than one tumor in the breast. It can be a personal choice to remove the entire breast if the type of cancer is more likely to recur, such as triple-negative breast cancer.
  • Reconstructive surgery can be performed. If you don’t plan to have breast reconstruction, talk to your doctor before the cancer surgery. They can use a different closure specifically used for women who want to “go flat.”

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

External beam radiation therapy is commonly used to ensure all cancer cells in the breast are destroyed. Radiation may be recommended:

  • After a lumpectomy, focusing on the area of the breast where the tumor was located.
  • Although less common, it can be used after a mastectomy if the tumor was large or had grown into the chest wall.
  • For inoperable tumors or to relieve pain in metastatic disease

At BRCC, we use the most modern radiation therapy techniques, including hypofractionated radiation therapy. This process reduces the total number of radiation treatments by safely delivering a higher dose at each session. Treatments can now be completed in 3-5 weeks, compared to 6-8 weeks, with sessions held five days a week.

Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy uses medications to kill cancer cells or stop their growth. The drugs are typically given intravenously through your arm, or a port if one was inserted surgically to reduce the number of needle sticks in your arm or hand. BRCC’s infusion suites are designed to provide a comfortable setting for patients in our outpatient cancer centers.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Administered before surgery to shrink tumors. By doing this, less of the breast needs to be removed. This can make it possible to do a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy for some patients.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy

Not every patient’s breast cancer treatment plan includes chemotherapy. If a biopsy shows cancer in the lymph nodes, chemotherapy is typically recommended. It can increase survival rates by destroying cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body through the lymph system – even those that can’t be seen on a scan.

Chemotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer

If cancer has spread beyond the breast or has recurred in another area of the body, chemotherapy can be used to slow the progression and shrink tumors that may be causing pain. Metastatic breast cancer treatment is often combined with targeted or immunotherapy based on the cancer’s subtype.

Hormone (Endocrine) Therapy

Hormone therapy is highly effective for estrogen-positive (ER+) and progesterone-positive (PR+) breast cancers. It works by lowering hormone levels or blocking hormone receptors that allow cancer cells to multiply. Typically, this is not the only cancer drug that is used in the treatment plan.

Common Breast Cancer Hormone Therapies

  • Tamoxifen helps lower the chance that estrogen-positive breast cancer will come back and can also help prevent a new cancer from forming in the other breast. It can be taken for five years, or longer at your oncologist’s recommendation. Both pre- and post-menopausal women can use this drug.
  • Aromatase inhibitors, including Anastrozole, Letrozole, and Exemestane, are used in postmenopausal women to lower the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence by blocking estrogen’s growth signals.
  • Ovarian suppression can be used in pre-menopausal women to reduce estrogen produced by the body. This can be done with surgery or medication.

Breast Cancer Targeted Therapy

Our team uses advanced molecular profiling and genomic testing to identify whether a genetic mutation is present. Based on the results, a specific targeted therapy drug may be included in the treatment plan. We may recommend participation in a clinical trial for access to the latest targeted therapy and immunotherapy treatments, which are not yet widely available to all breast cancer patients.

Targeted therapy uses drugs that attack specific proteins or genes involved in cancer growth. These are often combined with chemotherapy or hormone therapy.

For HER2-Positive Breast Cancer:

  • Trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta): Standard frontline treatments
  • Ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla): Used after surgery if cancer remains
  • Trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu): For metastatic HER2+ cancers

For Breast Cancer With Other Genetic Changes

  • CDK4/6 inhibitors (abemaciclib, palbociclib, ribociclib): Slow cancer growth when added to hormone therapy
  • Alpelisib: Used for patients with a PIK3CA mutation
  • Elacestrant: An oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) approved for ESR1-mutated cancers resistant to prior hormone therapy

These treatments allow for greater precision, affecting only the cancer cells and resulting in fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy for most patients.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells that would otherwise remain hidden from the body’s natural defense system. It’s approved for select patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) or metastatic breast cancer that tests positive for PD-L1.

  • Atezolizumab or pembrolizumab (with chemotherapy) can improve outcomes in PD-L1+ TNBC
  • Trials are underway to expand immunotherapy to other subtypes

Blue Ridge Cancer Care evaluates all eligible patients for these innovative breast cancer treatment options.

Access to Clinical Trials in Southwest Virginia

We offer Phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials through our partnerships with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), Sponsors, and local hospitals. As one of the largest and most active clinical research programs in Southwest Virginia, we provide cancer patients access to the latest therapies and treatment options. We believe that clinical trials are an integral part of our efforts to offer patients the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research in their community.

Ask your BRCC team if a clinical trial might be right for you.

Why Patients Choose Blue Ridge Cancer Care for Breast Cancer Treatment

Blue Ridge Cancer Care offers comprehensive, cutting-edge breast cancer care in a setting that’s easily accessible, friendly, and more affordable than hospital-based cancer centers.

We will be with you every step of the way, including emotional and mental support. Request a consultation at a location that is most convenient for you. We are also available for second opinions, an important step before choosing your breast cancer care team.