If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. But you won’t take this journey alone.
CalvertHealth’s Cancer Care team combines top oncologists, dedicated support staff and state-of-the-art facilities with treatment protocols based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines.
State-of-the-art cancer care requires the expertise of many specialists including surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology - to name a few. This team approach cancer care is commonly referred to as multidisciplinary care, and it is the preferred style of treatment coordination at CalvertHealth. Our care team will make sure that you and your family understand all of your treatment options and know what to expect—whether that is a less invasive option or surgery.
Recognizing that many women with breast cancer will require some type of surgical intervention, CalvertHealth is pleased to announce the addition of
Dr. Theodore Tsangaris, MD, MBA, FACS to its breast care team.
With more than 30 years of clinical expertise in oncology, including leadership roles at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center and Georgetown University Medical Center, Dr. Tsangaris specializes in breast cancer surgery; in particular, the nipple-sparing mastectomy.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women (though rare, breast cancer can also develop in men). Anyone who notices a lump or any unusual change in a breast should see a physician as quickly as possible.
Type of breast cancer include:
- CIS (DCIS/LCIS)
- Invasive (infiltrating) breast cancer
- Inflammatory breast cancer
- Paget disease of the nipple
- Rare tumors such as Phyllodes tumor and Angiosarcoma
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. It’s important that you think carefully about each of your choices. Weigh the benefits of each treatment option against the possible risks and side effects.
The most common types of breast cancer surgery:
LUMPECTOMY
A surgery in which only the part of the breast containing the cancer is removed. The goal is to remove the cancer as well as some surrounding normal tissue. How much of the breast is removed depends on the size and location of the tumor and other factors.
MASTECTOMY
A surgery in which the entire breast is removed, including all of the breast tissue and sometimes other nearby tissues. There are several different types of mastectomies. Some women may also get a double mastectomy, in which both breasts are removed.
SENTINEL LYMPH NODE BIOPSY (SLNB)
A procedure in which the surgeon removes only the lymph node(s) under the arm to which the cancer would likely spread first. Removing only one or a few lymph nodes lowers the risk of side effects from the surgery.
AXILLARY LYMPH NODE DISSECTION (ALND)
A procedure in which the surgeon removes many (usually less than 20) lymph nodes from under the arm. ALND is not done as often as it was in the past, but it might still be the best way to look at the lymph nodes in some situations.
RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY
Visit CalvertHealth Surgical Specialists in
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery for additional information on breast reconstruction options.