Over the past decade, scientists and doctors have been hard at work developing better breast cancer treatments. The result? Several new advancements that are revolutionizing care and improving survival rates. Today, doctors at Regional Cancer Care Associates are bringing these advancements to patients all throughout New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland. Explore the following top four innovations:
The Breast Cancer Index
In order to prevent recurrence, doctors might prescribe an additional five to 10 years of hormone therapy drugs. But the additional treatment doesn’t benefit every patient. That’s why doctors at RCCA are now using a groundbreaking new technology called the Breast Cancer Index to evaluate a patient’s risk of breast cancer recurrence. “It’s about avoiding breast cancer recurrence in balance with the minimization of side effects,” said Dr. Julianne Childs of RCCA’s location in Cape May, N.J.
The Oncotype DX Test
With the advent of the Oncotype DX Test, doctors now have a deeper understanding of which patients can benefit from chemo the most. Dr. Dongmei Wang, of the Rockville, Md., location, said, “Before, if a patient’s tumor was bigger than 1 centimeter, they got chemo regardless. Now, if a cancer measures 4 centimeters but scores in the low-risk category, a patient won’t receive chemo.” This allows the patient to avoid suffering unnecessarily from the side effects of chemo and pursue a potentially more effective treatment option.
BRCA Testing
There have been a lot of advancements in genetic testing recently. BRCA testing, in particular, can help determine whether a woman is at risk for developing breast cancer in her lifetime. In fact, about 15% of all cases diagnosed are genetically linked. That’s why BRCA test results continue to empower women and their families to take early action against breast cancer.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Finally, many oncologists have been administering neoadjuvant chemotherapy as one of the first lines of defense for breast cancer. Instead of performing surgery right away, they’ll use chemo to significantly shrink the tumor. “By shrinking the tumor as much as possible and then doing surgery, we end up having very little disease to work with,” said Dr. Usha Niranjan of RCCA’s office in Hackettstown, N.J. This practice can help improve health outcomes and reduce the burden of invasive treatment.
RCCA: Delivering the Latest in Breast Cancer Care
For the most cutting-edge breast cancer treatment techniques, schedule an appointment at RCCA today. As new innovations continue to come out with proven results, you can trust RCCA to be at the forefront. Learn more about our doctors or contact the location nearest you.