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Breast Cancer

If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, you have great treatment options available to you right here in Pinehurst. FirstHealth's state-of-the-art Cancer Center allows your treatment journey to take place under one roof.

Treatment Options Available

FirstHealth offers many breast cancer treatment options, including:

  • Surgery 
  • Chemotherapy
  • Oral chemotherapy
  • Antiestrogen therapy 
  • Biologic therapy 
  • Monoclonal antibody therapy 
  • Radiation therapy 3D or IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) 
  • Clinical Trials

Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Women with breast cancer may experience breast abnormalities or symptoms, but many women do not show any of these signs or symptoms at the time of diagnosis. If you are concerned about a sign or symptom, please talk with your doctor.

The signs and symptoms to look for include:

  • New lumps that feel like a hard knot (many women normally have lumpy breasts) or a thickening in the breast or under the arm
  • Nipple tenderness, discharge (may occur suddenly, be bloody, or occur in only one breast), or physical changes (such as a nipple turned inward, a persistent sore, or a change in the size or shape of the breast)
  • Skin irritation or changes, such as puckers, dimples, scaling or new creases
  • Warm, red, swollen breasts with a rash resembling the skin of an orange (called peau d’orange)
  • Pain in the breast (usually not a symptom of breast cancer, but it should be reported to a doctor), particularly breast pain that doesn’t go away

Breast cancer most commonly spreads to the regional lymph nodes. The lymph nodes can be axillary (located under the arm), cervical (located in the neck), or supraclavicular (located just above the collarbone). Breast cancer spreads when breast cancer cells move to other parts of the body through the blood vessels and/or lymph nodes. This is called metastasis. When these cancer cells spread further through the body, they most commonly spread to the bones, lungs and liver. Less commonly, breast cancer may spread to the brain. 

Women 40 years and older should get a mammogram every year. If you have a family history of breast cancer or an increased risk screening evaluation, you may need to start getting mammograms before the age of 40. Don’t wait! Speak with you doctor today about being screened for breast cancer.

Genetic testing can be used to help make decisions about treatment as well as or determine risk for your family. 

Since a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming to patients and families, we provide Oncology Nurse Navigators to accompany patients into the treatment process and introduce them to the broad array of services offered by FirstHealth.

Learn more about Breast Health at FirstHealth