Personalized care for breast cancer in Northwest Florida
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What is your cancer center known for?
Hearing the word cancer comes with a lot of thoughts and emotions, and we’re ready to support you. You'll meet with your doctor to discuss your diagnosis and your care options. At Ascension St. Heart, your care team may include:
- Breast surgeon
- Mastectomy bra fitters
- Medical oncologist
- Oncology-certified nurses, dietitians and social workers
- Oncology-certified pharmacist
- Palliative care specialist
- Plastic surgeons - reconstructive breast and nipple surgery
- Radiation oncologists
- Radiologists specializing in breast imaging
- Rehabilitation therapists, including lymphedema therapists
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Does breast screening help detect cancer early?
Getting regular breast health screenings and health checkups may help find breast cancer early, when it’s most treatable. We recommend women get a mammogram each year, starting at age 40, or earlier if you have a family history of breast cancer. When you choose women’s health and breast specialists at Ascension Sacred Heart in Northwest Florida, for your care, you are connected to all the care you need – from routine screenings to advanced care.
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What tests are used to diagnose breast cancer?
Your care team focuses on identifying if the tumor is non-invasive or invasive and to understand where the tumor began and whether or not it has spread. Diagnostic blood testing, breast imaging (3D mammogram, breast MRI, breast ultrasound) and a biopsy of breast cells help your doctor diagnose your condition and stage even the most rare cancers. And we use advanced genetic and molecular studies to recognize breast cancer subtypes and hormone receptors (HER-2, PR, ER) to create a care plan for your type of cancer.
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Who is on my cancer care team?
Hearing the word cancer comes with a lot of thoughts and emotions, and we’re ready to support you. You'll meet with your doctor to discuss your diagnosis and your care options. At Ascension St. Heart, your care team may include:
- Breast surgeon
- Mastectomy bra fitters
- Medical oncologist
- Oncology-certified nurses, dietitians and social workers
- Oncology-certified pharmacist
- Palliative care specialist
- Plastic surgeons - reconstructive breast and nipple surgery
- Radiation oncologists
- Radiologists specializing in breast imaging
- Rehabilitation therapists, including lymphedema therapists
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Who should I call when I have questions?
When you choose Ascension Providence for your cancer care, you get an entire team dedicated to your care. You may have a lot of concerns and questions. Your doctor and care team are ready to listen and answer your questions. Working together, we offer services that help support your treatment plan, including managing pain and other symptoms, medications, appetite changes, sleeplessness, fatigue and mood changes. Your entire care team stays connected throughout your care to discuss your treatment and progress.
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Is financial assistance and support available?
We can connect you with resources and programs that may be able to help you and your family with options for financial assistance. Our financial counseling team is here to listen to your concerns and work with you to help find options that meet your needs. Your breast cancer care team can connect you to a financial counselor.
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Where do I park?
At Ascension Sacred Heart cancer center and clinics, we offer convenient parking. Talk to your breast cancer navigator if you have transportation needs.
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My doctor told me about an enhanced recovery program. What is that?
Surgical oncologists and anesthesiologists provide enhanced recovery pathways as part of your surgical care plan. They are an important part of our cancer treatment programs. Each pathway is personalized for different types of cancer treatment, to help speed up your recovery after surgery. Your care team uses these protocols to help you prepare for what to expect before, during and after surgery.