You take care of everyone else. Now it’s time to focus on you. At AdventHealth, formerly Florida Hospital, Cancer Institute, you’ll find a multidisciplinary approach to treating breast cancer and a caring staff dedicated to you. With outcomes that exceed the national average, we focus all of our energy on healing you, supporting you, and making you feel comfortable along the way.
Early detection methods and advanced treatment options have helped more breast cancer patients be cancer-free. Our survival rates have reached record highs and we’re uncovering more life-saving research every day, paving your road to recovery with innovation and hope.
As one of the most active clinical trial participants in the country, we’re breaking ground for the future and giving eligible patients access to promising new treatments every single day.
We see patients as family. And just like family, we help you overcome cancer with heart-felt, whole person care. We’re here to help you heal, whether it’s an innovative new treatment, support from a survivor, or a shoulder to lean on.
Our breast program is an American College of Radiology (ACR) Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, an accreditation that recognizes the most advanced breast imaging technologies and procedures.
Accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for Radiation Oncology by meeting guidelines including equipment, treatment-planning, patient-safety and quality control standards.
We’re accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) for excellence in program leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education and quality improvement. We offer access to clinical trials, new treatments, genetic counseling and supportive, patient-centered services like care navigation.
Nothing matters more to us than getting you well, and getting you home. Depending on the specific characteristics of cancer, chemotherapy may play an essential role in successfully treating it. From the moment you arrive for your chemo treatment, one of our nurses will be there to greet you and guide you, keeping you and your loved one informed, comfortable, and in good spirits throughout your visit.
Using a combination of specialized drugs, chemotherapy has the power to destroy or slow down the growth of fast-growing cancer cells by finding and eliminating them, wherever they may be. It can be administered intravenously or orally. Chemotherapy has long been used to treat breast cancer. As new drugs are emerging worldwide, we’re always exploring how to make them available to you through clinical trials. Depending on your stage of breast cancer, your dedicated oncology team will determine which drug or combination of drugs makes the most sense for you.
Chemotherapy may be the only treatment you receive, or, more commonly, used in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Along the way, we're here to help however we can, answering any questions and helping you stay strong and optimistic before, during, and after your treatment.
While radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for breast cancer, at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, we do it with uncommon expertise, guidance, and compassion. Using sophisticated radiation technology, we can target tumors with amazing precision, easing your pain and leaving healthy tissue untouched. Depending on your diagnosis, your dedicated team may recommend radiation alone, but in many cases, we combine it with surgery, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.
Our oncology experts take an individualized approach to every patient’s treatment plan. Using the same energy as X- rays, radiation therapy targets specific areas of the body, shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
When treating breast cancer, radiation therapy is usually delivered one of three ways:
External radiation delivers radiation in a concentrated beam to keep nearby healthy tissue unaffected.
Internal radiation is guided by ultrasound or using our MRI-guided HDR brachytherapy.
Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) combines radiation treatment with a surgical procedure, meaning shorter treatment times and more efficient dosing.
Throughout your treatment, your nurses and your radiology care team are there to keep you and your support system informed, comfortable, and uplifted.
If surgery is part of your treatment plan, it’s reassuring to know that your health is in the hands of specialized surgeons. As a recognized leader in breast cancer care, we’re helping patients heal through innovative surgical care day in and day out.
Breast cancer surgery can be individualized depending on your specific diagnosis, tumor biology, and extent of tumor in your breast. After reviewing your medical history and test results, your medical team will recommend the most effective treatment plan for you. Surgery may be the only treatment you need, but may be used in combination with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
The extent of breast cancer surgery is typically one of the following pathways:
Lumpectomy, or partial breast surgery, is used for tumors that can be removed in their entirety while leaving a significant amount of the normal breast tissue remaining. This would then in most circumstances be followed by radiation.
Mastectomy means the entire breast is removed and is usually for larger tumors, or for those tumors associated with a high-risk genetic finding.
Another pathway is the use of surgery following the completion of chemotherapy first.
Regardless of what procedure you need, from pre- to post-op, we’ll be there with open arms to ease you into your recovery.
We're always looking for ways to help you heal faster and feel more comfortable.
We’re always looking to improve your care. One way we can try to do that is with hormone therapy, an innovative treatment that may be an option depending on your specific cancer and your personal care plan. Hormone therapy blocks receptor sites on tumors that otherwise signal breast cancer cells to grow, helping to slow or even stop the disease in its tracks.
Rather than risk hurting healthy cells, targeted therapy harnesses the power of new proteins, genes, and drugs to attack cancer cells while keeping healthy cells safe. So while we’re treating your cancer with all our strength, we take every measure we can to help you keep yours.
After a mastectomy or double-mastectomy due to breast cancer, some women choose to undergo breast reconstruction surgery. At AdventHealth, we offer patients a variety of reconstruction options that are tailored to their individual needs.
Among these is an innovative reconstructive option known as a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap procedure.
During DIEP flap surgery, fat, skin and blood vessels are cut from the wall of the lower belly and moved up to your chest to rebuild your breast. Your surgeon carefully reattaches the blood vessels of the flap to blood vessels in your chest using microsurgery. No muscle is used to rebuild the breast.
DIEP flap breast reconstruction offers advantages over alternative surgical options including:
While DIEP flap breast reconstruction is popular, it isn’t for everyone. If you fall into any of the following categories, you are likely not a good candidate for the DIEP flap procedure.
The DIEP flap procedure requires special surgical training and expertise in microsurgery.
Our state-of-the-art breast cancer clinic provides world-class evaluation and care for patients with diagnosed breast malignancies. This unique setting brings together physicians from multiple specialties to provide the full range of medical and surgical therapies in a one-stop location for breast cancer care.
During your appointment, you’ll meet with your care team — including a medical oncologist, breast surgeon and radiation oncologist — who will discuss an appropriate course of treatment and answer your questions, all within a single visit. This coordinated approach to your care means you spend less time traveling to medical appointments and start receiving the care you need, faster.
There’s power in numbers. As one of the largest providers of cancer care in Florida, every one of our seven dedicated Central Florida locations and imaging facilities contributes to the strength of the AdventHealth network. Feel secure knowing that you have a widely connected team working together across exceptional facilities.
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You’ll feel even stronger when you’re surrounded by a loving support system. From our pampering Eden Spa and Boutique, which provides mastectomy bra fittings and wig fittings for breast cancer patients, to financial assistance tools, we’re here with the practical, emotional, and spiritual guidance you need.
Learn MorePrevention puts your wellness in your own hands. We built our Breast Health Center to help empower you. Our mission is to help you identify your risk of breast cancer, through both genetic and non-genetic factors. No matter your age or stage, a team of nurse practitioners and genetic counselors is available to guide you, help you evaluate your cancer risks and recommend a personalized screening plan or preventive treatments.
Our cancer specialists and researchers are continuously discovering new ways to prevent and treat cancer. We participate in more than 175 national clinical trials a year. This gives you access to many of the latest treatments and prevention methods, many of which may not be widely available for months, or years, to come.
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It’s always a good idea to get a second opinion. Our second-opinion experts can serve as a fresh pair of eyes, helping bring clarity and certainty to you and your family.
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Our breast cancer patients often find comfort and hope where they least expect it: in the company of people who end up becoming part of your support system. Connect with patients, survivors, and a compassionate support group staff who truly understand what you’re going through.
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New studies. New research. New technology and more. We’ll keep you informed of innovative treatments, advanced techniques, and the latest offerings at AdventHealth Cancer Institute.
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Find healing, find community, and stay in the know. With a wide variety of events year-round, we’ll help you connect with other patients, caregivers, support groups, as well as our compassionate care team.
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