Why Choose Stanford Medicine?
As you and your family prepare for your first visit at Stanford Health Care, you’ll likely have many questions about your care journey with us. This overview helps you understand what to expect as you go through the early steps of your care.
We offer extensive resources to assist you with every facet of your care—physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. We’re here to help you and your family each step of the way.
What You Need to Know to Start Treatment
The following information will help answer your questions as you begin treatment at Stanford Health Care:
Connect to Care
Let us help find personalized care options for you and your family.
Your Circle of Care
A cancer diagnosis affects more than your physical wellbeing. It can disrupt your family life, work, social relationships, and your very sense of security. Our signature Circle of Care approach is here to guide you and your caregivers. We listen carefully to understand your unique situation and then we bring together experts including doctors, specialists, nurses, and care coordinators to create a plan just for you. With a team on your side and a wide range of support services, you receive a complete, coordinated experience. Learn what to expect and see how we put you at the center of care.
Access That Empowers
We make access to care as simple as possible. We anticipate what you need and provide support when you need it. Our network of locations puts our services within your reach. User-friendly digital health tools help you stay connected with your care team. We accept most insurance plans and offer discounted transportation, short-stay options, and international travel and translation services. We help make sense of the details, so you can make decisions that are right for you.
Innovation Through
Clinical Research
Some of Silicon Valley’s brightest scientific minds are at the Stanford Cancer Institute and the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center. Medical discoveries and clinical advances happen here. Our physicians and scientists work every day to improve cancer prevention, detection, and care. We offer advanced diagnostics, the latest treatment technologies and techniques, and pioneering therapies in development through clinical trials. Let us put innovation to work for you.
Each woman’s breast cancer experience is unique, which is why we provide customized care for you. Our doctors, nurses, technicians, and staff are here to support you throughout your journey with treatment plans tailored to fit your individual needs.
Your Doctors
These surgeons specialize in treating cancer through traditional (open) and minimally invasive surgery. Surgical oncologists perform biopsies (taking tiny tissue samples) to test for cancer. They also surgically remove tumors, some surrounding breast tissue, and lymph nodes to evaluate them for the presence of cancer.
These surgeons specialize in treating cancer through traditional (open) and minimally invasive surgery. Surgical oncologists perform biopsies (taking tiny tissue samples) to test for cancer. They also surgically remove tumors, some surrounding breast tissue, and lymph nodes to evaluate them for the presence of cancer.
These cancer doctors have specialized training in diagnosing breast cancer. They also treat it using medications, including chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and biologic therapy (targeted therapy and immunotherapy). Medical oncologists will also often serve as your main health care provider, coordinating your treatment among several specialists.
Your Extended Care Team
An anesthesiologist is a doctor who specializes in using medications to block pain, help you relax, or make you unconscious for surgery. Anesthesiologists also monitor and maintain your vital functions such as breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate during surgery. Depending on the type of surgery you have, you may need local (small area), regional (larger area), or general (overall) anesthesia.
A radiologist is a doctor who specializes in using imaging techniques including X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our radiologists have additional training and experience in breast cancer care. These doctors interpret imaging results and take biopsies (when needed) to help confirm a diagnosis. You may not meet your radiologist, since these doctors usually work behind the scenes to determine your diagnosis.
Your pathologist performs and reads laboratory tests to determine the type and stage of breast cancer present. These doctors have special training to detect and diagnose cancer. They use a microscope to examine tissue samples taken during a biopsy. As with radiologists, you may not meet your pathologist.
Genetic counselors in our Cancer Genetics Program have special training to advise you and your family on identifying and managing any risk of inherited breast cancer. They work with you and your doctors to coordinate genetic testing and help you understand the results.
Nutrition
Discover nutrition services designed specifically for coping with cancer
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Health Library
Access free, reliable information about cancer and other health topics
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Cancer Care Services
Connect you and your loved ones to personalized, supportive services before, during and after your treatment.
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Clinical Trials for Breast Cancer
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Medicine patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials through the Stanford Cancer Institute.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling additional patients.
Our Clinics
You can access Stanford Health Care’s expertise and compassionate care for any stage or type of breast cancer at a location that is convenient for you. We always accept new patients, and we take many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medi-Cal.
