With so many treatment options available, breast cancer patients face many decisions. Because the experts at the Breast Cancer Center at City of Hope® Cancer Center Atlanta focus specifically on breast cancer, they have the experience to help you navigate the complexities of choosing a treatment plan tailored to your needs. With years of advanced training, our oncologists and other clinicians have expertise with the broad spectrum of diseases involved, including triple-negative breast cancer and inflammatory breast cancer.
Our breast surgeons offer microsurgical approaches such as nipple-sparing mastectomy and reconstructive flap surgery, and our radiation oncologists employ technologies designed to reduce the risk of radiation exposure to the heart and other critical organs. The Breast Cancer Center is also involved in clinical trials on precision treatments and innovative technologies, including targeted therapies. These trials may offer participants options that may have otherwise been unavailable to them.
Anita Johnson, MD, FACS
Leader, Atlanta Women's Cancer Program; Chief of Surgery, Atlanta
Nitika Sharma, MD
Medical Oncologist and Hematologist, City of Hope Atlanta
Frederick L. Durden Jr., MD
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon & Microsurgical Reconstructive Surgeon, City of Hope Atlanta
Lily Shakibnia, MD, MSc, DABR, FRCPC
Chief of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope Atlanta
Henry Krebs, MD
Interventional and Diagnostic Radiologist, City of Hope Atlanta
Delia Radovich, MD
Medical Oncologist
Amy Grasman, MSN, FNP-BC
Manager of Advanced Practice Providers, Breast Surgical Oncology
The oncologists, plastic surgeons and other doctors at the Breast Cancer Center at City of Hope Atlanta are part of a wider team of multidisciplinary experts who understand that breast cancer is not one disease, and that no two patients have the same needs. Whether you are weighing decisions about lumpectomy vs. mastectomy, fertility preservation, breast reconstruction, family genetics or clinical trials, your Breast Cancer Center care team is committed to arming you with the information and resources to make educated decisions about your treatment. Your care team will be led by a medical oncologist with experience in breast cancer care, and your treatment plan will be coordinated by care managers dedicated to helping you handle the many details involved.
Other doctors and clinicians are assigned to your care team depending on your needs, breast cancer risk factors, treatment goals and side effects. For example, depending on the type, stage of breast cancer and recommended treatment plan, your Breast Cancer Center team may include radiation and surgical oncologists and reconstructive plastic surgeons with advanced training in helping breast cancer patients restore their function and appearance. Clinicians with expertise in evidence-informed supportive therapies are also available, as part of the whole-person focus that is at the heart of the center's dedication to comprehensive, personalized care. All these experts work together under one roof, collaborating daily, with one another and each patient, monitoring the patient’s progress and adjusting the breast cancer treatment plan when necessary.
Our medical oncologists and other City of Hope Breast Cancer Center experts are committed to delivering advanced and innovative treatment options when possible. Offering qualified breast cancer patients carefully selected clinical trials in areas like immunotherapy, genomically targeted chemotherapy and other innovative research is an important part of that commitment. Clinical trials are not available to all patients. But those who qualify based on certain requirements may have access to emerging treatment options.
Who may benefit from breast cancer clinical trials?
The answer is based on a case-by-case analysis of each breast cancer patient’s situation. This is a time of rapid scientific advances in breast cancer treatment. New surgical techniques are being developed with a goal of attacking tumors while reducing the amount of trauma to healthy breast and other tissue. Meanwhile, a new generation of breast cancer therapies is designed to attack tumors that have specific genomic mutations, such as too much HER2, mTOR, CDK4 and CDK6. These new targeted treatments may be more effective and cause fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. But they are so specialized that only a limited subset of patients qualifies for participation. Genomic tumor testing may determine whether you are a candidate. Other factors—such as your breast cancer type and stage, how you have responded to past treatments and other individual considerations—may also determine whether you qualify for specific breast cancer trials.
Are they only available to breast cancer patients who have exhausted other treatment options?
Breast cancer patients may qualify to participate in a clinical trial at any stage of their treatment journey. Some patients may join a clinical trial when they first start treatment, in conjunction with standard therapy for breast cancer, on the chance it may offer improved outcomes. Other trials are designed for patients who have not responded adequately to conventional treatments. Your oncologist will discuss the options and risks, and explain the various protocols involved.
How does City of Hope select the breast cancer trials it offers?
At City of Hope, our cancer experts never stop searching for innovative ways to treat cancer. Offering carefully selected breast cancer clinical trials helps us fulfill that mission. The new generation of precision drugs is generally designed to deliver more targeted, less toxic therapies. Our Breast Cancer Center oncologists decide to participate as a clinical trial site only after careful consideration of the relative benefit to patients.
How do I find out whether a specific breast cancer clinical trial may benefit me?
Your oncologist and Breast Cancer Center care team may recommend a trial depending on your individual needs and treatment goals. For general questions, contact an Oncology Information Specialist at 888-841-9129.
Offering clinical trials on new and emerging cancer treatment options.
View our clinical trials