At City of Hope, we know how important it is for you to have a coordinated team of expert doctors and clinicians focused on your breast cancer type and stage. The multidisciplinary team at the Breast Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix will offer personalized treatment options based on your breast cancer type and stage, and your goals for post-treatment reconstruction. Your treatment options may include surgery, including mastectomy or lumpectomy, as well as oncoplastic and breast reconstructive surgery. Other options may include radiation therapy, using technologies such as intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) or high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Your Breast Cancer Center team may also discuss chemotherapy, breast cancer targeted therapy and hormone therapy as options for your treatment plan.
The Breast Cancer Center at City of Hope Phoenix also offers advanced genomic tests that search for DNA alterations and gene mutations that may be driving the cancer's growth. This diagnostic tool is designed to reveal a tumor's genomic profile in order to identify additional treatment options that may not have previously been considered. Your oncologist will help determine whether you are a candidate for genomic testing. High-risk screening and prevention programs are also available.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is now City of Hope®, joining forces to expand patient access to personalized, comprehensive cancer care.
Cynthia Lynch, MD
Breast Cancer Program Clinical Advisor, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix
Marnee Spierer, MD
Chief of Staff, City of Hope Phoenix
Raquel Prati, MD
Chief of Surgical Services and Breast Surgeon, City of Hope Phoenix
Vivek Iyer, MD
Medical Director of Pain Management, City of Hope Phoenix
At the Breast Cancer Center, our cancer experts are devoted to a single mission—treating breast cancer patients with compassion and precision. Each patient’s care team is led by a medical oncologist and coordinated by a nurse, who will help track the various appointments, follow up on tests and answer questions that come up along the way. Your care team also may include a breast surgeon, radiation oncologist, radiologist, pathologist, and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon with advanced training in helping patients restore function and appearance. Fertility preservation and genetic testing may also be available for some patients.
Our pathologists and oncologists are experienced and trained in tools designed to diagnose, stage and treat different types of breast cancer, from early-stage ductal carcinoma in situ to complex diseases such as triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancer. As part of our patient-centered care model, which is designed to help you keep strong during treatment, your multidisciplinary care team may recommend various evidence-informed supportive therapies, such as naturopathic support, psychosocial support, nutrition therapy, physical and rehabilitation therapy and pain management. The entire team works together with a whole-person focus, which is at the heart of the center's dedication to personalized and comprehensive care.
"My experience was consistently empowering. I was part of the decision-making process at every step of the way. My care team was exactly that—a team of caring people—and I made lifelong friends with patients and employees. My naturopathic provider and my dietitian helped me manage and prevent side effects, taught me how to shop for and cook healthier foods, and recommended supplements to take during and after treatment to help my recovery."
Clinical trials are essential for measuring the effectiveness of treatments pending government approval. City of Hope is committed to offering innovative treatment options, including carefully selected clinical trials that may offer some patients options that may otherwise be unavailable to them. Our team will help you determine whether you may be a candidate for an available study and, if so, help you enroll.
Who may benefit from breast cancer clinical trials?
Each breast cancer patient is considered on a case-by-case basis. This is a time of rapid scientific advances in breast cancer treatment. A new generation of breast cancer treatments is being developed to attack tumors that have specific genomic mutations. These targeted therapy treatments may be more effective and cause fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. But they are so specialized that only a limited subset of breast cancer patients qualifies for participation. Advanced genomic testing may determine whether you are a candidate. Other factors—such as your cancer mutations and stage of breast cancer, how you have responded to past treatments and other individual considerations—may also determine whether you qualify for specific 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, on the chance it may offer better results. Other trials are designed for breast cancer patients who have not responded adequately to conventional treatments. Your Breast Cancer Center oncologist may 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 experts are always searching for innovative ways to treat breast cancer. Offering carefully selected clinical trials when appropriate helps us fulfill that mission. The new generation of precision drugs is generally designed to deliver more targeted, less toxic therapies. Our 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 Breast Cancer Center oncologist and 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