Breast Cancer Treatment

At OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma’s only NCI-Designated Cancer Center, you and your breast cancer care team will customize a treatment plan that is unique to your condition and needs. You benefit from the care of a nationally accredited care and a team of board-certified surgical oncology experts to help you through your breast cancer journey. OU Health Stephenson Cancer is the only National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) in the state.

What Are Your Breast Cancer Treatment Options?

Your care begins with a tumor board review. Together, you will create a treatment plan tailored to your diagnosis. The optimal treatment for you depends on many factors including the stage of disease. Your case is also reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of specialists to ensure the most effective approach, and whether that’s surgery first or a combination of treatments such as:

• Biologics
• Genetic counseling
• Screening for high-risk situations
• Hormone therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Clinical trials
• Specialized breast cancer surgery

Based on your condition, you and your team may take advantage of specialized services for benign breast lesions, high-risk breast lesions, invasive and in situ breast cancers, as well as preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy.

Medications for Breast Cancer

Your breast cancer treatment may include oral medications such as tamoxifen or anti-hormone therapy called aromatase inhibitors (such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane). These medicines work by blocking or lowering estrogen in the body to help reduce the effects on breast cancer cells.

Radiation Oncology Breast Cancer Treatments

• Radixact® is a next-generation radiation therapy system that delivers highly precise treatment using tomotherapy, which can deliver radiation from 360 degrees around the patient. Radixact can adjust to your body’s movement like breathing, so the radiation stays focused on the tumor while sparing healthy tissue. Tomotherapy can be especially useful for treating breast cancer near the chest wall or lungs.
• Proton Therapy uses beams of protons instead of traditional X-rays to target cancer. The key benefit? Protons stop at the tumor, reducing radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue. This is particularly helpful for breast cancer patients with tumors near the heart or in younger patients where long-term side effects are more likely.
• Intensity-Modulate Proton Therapy (IMPT) is an advanced form of proton therapy that allows doctors to shape and control the proton beam with extreme precision. It’s ideal for complex breast cancer cases, especially when tumors are close to critical organs like the heart or lungs. IMPT helps reduce side effects while delivering a powerful dose to the cancer.
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) uses detailed imaging to shape radiation beams to match the exact size and shape of the tumor. This technique allows for more accurate targeting of breast cancer while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. It’s often used when tumors are in tricky locations or when re-treatment is needed.
• Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) is a focused radiation treatment that targets only the part of the breast where the tumor was removed, rather than the whole breast. It’s typically completed in a shorter time, often just one to two weeks, and is best suited for early-stage breast cancer patients. APBI helps preserve healthy tissue and reduces treatment time.

Clinical Trials for Advanced Breast Cancer Treatment

In Stephenson Cancer Center’s comprehensive program, you also may qualify to participate in cancer clinical trials as part of the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). These trials let you try new cancer medicines and treatments before they are available to everyone. Stephenson Cancer Center also provides access to the most breast cancer trials than anywhere else in the area.

Breast Cancer Surgery

Your breast cancer surgical options include:

• Lumpectomy: Removes the tumor while preserving most of the breast; often followed by radiation.
• Mastectomy: Removes the entire breast to treat or prevent cancer; may reduce the need for radiation.
• Reconstruction: Restores breast appearance using implants or tissue from your body, done at the same time as surgery or later.

Related OU Health Services

As you and your breast cancer care team review the treatment plan created for you or your loved one, take time to explore related OU Health services, including:

• Oncology Nutrition Services
• Mammography & Breast Imaging
• Endocrinology
• Pulmonology & Respiratory Care
• Cardio-Oncology
• Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
• Pain management
• Cancer Supportive Care

Your Expert Breast Cancer Treatment Team

At OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, your breast cancer treatment is led by a dedicated team of board-certified surgical oncologists. From your first consultation through recovery, they’re by your side offering expert guidance, compassionate support, and a treatment plan built just for you.

With decades of experience treating every type and stage of breast cancer, our surgical team has helped establish Oklahoma’s first breast center accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). That means you can count on nationally recognized care that is delivered close to home.