At Mayo Clinic in Florida, the Division of Breast Surgical Oncology comprises a deeply experienced group of fellowship-trained surgeons who perform more than 600 breast operations annually on average. The team includes surgeons, physician assistants, nurses and a support staff dedicated to managing people with breast cancer and benign breast disease, as well as people at elevated risk of developing breast cancer. The team is recognized for their performance of complex procedures with safe and excellent outcomes.
Mayo Clinic breast surgeons practice in an atmosphere of inquiry and innovation, continually evolving and improving their high-volume surgical practice to provide the highest quality compassionate care.
Integrated, multidisciplinary clinical and research practice
Care at the Mayo Clinic Jacoby Breast Center is based on a patient-centered, collaborative approach to ensure accurate diagnosis and high-quality surgical care. Breast surgeons at the Jacksonville campus communicate closely with other breast specialists to provide care to those diagnosed with cancer. Each person receiving care benefits from an individualized treatment plan designed by a multidisciplinary team of experts.
At Mayo Clinic in Florida, we understand that, in addition to the primary goal of trying to cure cancer and prevent it from recurring, many individuals are also concerned about the appearance they will have after surgery. We make every effort to remove the cancer while maintaining the best long-term appearance, with or without reconstruction. Many individuals undergoing breast surgery also desire immediate reconstruction. Mayo Clinic breast surgeons work closely with our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery colleagues to offer combined procedures under the same anesthesia.
Examples of these combined procedures include:
Research translates into practice innovation
In addition to managing their clinical practice, our surgeons are devoted to research that aims to advance the cure of breast cancer with the fewest side effects and highest quality of life.
While some of this research is conducted in the lab, much of it is actively integrated into the clinic and operating rooms to offer patients some of the most promising therapies, technologies and techniques. We think of research as being able to make tomorrow's treatments available today.
Innovative techniques
Mayo surgical exploration and innovation continues: Mayo Clinic offers the latest in breast surgical care with innovative therapies, new techniques and clinical trials. A sample of some of our active surgical trials includes:
Care personalized to your needs
Our multidisciplinary team model allows us to leverage the most current breast cancer treatment advances to develop a personalized comprehensive treatment plan. Some examples of individualized treatment options we offer are listed below.
- No lymph node surgery in appropriate patients.
- Minimally invasive sentinel lymph node biopsy when indicated.
- Axillary reverse mapping to preserve lymphatic channels.
- Immediate lymphatic reconstruction in complete axillary lymph removal.
- Research studies of promising therapies and techniques such as robotic surgery, nerve grafting to restore nipple sensation, vaccines and novel devices such as intraoperative margin assessment.
- Endocrine therapy or chemotherapy prior to surgery, potentially allowing for less aggressive breast surgery.
- Endocrine therapy or chemotherapy prior to surgery to potentially convert lymph nodes positive for cancer at diagnosis to negative status before surgery, which can allow less aggressive lymph node surgery.
- Short-course radiation therapy.
Streamlined care
We understand that a diagnosis of breast cancer is stressful for individuals and their families. In addition to managing emotional stress and uncertainty, it can be daunting to accommodate the travel, time, family needs and associated expense of obtaining care.
The Division of Breast Surgical Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Florida is part of an integrated multidisciplinary group of cancer care specialties.
- We provide streamlined collaboration for a comprehensive treatment plan that attempts to minimize the time and expense of being away from home.
- Our surgical practice protocols are also designed to bring you a detailed diagnosis and the best care as efficiently as possible.
- Our goal is to minimize the time between first seeking care and starting on your path to recovery. For example, we offer short-course radiation for select patients, which can sometimes be completed in as few as 3 to 5 days.
Our experts across the entire breast cancer team — which includes breast pathologists and breast radiologists who review your slides and outside images prior to surgery — are here to assure we have the most accurate diagnosis and understand the extent of disease to provide the best individualized care.
We understand that patients want to begin treatment as soon as possible, and this desire is balanced with getting the diagnosis right — the first time — to provide optimal care before the cancer becomes more difficult to treat.
Risk reduction options and care
Breast surgeons at Mayo Clinic in Florida work closely with internal medicine physicians who are completely dedicated to breast care. We also work with genetic counselors to assess risk and tailor plans for prevention and early detection strategies.
Depending on the level of risk, some people may want to consider risk-reducing mastectomy, also known as prophylactic mastectomy, which is often combined with reconstructive procedures.
Our multidisciplinary, high-volume practice features highly skilled breast surgeons and reconstructive plastic surgeons with special expertise in these advanced procedures.
Based on individual circumstances and preferences, our team designs the right plan for surgical risk reduction. Our goal is to provide the greatest cancer risk reduction with the best possible aesthetic outcome for each person.
A team focused on you
Having expertise concentrated under one roof — and all focused on you — means that you're not getting multiple, differing opinions. Your care is discussed among the team, often at our multidisciplinary breast conferences, your test results are available quickly, and appointment schedules are coordinated as much as possible to provide a single comprehensive plan. Highly specialized experts are working together, for you.
State-of-the-art surgical facilities
Surgery is performed at the Mayo Building & Hospital. Our operating rooms are equipped with the latest diagnostic and surgical equipment and staffed with highly skilled teams.