At the Mayo Clinic Breast Clinic, you'll find a caring, multidisciplinary team of experts to help you with all breast-related concerns, including the most complex and rare forms of breast cancer. This team provides whole-person care that considers all of your needs in a supportive environment. Our multidisciplinary care brings together experts who work to determine the best course and sequence of therapy for your situation and the most effective options for diagnosis and treatment, including for complex and rare conditions.
Comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services are available at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Your doctors work with you to develop a care plan tailored to your needs. If you choose breast cancer surgery, Mayo Clinic surgeons are highly trained in innovative approaches.
Mayo Clinic doctors and scientists conduct many breast cancer clinical trials, including tests of experimental treatments that are unavailable elsewhere.
Collaborative care, focused on you
Your care team may include experts in breast health and screening, including specialists in internal medicine, breast imaging, genetics, oncology and surgery.
Care teams may include oncology certified nurses, a social worker, physical therapists, a nutrition counselor, a genetic counselor, a psychologist, a lymphedema expert and a tobacco cessation counselor, as needed. You have access to services in cancer education, integrative medicine and health, and breast cancer supportive therapy and survivorship.
Mayo Clinic health care providers keep your health information confidential and encourage you to discuss treatment plans with your primary care team. With your permission, they can send your medical information to your primary care or referring doctor, if requested.
Breast Clinic services are coordinated by a breast cancer specialist who meets with you to understand your concerns and schedules appointments. This approach helps ensure quick and efficient evaluation. You receive most of your care in one facility, making care convenient. You can receive a biopsy and your results within 24 to 72 hours, which reduces your waiting time and the need for multiple visits.
Advanced diagnosis and treatment
Mayo Clinic breast care doctors use the most advanced, innovative diagnostic and treatment techniques. They are experienced in all types of breast conditions, from common to rare, serious and complex. Advanced imaging techniques include digital mammogram, 3D mammogram (tomosynthesis), breast MRI, contrasted-enhanced digital mammogram (CEDM) and molecular breast imaging (MBI). And Mayo Clinic physician-scientists are leaders in using precision medicine for breast cancer to tailor treatment to a person's genetic makeup or to the genes in the tumor.
A broad range of breast cancer treatment options are available at Mayo Clinic, including proton therapy at the clinic's campuses in Arizona and Minnesota. Proton therapy is a form of radiation therapy that enables your radiation oncologist to target the area at risk while protecting tissue not affected by cancer, such as the heart and lungs. Consultation rooms and imaging and treatment areas are designed for your comfort.
Surgical innovations make treatment quicker. Accelerated partial breast irradiation provides radiation over several days rather than several weeks. All-in-one surgery combines mastectomy and reconstruction in one procedure. And in some situations, chemotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink a tumor and make it easier to remove. This is called neoadjuvant therapy.
Arizona
People who visit the Breast Clinic on Mayo Clinic's campus in Phoenix, Arizona, receive comprehensive care provided by a team of dedicated professionals from multiple specialty practices. This multidisciplinary approach assures that the combined knowledge and wisdom of many experienced breast cancer specialists is available to provide you with advanced, high-quality breast cancer treatment based on the latest research.
The breast health specialists offer consultations, second opinions and the following services. These services are coordinated by dedicated breast care nurse navigators.
- Breast symptom assessment. You may undergo a breast symptom assessment if you have questions about breast pain, nipple discharge, a breast lump, gynecomastia, or other signs and symptoms.
- Genetic breast cancer risk assessment. You may undergo a genetic breast cancer risk assessment if you have certain risk factors for breast cancer or have questions about your risk.
- Breast density and supplemental imaging assessment. People with dense breast tissue or irregular mammograms may undergo breast density testing or additional imaging tests.
- Comprehensive multidisciplinary breast cancer care. People who have a new diagnosis of breast cancer or a history of breast cancer with new needs are seen in the Breast Clinic. If you have breast cancer and heart disease concerns, you may be referred to a heart specialist (cardiologist) with expertise in cardio-oncology.
- Triple-negative breast cancer, HER2-positive and inflammatory cancer specialty care. The Breast Clinic's multidisciplinary team of doctors is experienced in diagnosing and treating aggressive forms of cancer.
- Integrative medicine. At the Breast Clinic in Arizona, you will also have access to integrative medicine and health services, including physician consultations, botanical and supplements management, acupuncture, massage therapy, mindful movement such as yoga, tai chi, and gentle strength training, and mind-body practices such as meditation and resilience training.
- Breast Health Equity Program. This program focuses on eliminating racial disparities in breast health.
- Breast Cancer Clinical Trials Program. Through this program, you have access to advanced investigational treatments for breast cancer.
- High Risk Breast Clinic. If you are at high risk of breast cancer, specialists at the High Risk Breast Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, will listen to your concerns and help you weigh your options and develop a plan.
Florida
The Robert and Monica Jacoby Center for Breast Health, located at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, is a specialized center that brings together various aspects of breast care. Here, you'll find experts in breast medicine, breast oncology, breast radiation oncology, breast radiology, breast surgery, plastic surgery reconstruction and integrative medicine — all in one place. Our dedicated team is here to support you at every stage of your journey, from early screening to personalized treatment and ongoing support.
When you visit the Jacoby Center for Breast Health, you first meet with a breast medicine specialist and a nurse navigator. They guide you to other specialists as needed. Our breast radiologists are involved throughout your care plan. Together, our team focuses on your individual needs, your specific type of cancer and your path to recovery.
- Comprehensive multidisciplinary care: Our specialists collaborate to offer the highest quality care for people with breast cancer, whether you need standard of care treatments or access to innovative, unique treatment options. Your care plan is customized to your needs and preferences for a care experience that makes sense for you.
- Nurse navigation: Our compassionate nurse navigators provide support for you and your family during cancer treatment and while living with a cancer diagnosis. They advocate for you in the medical system and help you understand every part of your journey — addressing your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
- High Risk Breast Clinic: If you’re at high risk of breast cancer, specialists at the High Risk Breast Clinic partner with you, listen to your concerns and help you make informed decisions about your care based on your unique risk assessment.
- Breast surgery and reconstruction: Mayo Clinic’s surgical oncologists are skilled in removing cancer while preserving physical appearance. For those who wish for immediate reconstruction, we offer combined procedures with our plastic and reconstructive surgery experts.
- Integrative Medicine Clinic: You have access to integrative medicine and health services as part of your care journey. Our services include acupuncture, massage therapy, herb and supplement consultations, yoga, mindfulness training, and nutrition counseling.
- Breast cancer clinical trials: We offer access to cutting-edge clinical trials for breast cancer treatment. You can view the full list of current breast cancer trials and research studies here.
- Survivorship program: Once your treatment is complete, you may choose to be part of our Breast Cancer Survivorship Program. The program aims to help people make the transition from active treatment into ongoing management and care focused on wellness. The team works with you to evaluate when it is clinically appropriate to transition care back to your primary healthcare professional.
Minnesota
The Breast Diagnostic Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota offers compassionate care with input from specialty groups. The care services include:
- High Risk Breast Clinic. If you have certain risk factors for breast cancer or have questions about your risk, specialists at the High Risk Breast Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, will listen to your concerns, estimate your risk, help you weigh your options and develop a plan.
- Breast Cancer Clinic. People who have a new diagnosis of breast cancer or a history of breast cancer with new needs are seen in the Breast Cancer Clinic. Your doctor provides counseling on sentinel lymph node biopsy, breast-conserving therapy versus mastectomy, and other treatments for breast cancer. The breast physician works with the breast surgeon, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist, who provide the specialty breast cancer care. You and your doctor will discuss concerns about recurrent breast cancer, breast cancer that has spread (metastatic cancer) or advanced breast cancer and your treatment options.
- Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic. Mayo Clinic offers a range of breast cancer supportive therapy and survivorship services. At the Breast Cancer Survivorship Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, your team helps you shift from illness-oriented treatment to wellness-focused care. A full range of services is available, including evaluating side effects you may experience after cancer treatment, creating a healthy-living plan and providing referrals to experts such as integrative medicine specialists.
- Breast Dermatology Clinic. Mayo Clinic doctors who specialize in skin disorders (dermatologists) provide timely evaluation of people who have or may have:
- Skin involvement with breast cancer, such as primary or metastatic breast cancer, or Paget's disease of the breast
- Side effects from breast cancer treatment, particularly radiation therapy
- Rashes or other types of inflammation affecting breast skin
In addition to reviewing the history and performing a clinical exam, evaluation may include a skin biopsy for examination. The doctors who staff the Breast Dermatology Clinic include clinical dermatologists, dermatopathologists and a dermatologic surgeon.