One Team, One Mission: How UF Health Is Changing the Fight Against Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor survivors, remember those we have lost and encourage the early detection that saves lives. About one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, so almost everyone knows someone affected by it. For people in North Central Florida, this month is also a good time to learn that expert, complete breast cancer care is available close to home at the UF Health Breast Center.

A team focused only on breast cancer

At the UF Health Breast Center, a multidisciplinary team of UF breast cancer specialists works together to build the best personalized treatment plan for each patient. Surgeons, radiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, pathologists and genetic counselors all work side by side. Instead of going from office to office and hearing different opinions, patients get the combined expertise of a whole team from the start.

UF Health has the only team in North Central Florida dedicated entirely to breast cancer care. It is also the region’s only nationally accredited breast center. That accreditation means the center meets demanding standards for quality, outcomes and the full range of care, from screening through survivorship.

Early detection starts with advanced imaging

The best time to find breast cancer is early, when treatment works best. UF Health offers digital screening and diagnostic mammography, along with ultrasound when more detail is needed. For patients with dense breast tissue, a higher risk of cancer or unclear findings, comprehensive breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) gives an even more detailed view.

When an area needs a closer look, minimally invasive tools can give answers quickly and with little discomfort. These include fine needle aspiration and ultrasound-guided and computer-guided stereotactic core biopsy. These procedures help specialists make an accurate diagnosis without open surgery.

Understanding your genetic risk

Some breast cancers are linked to inherited genetic changes. Through UF Health’s genetic counseling services, patients and families can learn about their hereditary risk and make informed choices. For women at high risk, options include prophylactic mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, a preventive approach that combines risk reduction with restoration in a single process.

Surgery that protects both health and appearance

Surgical care at the UF Health Breast Center is designed to remove the cancer while keeping as much of the patient’s quality of life as possible. Options include:

1. Breast-conserving surgery, which removes the tumor while keeping most of the breast
2. Skin-sparing mastectomy and nipple (areolar) skin-sparing mastectomy, which preserve the natural skin envelope for a more natural result after reconstruction
3. Sentinel lymph node biopsy, which checks whether cancer has spread while removing fewer lymph nodes
4. Surgery for locally advanced or recurrent breast cancer, for patients facing more complex situations

Reconstruction is an important part of healing for many women. UF Health plastic surgeons offer reconstruction using natural tissue, including TRAM, DIEP and SIEA flap microvascular surgery, as well as reconstruction using implants.

State-of-the-art radiation technology

UF Health brings advanced radiation therapy to the region. One standout is intraoperative radiation therapy using the Intrabeam system. With this approach, a concentrated dose of radiation goes directly to the tumor site during surgery, right after the tumor is removed. For eligible patients, this can greatly reduce, or even replace, the weeks of daily radiation treatments that often follow surgery. That means fewer trips to the hospital and a faster return to daily life.

Other advanced radiation options include:

• Partial breast irradiation, including 3-D conformal, interstitial and MammoSite techniques, which target only the area around the tumor
• Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), which shapes the radiation dose precisely to protect the heart, lungs and healthy tissue
• Stereotactic body radiotherapy, which delivers highly focused, high-dose radiation with pinpoint accuracy

Innovative therapy and access to research

As part of an academic health center, UF Health links patient care with research. Preoperative chemotherapy can shrink tumors before surgery, which sometimes makes less extensive surgery possible. Patients may also qualify for clinical studies of the latest targeted therapies, medicines designed to attack specific features of cancer cells. These trials give patients access to promising new treatments before they are widely available.

Take the next step this October

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to act. Schedule your screening mammogram, talk with your doctor about your personal and family history, and encourage the women you love to do the same. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed, remember that the region’s only nationally accredited breast center, and a team devoted entirely to breast cancer, is here to help.

At the UF Health Breast Center, advanced technology, innovative therapy and compassionate, personalized care come together with one goal: giving every patient the best possible outcome.

Tammie Blizard, DNP, RN
Breast health Clinical Navigator

Reach out to Tammie Blizard, your Breast Navigator, to help with any questions or needs you may have. Call 352-516-3651 to get connected, comprehensive care today.