Ochsner Health is transforming breast cancer treatment across Louisiana through a coordinated multidisciplinary model that pairs advanced 3D mammography and contrast-enhanced imaging with personalized therapies, helping physicians tailor surgical plans and targeted drug regimens to individual patient profiles and clinical staging data.
Coordinated Care and Imaging Improve Breast Cancer Treatment
- Multidisciplinary Care Coordination: Patients meet with surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists in a single coordinated day of visits to review their complete treatment plan and reduce diagnostic anxiety.
- Advanced Surgical Imaging: Technologies like 3D mammography, breast MRI, and contrast-enhanced imaging provide real-time guidance to preserve healthy tissue, improve cosmetic outcomes, and reduce the need for follow-up operations.
- Targeted and Immunotherapy Integration: Modern regimens utilize immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancers and precision targeted therapies for hormone-positive cases to help prevent cancer recurrence.
Individualized Medical Oncology and Clinical Trials at Ochsner MD Anderson
For patients diagnosed with breast cancer, treatment looks different from one person to another. As nola.com reported, physicians at Ochsner Health draw on medical technology advances, coordinated care, and specialized expertise to formulate tailored treatment plans and guide patients through their diagnoses.
“I’ve had patients ask why their treatment may be different from someone else with the same type of cancer. It’s because breast cancer treatment has gotten incredibly personalized with collaboration among multiple specialists and pathology testing to tailor therapies to each individual person,” said Molly Thomas, MD, hematology oncologist at the Ochsner Cancer Center of Acadiana – Lafayette. Dr. Thomas noted that Ochsner physicians evaluate numerous variables when developing a treatment plan, including cancer stage, tumor size, location, lymph node involvement, and biological characteristics such as hormone receptors and genetic markers.
Evaluations often begin with fellowship-trained breast radiologists who review mammograms, ultrasounds, and breast MRIs. Their input is shared with a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists, who meet with each patient in one coordinated day of visits. “The patient gets a good idea of the entire treatment plan. I find that their anxiety lessens after we meet with them in the multidisciplinary clinic and we take a proactive approach in their care,” Dr. Thomas said.
Advances in targeted therapies and immunotherapies continue to expand treatment possibilities. Kimberly LeBlanc, MD, hematology oncologist at the Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Baton Rouge, highlighted specific improvements in treating triple-negative and hormone-positive forms of the disease. “The advances in treating triple-negative breast cancer have been around a regimen with immunotherapy, not simply chemotherapy. In addition, the targeted therapies for hormone-positive breast cancers have shown great advances in preventing cancer recurrence,” Dr. LeBlanc said.
Breast cancer patients in Louisiana also gain access to a broader range of clinical trials thanks to Ochsner’s collaborative, clinically integrated network with MD Anderson Cancer Center. “When someone is in Stage IV, those trial treatments may save their life or prolong their life until another treatment becomes available. I find that for my patients with advanced disease, they are critical,” Dr. LeBlanc said. “For early-stage cancers, those trials can give us good information about potential side effects.”
Surgical Plans Vary by Diagnosis and Patient Preference
Surgery remains a core part of treatment for most breast cancer patients, according to Amy Rivere, MD, breast surgical oncologist at Ochsner MD Anderson in New Orleans. Each patient’s surgical plan is developed based on their specific diagnosis, extent of the disease, and personal preferences, ranging from a lumpectomy to a mastectomy.
“A lumpectomy generally has a shorter recovery time and less surgical intervention,” Dr. Rivere said. “A mastectomy involves a longer recovery and more risk of complications. With reconstruction, there may be multiple surgeries. We talk about whether the patient is inclined to have less surgery and more follow-up after, or a larger surgery that may not require those other obligations.”
Surgeons have altered their operational methods due to advancements in breast imaging technology, which now encompass breast MRIs, contrast-enhanced mammography, and 3D mammography. Surgeons begin procedures with a clearer picture of cancer presence and location, leading to fewer subsequent operations and a smoother clinical process. “We use real-time images to make sure we remove all of the areas the radiologist indicated. It’s a gift to us and to patients to be able to use advanced imaging technology to make surgical decisions in real time,” Dr. Rivere said.
| Treatment Modality | Primary Clinical Focus | Associated Technology / Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Radiology & Diagnostics | Early detection, tumor sizing, and staging | 3D mammography, breast MRI, contrast-enhanced mammography |
| Surgical Oncology | Tissue preservation and tumor resection | Lumpectomy, mastectomy, real-time surgical imaging |
| Medical Oncology | Recurrence prevention and advanced disease management | Immunotherapy, targeted therapies, clinical trials |
High-Risk Screening and Regional Integration across Louisiana
Ochsner’s integration with MD Anderson provides specialized support across eight locations, including facilities in New Orleans, Covington, Slidell, and Baton Rouge, which follow MD Anderson treatment protocols and practice standards. Physicians consult clinicians on rare and complex cases that fall outside normal clinical guidelines.
While treatment advances, early detection remains vital. Recommendations call for women of average risk to begin annual mammograms at age 40, while women with higher risk factors should discuss earlier screening with their physician. Family history, genetic mutations, and lifestyle choices such as weight management, regular exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining a healthy diet impact risk profiles.
Ochsner Health operates a specialized High-Risk Breast Cancer Clinic designed to identify women at elevated risk of developing breast cancer. The high-risk clinic utilizes advanced practice providers to recalculate individual risk scores, provide genetic counseling and testing, and establish individualized monitoring plans that may include supplemental screening tests, nutrition assistance, smoking cessation, and weight management programs.
References
- American Cancer Society.
- Ochsner Health. Personalized care, powered by innovation: How Ochsner is transforming breast cancer treatment.
- Ochsner Health Services.
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