Breast Cancer

Breast cancer symptoms

The most common breast cancer symptom is a lump you can feel by pressing gently on your breast. Other symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Nipples that turn inward
• Discharge from your nipples that is not breast milk
• Breast skin that has dimpling similar to an orange peel
• Swollen breasts

Breast cancer care at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute

We get your treatment off to a good start with a visit to our multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic. You meet with multiple cancer experts, including a breast surgeon and radiation oncologist. You also receive a personalized treatment plan. Read more about our multidisciplinary cancer clinics. Highlights of our offerings include:

World-class care

We hold ourselves to the same standards as some of the world’s leading cancer institutes. Our efforts include bringing new discoveries to you as quickly and safely as possible. Learn more about our membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Alliance.

Highly skilled doctors

Our team includes surgeons who have completed additional training (fellowships) in breast surgery. This level of training helps us get rid of the cancer while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. Meet our breast cancer team.  

Innovation

We are the first cancer center in the region using SAVI SCOUT®. This device allows us to pinpoint the location of the tumor using a tiny implanted reflector. During surgery, a radar device identifies the tumor location, leading to more effective surgery with less stress to women who previously needed to have a wire implanted prior to surgery.  

Clinical trials

Our participation in prestigious clinical trial networks gives you access to hundreds of trials, including many options for breast cancer. Clinical trials can help you receive promising new care options close to home. Find out more about cancer research and clinical trials.  

Treatments for breast cancer

We help you get the personalized care you deserve with the help of tumor boards. During these meetings, doctors specializing in all aspects of breast cancer treatment meet to carefully plan every step of your care journey. Read more about our tumor boards. Your care plan may include:

Breast surgery

We may remove just the portion of the breast affected by cancer. If there is a high likelihood cancer will spread or come back, we may recommend removing the entire breast (mastectomy). Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is first in the region to offer Hidden Scar™ breast surgery as an option for women who have lumpectomy or nipple sparing mastectomy. Get more information about cancer surgery.

Reconstructive surgery

Our surgeons help you maintain a natural appearance after cancer surgery with reconstructive surgery. We offer experience in all the latest techniques, including implants and tissue flap procedures, so you have many options to choose from. Learn more about breast reconstruction surgery.

Radiation therapy

For breast cancers on the left side near the heart, we offer radiation therapy in the prone, or face-down, position. This technique allows the breast to come away from the chest so that radiation beams reach the cancer and not the heart or lung. Learn more about radiation therapy.

Cancer drugs (chemotherapy and immunotherapy)

We offer the latest available drugs to treat your cancer. We recommend the options that are best for your unique needs and tailor doses to help you get the most out of treatment with the least side effects. Get more information about chemotherapy and immunotherapy.