A breast cancer patient will typically have a team of specialized doctors. Some members of the medical team will be part of the patient's medical care on a recurring basis. Others doctors on the team are part of the breast cancer treatment process for only a brief time period. The patient may not need all of the available specialist doctors, and she might continue to consult her primary care physician or gynecologist for guidance.
Diagnostic Radiologist
If a patient has a mammogram or a breast MRI, the images will be evaluated by a diagnostic radiologist. This type of doctor examines the images for abnormalities and then reports abnormal findings to the referring physician.
Surgeon
Breast cancer treatment almost always includes surgery. The possible types of surgery include biopsy, lymph node removal, lumpectomy and mastectomy. An anesthesiologist will work with the patient and the surgeon to make sure that the patient is safely sedated for the operation. To find a surgeon who specializes in breast surgery, a patient could begin by searching the websites of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Pathologist
A pathologist is a doctor who specializes in detecting cancerous cells. Once a biopsy is performed, a pathologist examines the cell samples for cancer. The pathologist creates a pathology report that details the type of cancer and its characteristics. The results of the pathology report help guide the medical oncologist's treatment recommendations.
Medical Oncologist
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines a medical oncologist as a doctor who "specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy." The patient will typically be under the care of a medical oncologist throughout the treatment phase of the disease, and she will continue to have follow-up visits with a medical oncologist long after treatment is completed.
Radiation Oncologist
Some breast cancer patients have radiation to the breast or a lymph node area. Radiation is typically recommended if the patient has had a lumpectomy or if cancer has been detected in the lymph nodes. A radiation oncologist's specialty is treating cancer with radiation. The radiation oncologist plans the radiation therapy and follows the patient's progress through radiation.
Plastic Surgeon
If the patient will have breast reconstruction surgery, she will likely have this procedure performed by a plastic surgeon. Some plastic surgeons specialize in breast reconstruction surgery. The plastic surgeon can meet with the patient and help her explore her breast reconstruction options. At times, the plastic surgeon and the surgical oncologist are able to work together during the same operation---enabling the reconstruction process to begin immediately. Some breast cancer patients do not begin the breast reconstruction process until long after treatment has ended, and some patients choose to forgo reconstruction.
