Overview
Our comprehensive breast care centers provide leading-edge biopsies and surgeries for benign breast diseases and breast cancer. Whether you need a diagnosis or you are looking for a second opinion, you will be in expert hands with our specialists.
All our hospitals feature dedicated breast care centers, where you receive comprehensive breast care. Each center has earned several national accreditations, including designation as a Commission on Cancer® accredited program.
Breast Health at Cleveland Clinic in Florida: Why Choose Us?
As a patient at our breast health center, you benefit from:
- Expert team: Our surgeons are skilled in specialized breast cancer surgeries that are only available at leading breast centers. We provide nipple-sparing mastectomies with immediate reconstruction as an outpatient procedure. Our advanced techniques, along with the expertise of our multidisciplinary team, allow most patients go home the same day and have hidden scars. Meet our team.
- Comprehensive treatment: We offer all types of biopsies and breast cancer surgeries, including innovative breast reconstruction methods. Our surgeons work closely with the specialists in our world-class breast cancer program to provide seamless care.
- Extensive knowledge: We stay up to date on the latest and most effective techniques to diagnose and treat the full range of breast conditions. Our breast health team includes nationally renowned experts with extensive publications and decades of experience.
- National accreditation: Each breast center at Cleveland Clinic in Florida has earned several national accreditations. The Commission on Cancer has awarded us full accreditation, and we’re a designated Breast Center of Excellence. Learn more about our awards for breast care.
Treatment
At our center, you receive comprehensive care for all types of breast cancer. Our team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists partner with our surgeons to create your customized treatment plan. Find out more about our nationally accredited breast cancer care.
Our radiologists and surgeons use the most effective techniques for breast biopsies, including stereotactic, ultrasound and MRI-guided needle biopsies. We also provide cyst draining and aspiration for benign breast conditions. Learn more about our breast services.
Breast surgeries
From benign growths to breast cancer, we provide the most effective surgeries for any breast condition. We explain all your options, including innovative breast-sparing techniques that provide excellent cosmetic results. Learn more about our breast surgeries.
Services We Offer
At Cleveland Clinic in Florida, our experienced providers provide a full range of breast services, including minimally invasive biopsies and aspirations. Board-certified surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and breast imaging specialists work together to deliver comprehensive care. And if you need chemotherapy or radiation therapy, you have access to our world-class breast cancer program.
We provide the full range of breast services, including:
- Core needle biopsy.
- Fine needle aspiration.
- Surgical breast biopsy.
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Core needle biopsy
A core needle biopsy uses a thin needle to collect tissue from a breast lump. We provide local anesthetic (numbing medicine) to minimize discomfort.
Our specialists use the most effective core needle biopsies, including:
- Stereotactic core needle biopsy: We use mammograms positioned at different angles to pinpoint the abnormal area in the breast during a stereotactic biopsy.
- Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy: Our specialists use breast ultrasound to guide the biopsy needle. Ultrasound uses sound waves to collect images, so there’s no radiation.
- MRI-guided core needle biopsy: Some breast abnormalities cannot be seen with ultrasound or mammography. Our MRI-guided biopsies provide a higher level of detail for these cases, allowing us to do more complex biopsies without open surgery.
Fine needle aspiration
We may use a fine needle aspiration (FNA) if our specialists suspect a breast lump is a benign cyst. After numbing the area, we use a small, thin needle to drain the cyst or take a fluid sample. In many cases, we use ultrasound-guided FNA for enhanced accuracy.
Surgical breast biopsy
If a needle biopsy isn’t right for you, our specialists explain your options for surgical breast biopsy. In these cases, our surgeons make an incision and remove the breast lump and some surrounding tissue. We provide local anesthesia so you are comfortable and can go home the same day.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy
This procedure helps our doctors determine if breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. It is less invasive than other lymph node biopsies and offers a high degree of precision and safety.
Types of Breast Surgery
Our expert surgeons are skilled in all types of breast surgery, including reconstruction using your own tissue. We consider your preferences and answer your questions before recommending a treatment plan. In partnership with our anesthesia team, we follow proven steps that minimize your pain after surgery. Many of our patients do not need narcotic pain relievers during their recovery.
We also have nationally accredited breast centers here in Florida, so you receive exceptional breast cancer care in one place.
Our leading breast surgeons perform:
- Lumpectomy.
- Oncoplasty (lumpectomy with breast reduction).
- Mastectomy.
- Nipple-sparing and skin-sparing mastectomy.
- Breast reconstruction.
Lumpectomy
A lumpectomy, or breast-conserving surgery, removes the breast tumor and leaves most of your healthy breast tissue intact. Our skilled surgeons focus on keeping your breast's natural look and shape.
If you choose reconstruction, our plastic surgeons work alongside our breast surgeons to reshape your breast during one procedure. We provide breast lifts or reductions to create a symmetrical appearance between both breasts. Most people go home the same day, even if they have reconstruction.
You receive seamless care from our expert radiation oncologists if you require radiation therapy after a lumpectomy. We provide the most advanced breast radiation options, including Mammosite® and intraoperative radiation therapy. Learn more about radiation oncology at Cleveland Clinic in Florida.
Oncoplasty (Lumpectomy with breast reduction)
Oncoplastic breast surgery is a procedure that combines tumor removal with reconstruction. After our surgeons perform a lumpectomy, our plastic surgeons reconstruct the breast to restore its natural appearance. Oncoplasty provides you with a symmetrical look in a single surgery, even if you had a larger lump removed.
Mastectomy
Mastectomy removes your breast tissue, skin and nipple. Our surgeons use mastectomy to treat cancer and to reduce breast cancer risk in high-risk patients.
We offer mastectomy with or without reconstruction, depending on your preferences. Our compassionate team explains all your options so you can make an informed decision.
Nipple-sparing and skin-sparing mastectomy
Nipple-sparing mastectomy combines mastectomy and reconstruction in one procedure. Our breast surgeons remove your breast tissue while leaving your breast skin and nipple intact. Cleveland Clinic in Florida is a Center of Excellence for nipple-sparing mastectomy.
Another option is a skin-sparing mastectomy, which removes your nipple and areola but leaves most of your breast skin intact. This technique allows us to perform an immediate reconstruction and avoids scars on your breast.
After these procedures, our plastic surgeons reconstruct your breast. We create surgical incisions on the bra line, making scars much less visible. Our anesthesiologists use a safe, long-lasting local anesthetic that allows you to go home the same day with your rebuilt breast.
Breast reconstruction
We provide a full range of options for breast reconstruction. Our breast surgeons partner with our board-certified plastic surgeons for the best aesthetic outcome. You can choose:
- Immediate breast reconstruction: Combined mastectomy and reconstruction in one procedure, also called direct-to-implant reconstruction.
- Delayed breast reconstruction: Breast reconstruction months or years after a lumpectomy or mastectomy.
You choose the timeframe that’s right for you. When you’re ready, we explain your options for reconstruction, which include:
- DIEP flap: Also called a flap procedure, our surgeons take tissue from another part of your body to reconstruct your breast. Our plastic surgeons pioneered this advanced technique. Usually, we use fat from your abdomen to create the flap. When a DIEP flap isn’t an option, we can often use tissue from your back or body.
- Silicone or saline breast implants: Synthetic implants are a safe and popular option after mastectomy. We explain the pros and cons of each type of implant and what you can expect.
