Although many general surgeons and oncologists in the Triangle care for patients with breast cancer, the Duke Cancer Center Cary team is composed of breast-focused specialists whose expertise gives patients the best chance for a positive outcome. Maggie L. DiNome, MD, a breast surgical oncologist at the center, chief of breast surgery at Duke, and medical director for the Wake County breast cancer disease group, underscores the importance of singular disease site expertise when considering a referral for breast cancer.
Up-to-date disease site-specific data. “Especially in breast cancer, evidence-based practice patterns are constantly changing because nearly every year, there is a seminal clinical trial that shifts the protocols and algorithms for how we should be treating patients most effectively,” DiNome explains. “Our team is 100% focused on breast cancer, and we are intimately involved with and aware of these data coming out, which enables us to translate it into better care and clinical outcomes for our patients.”
Broader exposure to rare types of breast cancer. When you only see patients with breast disease, you see a much higher volume of patients with breast cancer each year, she adds: “We encounter more rare types and are more familiar with atypical presentations of breast cancer than a general oncologist who only sees patients with breast disease as a portion of their everyday practice.”
All the experts in one place. In addition to DiNome, the center’s experienced, interconnected breast cancer team includes Stacy Cowherd Telloni, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist/hematologist dedicated to the care of patients with breast cancer, and Scott L. Sailer, MD, a radiation oncologist experienced in treating breast cancer. Carolyn S. Menendez, MD, FACS, a surgical breast oncologist, and Jill Barbour, NP, are also on site to offer specialized care for patients at high risk for breast cancer.
To request a same-day appointment for a patient, call 919-485-1900 or email oncologyreferral@duke.edu.
This comprehensive care is also available at the Duke Women’s Cancer Care Raleigh. In addition, Duke breast imaging sites are conveniently located throughout Wake and Durham counties for mammogram screenings.
More information about referring a patient is available at the Duke Cancer Institute website.
Same-day multidisciplinary appointments are now available with these breast-focused experts, who each have years of dedicated experience in assessing and caring for patients with all subtypes of breast cancer.
The personalized care at Duke Cancer Center Cary starts with the patient navigator, who helps coordinate visits with all of the specialists, gets to know patients on a personal level throughout their care at Duke, and helps pair them with services such as psychosocial counseling, sexual health counseling, physical therapy, lymphedema treatment, and more. For referring providers, the navigator also serves as a direct contact for additional questions and concerns.
“We recognize that patients all need to be treated differently based on their specific type of breast cancer, which is genetically unique, and their preferences and needs as an individual, so we develop a team around them and create a unique care plan for them, which includes all of the ancillary services they may need to ensure they have the best support possible throughout their journey,” DiNome says.
Other highlights of the Duke Cancer Center Cary include:
- Infusion available on site
- High-risk breast cancer evaluation on site (including family history screening and genetic testing)
- Expertise in caring for young, premenopausal women with breast cancer
- Convenient location and free parking
