Establishment of Kitano Hospital Breast Center
The number of breast cancer patients is increasing every year. Breast cancer patients require cooperation from all relevant departments and a multidisciplinary team approach to medical care, so our hospital established the Kitano Hospital Breast Center on April 1, 2014. This unites medical professionals involved in breast cancer team medical care, allowing for stronger collaboration and the provision of seamless, more advanced, compassionate, and optimal breast cancer treatment to many patients.
The benefits of establishing a breast center are:
We can treat any mammary gland related disease.
- We can treat any disease related to the breast. Patients will be able to simply think that they only need to visit the Breast Center for any breast symptoms. Furthermore, after the consultation, doctors from each department will share the patient's data and discuss and resolve any issues, allowing for more accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- If you simply send all referral letters from nearby facilities for breast disease patients via the Community Relations Office and clearly state that they are being referred to the doctor in charge at Kitano Hospital Breast Center, we will decide in advance which department and doctor they will be referred to at the center.
- When it comes to breast cancer treatment, we will consult with each patient to determine the treatment method that is best for them. For patients who wish to undergo breast reconstruction, we will work with the plastic surgery department, and for patients who require chemotherapy or radiation therapy, we will work with the oncology department and radiation therapy department. We always work in cooperation with multiple medical departments to provide patients with the necessary and safe treatment.
- Certified breast cancer nurses are central to breast care, providing both physical and mental care to patients. We also respond to concerns about pre- and post-surgery issues, lifestyle concerns during anti-cancer drug treatment, and side effects, as well as issues that are difficult to discuss with a doctor. Furthermore, pharmacists, physical therapists, social workers, and other professionals are also involved to ensure patients receive treatment with peace of mind.
- Genetic counseling will become increasingly important in medical treatment in the future with the advent of companion diagnostics and genomic medicine. We have also received an increasing number of requests from nearby hospitals. As of April 2018, we have added a full-time genetic counselor to our Breast Center, enabling us to provide comprehensive support for hereditary breast cancer. If you have a family history of ovarian, pancreatic, or prostate cancer in addition to breast cancer, please feel free to contact us for a consultation. Genetic testing is still primarily available on a private basis, but is available.
The benefits of establishing a breast center have been described above. We hope that this will strengthen the unity of medical professionals involved in team medical care for breast cancer, enabling us to provide seamless, high-quality, compassionate breast cancer treatment to many breast cancer patients.
July 2018
Breast Surgery Shoko Takahara
Plastic Surgery Yoshihisa Suzuki
Department of Radiology Yuhisa Takagi
Takafumi Nishimura, Medical Oncology
Kitano Hospital Breast Center provides comprehensive care for breast cancer patients
About the Department
