Overview

The Duke breast oncology program provides highly specialized care for all types of breast cancer, from the most common type, ductal carcinoma, to more aggressive and rare types of breast cancer such as inflammatory breast cancer, and phyllodes tumors.

Many of our specialists are nationally recognized for their breast cancer expertise. The team’s groundbreaking research has resulted in the FDA approval of breast cancer treatments. 

Most recently, research that originated in a Duke Cancer Institute laboratory contributed to the FDA approval of elacestrant, the first new endocrine therapy for breast cancer in more than 20 years. It is the only drug designed to target mutations in estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1).

The new therapy, a selective estrogen receptor down regulator (SERD), was approved by the FDA in January 2023 for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive/HER2-negative ESR1-mutated advanced or metastatic breast cancer in patients who were not treated successfully with at least one previous endocrine therapy.

Areas of Expertise

Duke breast medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists specialize in treating benign and malignant breast disease as well as high-risk conditions. Specifically, our areas of expertise include:

• Breast cancer risk assessment
• Breast cancer in people under age 45
• Metastatic breast cancer that spread to the brain or spine
• Inflammatory breast cancer
• Phyllodes tumors
• Cardio, dermatologic and endocrine concerns in current patients and survivors
• Fertility preservation
• Survivorship
• Cancer genetics
• Breast reconstruction

Advanced Screening, Prevention, and Treatment
As a team, we are experts in assessing breast cancer risk, hereditary breast cancer, and the use of high-risk screening. Our board-certified breast imaging specialists are trained in the early detection of breast cancer and the identification of abnormal breast imaging.

Screening starts with mammography, followed by breast ultrasounds and breast MRIs. We use fast breast MRI and contrast-enhanced breast MRI to capture clearer images and locate small lesions that can be missed on mammography. This is especially important in younger women with dense breast tissue and in women with breast implants. Learn more about breast cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment.

Optimizing Surgical Outcomes
Duke Cancer Institute breast oncology and plastic surgery teams collaborate extensively to offer customized surgical care plans that optimally treat breast cancer while maximizing patients' reconstructive outcomes. This collaboration translates to more leading-edge reconstructive treatments for patients.

Areas of Focus

Our physicians are investigating new ways to approach breast tumors, how exercise impacts treatment and survival, and how to improve the quality of our patients’ lives. Our trials test new vaccines to treat different types of breast cancer, including early-stage breast cancer and HER2-positive breast cancer.

These subprograms focus on translating basic science discoveries to impact the early detection and treatment of breast cancer:

• Early detection strategies for breast cancer
• Epigenetic therapy in breast cancer treatment
• Basic breast cancer biology and novel therapeutic targeting
• Disparities in breast cancer care

Duke Consortium for Inflammatory Breast Cancer

The Duke Consortium for Inflammatory Breast Cancer brings together investigators and clinicians to better understand, prevent, and treat inflammatory breast cancer. The Consortium works with advocates and community health providers as well as the World IBC Consortium investigators across many institutions.

Genetics and Genomics

Recent discoveries in genetics and genomics hold great promise. Our multi-disciplinary research team hopes to translate these discoveries into the next generation of targeted therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.