Breast Cancer Centre

The Breast Cancer Centre at SilverOak Health is a designated multidisciplinary cancer centre providing comprehensive, personalised care for every stage of breast cancer — from screening and early detection through active treatment, reconstruction, and survivorship. Our team of breast surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists meets weekly at a dedicated breast cancer MDT to plan individualised treatment for every new diagnosis.

Diagnostic services include digital mammography, tomosynthesis, breast ultrasound, MRI for dense breasts and high-risk screening, and ultrasound or MRI-guided biopsy. Rapid assessment clinics provide same-day urgent assessment and next-day biopsy results for women with concerning breast symptoms, minimising the anxiety of diagnostic uncertainty. Germline genetic testing for BRCA1/2 and other pathogenic variants is offered to all patients meeting eligibility criteria, informing surgical decision-making and risk management for the patient and their family.

Surgical options range from breast-conserving surgery (wide local excision with sentinel lymph node biopsy) for early-stage disease to skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy for larger or multifocal tumours. Oncoplastic techniques — reshaping remaining breast tissue to achieve excellent cosmetic outcomes after larger excisions — expand breast conservation eligibility. Immediate breast reconstruction using implant-based, autologous DIEP flap, or hybrid approaches is offered in close collaboration with our plastic and reconstructive surgery team.

Systemic therapy — including neoadjuvant chemotherapy to downstage locally advanced disease, adjuvant chemotherapy, hormone therapy, HER2-targeted therapy, CDK4/6 inhibitors for HR-positive disease, PARP inhibitors for BRCA-mutated cancers, and immunotherapy — is planned and delivered by our breast medical oncologists. Radiation therapy following breast conservation or post-mastectomy employs advanced techniques including deep inspiration breath-hold to minimise cardiac exposure for left-sided cancers.

Our breast cancer survivorship programme addresses the long-term physical and psychological effects of treatment, including lymphoedema management, menopausal symptom management, bone health, cardiac monitoring, and psychological support. Our clinical nurse specialists provide dedicated support, education, and care coordination throughout the patient's cancer journey. Patient-reported outcome measures are collected prospectively and used to drive continuous improvement in the quality and patient-centredness of our care.