She explains that understanding and treating breast cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, so the program brings together more than 50 Stanford faculty members who work in breast cancer. SCI member Melinda Telli, MD, leads the Stanford Breast Cancer Program, which is housed within the Stanford Cancer Institute. We spoke with Stanford Cancer Institute (SCI) leaders to learn about advances in breast cancer treatment, issues affecting survivors, and bridging the racial inequities gap. However, even with new, effective treatments, patients with breast cancer still grapple with quality-of-life issues, mortality inequities persist, with Black women having a higher mortality rate, and there are breast cancer subtypes that lack effective treatments.
Screening reduces breast cancer deaths by 26% by catching the disease early.įor those diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, treatment has become more targeted and effective in the past several years and has helped improve survival rates. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, so it is critical for women to start getting regular screenings at their healthcare provider's recommendation.
