Department of Breast Oncology

Our hospital was designated by the Japanese government as an authorized cancer center in February 2008, and in May of the same year, we opened the breast outpatient clinic. This clinic is open every day from Monday through Saturday, facilitating patients’ needs.

Mammography, ultrasound, fine needle aspiration cytology, or core needle biopsy can be performed on the first day.

Breast cancer is classified into several subtypes based on receptor expression and growth rate. For example, luminal subtypes respond to hormone treatment, and HER2 enriched or triple negative subtypes respond to chemotherapy (anticancer drugs). Therefore, different treatment methods are required for each type of cancer.

Systemic therapy implies hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and molecular targeting therapy. Local therapy implies surgery and radiation therapy. Surgery involves a mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery. Mastectomy is classified into standard, skin sparing, and nipple-areola sparing ones. The latter 2 methods are usually followed by expander replacement for further breast reconstruction.

We believe that the optimal treatment method must be tailored to the patient and the method is determined following a thorough discussion between our medical staff and the patient.

During surgery, we examine whether the breast tumor has been fully removed and whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the axilla. Following surgery, we pathologically evaluate the characteristics of the tumor. All results are obtained in two to three weeks after surgery, and we can immediately begin to determine an optimal treatment based on that data.

Our hospital is fully equipped with a suite of medical clinics covering all domains. Patients with comorbidities can receive full treatment at the hospital, from screening through treatment.

Patients can also consult our clinic for second opinions. We welcome all visits pertaining to the breast, including those related to specific pathologies. Breast cancer treatment is continually evolving and continuous basic research is essential. We partner with the graduate medical school to pursue ongoing basic research into breast conditions.

Primary treatment areas and examinations
Diagnosis and treatment of breast conditions, and breast cancer in particular, involve radiological and ultrasound exams, pathological diagnoses, and outpatient surgery. The importance of a multidisciplinary therapy that integrates radiation, chemoendocrine therapy, palliative treatment, and other modalities is increasingly coming to the fore. At our hospital, we have ample qualified staff in the domains of specialized medicine, pharmacology, nursing, radiation treatment, cytodiagnosis, pathology, and other disciplines, and we have numerous female medical staff. These specialists collaborate in an organic fashion, providing high-quality team-based medical care.

Not only do we provide standard diagnostics like cone needle biopsy, vacuum assisted biopsy, pre- and post-operative chemoendocrine treatment, breast-conserving treatment, and sentinel lymph node biopsy, we also take part in clinical trials of pharmacotherapy. We strive for individualized, detailed diagnoses and treatment, and are extremely patient-centric. We also offer secondary screenings for full physicals and provide second opinions.

Reception Hours