Patient-Centered, Team Approach to Breast Cancer Care
At the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Breast Cancer Clinic, patients diagnosed with breast cancer receive comprehensive, streamlined, state-of-the art care. Unlike the traditional model whereby a patient has to make three or four appointments to see different specialists in different locations, in this multidisciplinary approach a variety of experts come to the patient in a single visit at the OHSU Center for Health and Healing on the South Waterfront.

The patient’s experience begins with an evaluation by a dedicated nurse coordinator who serves as a
central access point and “navigator” throughout the patient’s treatments. The patient’s records,
pathology, and imaging are reviewed by a multidisciplinary group of experts prior to the patient’s
visit. During the initial visit, the patient meets one-on-one with each member of the treatment team,
which may include surgical, medical and radiation oncologists, a plastic surgeon and a genetics
counselor, if necessary. Nutrition, stress counseling, complementary medicine, and physical therapy
services are also available to address patients’ well-being. Patients leave their first appointment with
a comprehensive, personal treatment plan. This pioneering model of care sets OHSU apart from
many community hospitals.

Discoveries that Drive Progress
Here are just a few of the ways our innovative research is giving new hope to patients with breast
cancer.

Our researchers:
• Made a significant and promising breakthrough that may lead to a new test to identify
women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.
• Developed a new imaging method that could become a powerful tool for more accurate
diagnosis of breast cancer and other cancers.
• Identified a protein implicated in breast cancer and a compound that shows promising
activity as a potential drug therapy.
• Discovered a test that helps predict a breast cancer patient’s chances of survival.
• Are studying how a regular program of exercise can affect long-term issues in breast
cancer survivors.
• Are examining the role of diet and nutrition in preventing breast cancer.
• Showed that a standardized curriculum in high-quality clinical breast examination
improves doctors’ ability to find small breast masses at their most curable stage.
• Currently have more than 20 open clinical trials focused on treatments for breast cancer.

Education and Outreach: Partnerships that Build Hope
The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Breast Health Education Program (BHEP) is a national leader in
offering standardized training to medical students, residents and practicing clinicians throughout
Oregon to improve their ability to detect palpable breast cancer at its earliest states. In addition,
the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute opened the only MammaCare training center west of the Mississippi
River in 2003. Health professionals travel to the center from around the country to learn how to
train others in their communities in this breast exam technique. The program also educates the
community and women at high-risk on breast cancer issues. Oregon was the first in the nation to
require insurance companies to cover yearly breast exams.

Giving Opportunities

Give a Gift that Could Change the World
An investment in people, research and resources is critical to accelerating the pace of discovery and
providing innovative care that will bring new hope to breast cancer patients. Gifts of all sizes add up to
make a meaningful impact and 100% of your gift will directly support the fund you designate.

Breast Cancer Research Fund
Gifts provide critical lab resources to enable researchers and physicians to relentlessly push new boundaries to understand and control breast cancer – leading to better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat this disease. Gifts provide critical support for clinical, basic, and population based researchers to accelerate breast cancer discoveries.

Breast Health Education Program Fund
Gifts support the program in its goals to improve the early detection of breast cancer by training highrisk women, medical providers and others involved in health care how to conduct breast exams that are effective in the early detection of cancer.

The Breast Center at OHSU
Gifts provide important patient support services and programs for breast cancer patients and survivors including education on breast health, breast cancer prevention, breast cancer treatment options, wellness and recovery. Support for breast cancer patients includes programs such as art therapy,creative writing, meditation and relaxation, and fitness.