Breast Cancer & Interventional Radiology |
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 Sarasota Interventional Radiology |
| Interventional Radiologist Dr. Gerald Grubbs |
| Breast Cancer: An Overview |
| Signs of Breast Cancer |
| What to Expect During Treatment |
| Diagnosing Breast Cancer |
| » Needle Biopsy |
| » Large Core Needle Biopsy |
| » Fine Needle Aspiration |
| Minimally Invasive Breast Cancer Treatments |
| » Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) |
| » Cryoablation |
| » Laser Therapy |
| Cancer Treatments On the Horizon |
| » Magnetic Chemotherapy |
| » Gene Therapy |
| » Developing Treatments |
| Contact Us |
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Interventional Radiology Offer New HopeThe rapidly growing specialty of Interventional Radiology offers those with all types of breast cancer new minimally invasive approaches for diagnosis and treatment that hold the promise of less pain, quicker recoveries and a better quality of life. |
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Sarasota Interventional RadiologyInterventional radiology is the surgery of the 21st century and it is revolutionizing modern health care by changing the way we treat a host of conditions.
Canceris just one example. Interventional radiology treats it as a chronic condition; something you live with, not something you die from. So our goal at
Sarasota Interventional Radiologyis to get your cancer under control and put it in remission. If your
tumorsstart to grow again, we can often perform additional procedures to eradicate them and reset your clock – your tumors – to zero. And in the process restore your quality of life.
Our
breast cancer diagnosisand treatment program is generally less costly and time-consuming than traditional surgical treatments. And happily, most patients usually experience less pain and shorter recovery periods. And the technology we have at the office allows us to provide you with immediate answers to your critical questions.
We believe in treating the whole person at Sarasota Interventional Radiology. We understand how difficult battling this disease can be. That’s why you and your family can count on our support through every step of the process, from providing critical information to making sure you’re comfortable when you receive treatment.
Our office will be happy to try to accommodate any special needs you may have and will inform you of any special preparations you need to make before your appointment. |
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Interventional Radiologist Dr. Gerald GrubbsA native of Tennessee,
Dr. Gerald Grubbsattended college and medical school there before going on to complete his residency at the University of Tennessee in Diagnostic Radiology.
Excited at how the new field of interventional radiology was revolutionizing minimally invasive surgery – and by the benefits it held for patients – the doctor took a Fellowship in Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology at the Miami Cardiac and Vascular Institute at the Baptist Hospital of Miami. It was there he learned the basics of many of the procedures he’s now performing. In 1993, after completing his Fellowship, Dr. Grubbs received his Board Certification in Interventional Radiology from the American Board of Radiology.
The following year, Dr, Grubbs moved to the Suncoast and joined Naples Radiologists, P.A. doing Diagnostic as well as Vascular and Interventional Radiology. In 2006 he opened his own practice, Sarasota Interventional Radiology. Here he brings his skills in imaging, his procedural expertise, his experience in research and his clinical practice to offer minimally invasive diagnostics and treatments for patients whose conditions would have once required open surgery.
The author of numerous articles and a noted lecturer, Dr. Grubbs lives with his wife and two children in Osprey.
Learn more about Dr. Grubbs background and experience |
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Breast Cancer: An OverviewFYI: Breast cancer statistics:
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women.
- Every three minutes in the Untied States a woman is diagnosed with the disease. Every 13 minutes a woman dies from it.
- In the United States, a woman has about a 13% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
- Women aged 50 and over account for approximately 80% of all breast cancers.
- Male breast cancer is becoming more prevalent.
- Between the ages of 40 and 50, the incidence of breast cancer doubles and by 70 it doubles again.
- African-Americans have the highest death rate from breast cancer of any racial group.
- In American, breast cancer in women is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and is second to lung cancer in deaths.
Breast cancer occurs when breast tissue divides and grows at an abnormal rate and develops into a tumor. For the women and thousands of men diagnosed each year with the disease, treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy have proved highly effective. But while surgery still offers the best chance for a cure, the cosmetic results of invasive therapies have helped the trend towards the minimally invasive treatments employed by interventional radiologists like Dr. Grubbs grow in popularity because they provide new and effective tools for battling the disease. |
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Signs of Breast CancerBreast cancer, particularly
male breast cancer, may not reveal itself in its earliest stages, but when it does the following symptoms may occur:
- Lumps
- Swelling of part of the breast
- An underarm lump
- Skin irritation
- Pain in the nipple
- Nipple turns inward
- A discharge other than milk from the nipple
- The skin around the nipple becomes red or scaly.
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What to Expect During TreatmentYour comfort is of primary concern to all of us at Sarasota Interventional Radiology. We understand that this can be a difficult time and treatment – even non-invasive treatment – can be stressful. That’s why we want you to know what you can expect during your visits with us. The better informed you are, the more comfortable you’ll be. Of course, if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be happy to address any concerns you have. |
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Your 1st AppointmentLocated in a serene setting on Cattleman near University just east of US 75, Sarasota Interventional Radiology is located on the first floor of the new Axcess Center.
We suggest arriving about 15 minutes before your appointment. You’ll be greeted by one of our two patient advocates. Highly trained and compassionate, these advocates will collect all your pertinent information and work with your insurance company.
You’ll then have a consultation with Dr. Grubbs, where he will review your medical history and discuss your planned course of treatment, taking you through the process step by step so you are informed and aware.
Before leaving the office, you’ll receive written instructions on how to prepare for your treatment |
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The Night Before Your ProcedureWe suggest arriving about 15 minutes before your appointment. You’ll be greeted by one of our two patient advocates. Highly trained and compassionate, these advocates will collect all your pertinent information and work with your insurance company.
You’ll then have a consultation with Dr. Grubbs, where he will review your medical history and discuss your planned course of treatment, taking you through the process step by step so you are informed and aware.
Before leaving the office, you’ll receive written instructions on how to prepare for your treatment. |
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The Night Before Your ProcedureHere’s what you need to do the night before to prepare for your procedure. It’s important you follow these instructions carefully, or it will be necessary to cancel your treatment that day. More importantly, failure to follow these instructions could be dangerous.
- Have nothing to eat or drink for at least 6 hours prior to your procedure.
- Take all of your normal medications before 8am with only one ounce of water. Do not take anything else or we will have to cancel your treatment that day.
- Bring a list of all your current medications and the doses you are taking.
- If you have an inhaler at home, you must bring it with you when you come in for your procedure.
- If you are a diabetic, start your medication once you resume your diet.
- If you are a diabetic taking insulin, wait until you have eaten to use your insulin.
- You cannot drive after your procedure for the remainder of the day. You must make arrangements to have someone drive you home.
- Please leave all your valuables at home. You won’t need them.
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The Day of TreatmentA nurse and board-certified anesthesiologist will prep you for your treatment. You’ll be administered what is called “conscious sedation”, which will allow you to wake up right away after your procedure – another of the benefits of minimally invasive treatment. Of course, in the extremely rare circumstance of complications occurring, Dr. Grubbs is always available. |
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After Treatment |
Discharge instructions will vary, depending on the procedure you had. It is essential you follow these instructions carefully.
In the days following your procedure, you may feel a degree of tenderness at the site where the catheter entered. This is perfectly normal. Generally there is little or no bleeding around the site and the tenderness will pass. If there the tenderness continues, if there is bleeding or excessive oozing from the site, call us, or your referring physician, immediately. |
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Diagnosing Breast CancerBlood tests, X-rays, CT scans, MIRs, and ultrasound can all be used for
breast cancer diagnosis. Ultimately however, only a biopsy can provide a definitive diagnosis and prognosis for breast cancer. By examining a sample of tissue, a Pathologist can determine whether cancer is present and how fast it’s growing, crucial information to determining the best course of treatment.
Dr. Grubbs is able to perform both Needle and Large core needle biopsies in his office using minimally invasive interventional radiology techniques. |
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Needle Biopsy This procedure is performed with the aid of computer-generated images that provide Dr. Grubbs a look at the area to be biopsied from a variety of angles. This “stereotactic” equipment provides pictures of unprecedented clarity, enabling the doctor to pinpoint with unerring accuracy the exact location of any abnormal tissue.
Usually an outpatient procedure, this diagnostic tool offers a number of benefits:
- With advanced imaging guidance technology, the abnormality can be biopsied while nearby organs, tissue and blood vessels remain untouched.
- You’re spared the pain and scarring associated with open surgeries
- Complications are much less frequent; less than 1% of patients develop bleeding or infection.
- Recovery times are generally faster, which means a quicker return to normal activities.
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Large Core Needle BiopsyThis technique uses a special needle to obtain a larger sample of tissue. Often used to examine lumps and other abnormalities in the breast, a large core biopsy offers women an alternative to open surgery that is:
- Less painful
- Quicker recovery
- Avoids the scarring and disfigurement
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Fine Needle Aspiration This biopsy technique for suspected breast cancer also helps in the diagnosis of fluids that may have collected in the body. Sometimes, this fluid may be drained through a catheter, such as when pockets of infection are diagnosed. | |
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Minimally Invasive Breast Cancer TreatmentWhile the best chance of a cure is the surgical removal of tumors, Interventional radiology offers those patients that may not tolerate surgery because of other medical conditions a minimally invasive alternative. Indeed, the National Cancer Institute says, “targeted cancer therapies give doctors a better way to tailor cancer treatment.”
Often an adjunct to other
cancer treatments, Interventional Radiology’s breakthrough techniques make it possible for interventional radiologists to attack tumors from inside the body using a catheter to deliver targeted treatments with remarkable precision, leaving healthy tissue unaffected.
As an
interventional radiologist, Dr. Grubbsis uniquely skilled at using a catheter to deliver treatment to specially targeted areas of the body. Called Thermal Ablation, this treatment uses heat or cold to attack the cancer. Among the thermal ablation procedures used by Dr. Grubbs are: |
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Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)A non-surgical treatment, RFA kills tumors with heat. By using advanced imaging technology to guide a small needle through the skin and into the tumor, Dr. Grubbs is able to transmit radiofrequency energy into the target. There it produces the heat that shrinks or kills the tumor, while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. And because there is no surgical incision, RFA barely affects the appearance of the breast.
Most patients experience some degree of discomfort during the 15-minute course of treatment. Be assured, we’ll do all we can to make you comfortable and that your overall health will not be affected. And most patients resume normal activities in just a few days.
Like most radiological treatments, RFA can be performed in Dr. Grubbs’ office on an outpatient basis. Among its many benefits:
- RFA is an effective alternative to surgery for women, who because of other health concerns cannot have surgery.
- RFA barely affects the appearance of your breast.
- You can be confident undergoing treatment because RFA has a very low rate of complications.
- Depending on your comfort level, RFA treatments can be done under conscious sedation or a general anesthesia.
- Most patients can resume normal activity the next day and feel a bit tired for only a few days.
- If needed, RFA treatment can be repeated.
- RFA can be effectively combined with other treatment options.
- For many, it relieves pain and the suffering that accompanies it.
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CryoablationSimilar in delivery technique to RFA, Cryoablation uses an extremely cold gas to freeze and destroy tumors. While surgeons have used this procedure in the operating room for years, needles are now small enough to be used through a nick in the skin, without surgery. An “ice ball” is created around the needle that freezes and destroys the tumor. |
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Laser TherapyLaser therapy causes cell death by delivering laser energy via a fiber optic probe that is inserted into the tumor, using advanced imaging technology for guidance.
An outpatient procedure, laser therapy is beginning to yield highly promising results in a number of test studies while demonstrating it has no adverse effects. | |
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New Cancer Treatments On the HorizonInterventional Radiologists like Dr. Gerald Grubbs are playing a critical role in developing minimally invasive surgical techniques for treating cancer that are not only extending life, they are providing a higher quality of life. |
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Magnetic ChemotherapyUsing magnets to pull chemotherapy drugs directly into tumors in order to bolster their effect is a treatment currently being investigated by researchers. Early research is promising and the hope is that this treatment will intensify the effects of chemotherapy, while avoiding some of its more difficult side effects such as nausea and hair loss. |
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Gene TherapyAs researchers’ work with and gain a greater understanding of genes and the role they play in disease, the greater promise gene- based drug therapies hold as a treatment option in the not too distant future.
Though still in the experimental stage, doctors hope the therapy will one day be used to:
- Alter the cells of the immune system with cancer fighting genes.
- Take cancer cells from the body, alter them genetically and let the patient’s immune system battle the cancer.
- Replace a “bad” cancer gene with a “good” gene.
- Make tumors more susceptible to chemotherapy by injecting them with genes.
- Make breast marrow and other organs resistant to chemotherapy, so that the drugs will destroy tumors without damaging the healthy tissue that surrounds them.
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Developing TreatmentsOther cutting edge developments for cancer treatment include:
- Epidermal Growth Factor Inhibitors designed to slow the growth of the Epidermal growth factor receptor that XXXXX.
- New anti-angiogenesis treatments use drug therapies to reduce blood vessel growth for cancer.
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