Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Who Do You See First and What Comes Next?

After a breast cancer diagnosis, what happens first—seeing an oncologist, having surgery or starting chemotherapy? And how do doctors decide between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy?In this episode of Baptist Health Talk, host Johanna Gomez sits down with Dr. Mehran Habibi, Deputy Chief of Breast Surgery with Baptist Health Cancer Care, to answer common questions patients search online about breast cancer surgery and treatment.They discuss: The difference between a medical oncologist and a surgical oncologist  Who patients typically see first after a breast cancer diagnosis  How doctors decide whether chemotherapy or surgery comes first  Why chemo first does not automatically mean the cancer is more aggressive  Whether chemotherapy can be shortened when a tumor responds well  Why second opinions and breast cancer specialists can matter  The truth about the myth that surgery or biopsy can make breast cancer spread  Why treatment may still be needed after a tumor is removed  How doctors and patients choose between lumpectomy and mastectomy  Why feeling fine is not a reason to delay recommended treatment  How lymph node involvement affects staging and treatment  Options for immediate or delayed breast reconstruction  How AI is beginning to support breast imaging, surgical planning and treatment decisions Subscribe to Baptist Health for more expert conversations on health, wellness, prevention and treatment.Host:Johanna GomezAward-Winning Host & JournalistGuest:Mehran Habibi, M.D.Deputy Chief of Breast Surgery Baptist Health Cancer CareIf you found this episode helpful, we recommend these links for additional information:Diagnosed With Breast Cancer: What's Next?Breast Cancer in Young Women: Signs, Screenings, and When to SpeakLife After Breast Cancer: Fear, Healing, and Hope