Breast cancer second opinion: Valuable information to make decisions about your care

At the UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center, we know how scary a breast cancer diagnosis can be. We want you to feel comfortable about your diagnosis and find the best therapy for you. Through a second opinion, you may also learn about new treatment options and find new hope. 

Before your appointment, we will have you give us permission to obtain your medical records. Our breast cancer team will then review all of your imaging studies, pathology reports and other medical notes. Learn how to prepare for your appointment

When we meet, we will discuss our findings. We may recommend additional tests. We encourage you to ask any questions about:

• Pathology reports

• Proposed treatment

• Breast imaging studies

• Your diagnosis

Exploring your diagnosis and treatment options

You want to find the right cancer treatment for you. A second opinion lets you make the best decisions about your care. Here are some examples of how a second opinion can help:

• A radiologist reviews your breast imaging studies. Additional imaging or another biopsy may be recommended. This can help you and other breast specialists plan your treatment options.

• A medical oncologist reviews your treatment plan. The doctor may provide other options or access to clinical trials.

• A pathologist looks at your tissue. This review may change your treatment plans based on your type of breast cancer.

• A radiation oncologist studies your treatment plan. The doctor may give you faster or more targeted treatment options.

• A surgeon studies your diagnosis. The surgeon may provide options outside of standard surgery. Another approach is chemotherapy before surgery. The surgeon may offer reconstructive surgery at the same time as the breast cancer surgery.

Choosing your treatment plan

After you receive your second opinion and discuss it with our breast cancer team, they will assist you in planning the next steps in your care.

Take time to study your options so you can feel confident in making your choice for treatment.

The Carbone Cancer Center also is part of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. This group of leading cancer centers collaborates on best practices in education, patient care and research.

In addition, the UW Health Breast Center is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. This is a group of professional organizations focused on improving quality outcomes of patients with breast cancer.

Better cancer care with clinical trials and research 

Our breast cancer providers study how to improve breast cancer prevention, treatment, and quality of life. We give you the chance to take part in clinical trials and research studies, which is entirely up to you Learn more about our breast cancer research programs

Our breast cancer doctors talk about the value of second opinions for breast cancer patients.

The breast cancer second opinion team at the UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center includes experts in breast cancer, medical oncology, pathology, radiology and surgery.

We offer second opinion appointments at two UW Health Breast Center locations in Madison, Wisconsin and at UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center Rockford.

Appointments are generally available within a week; however, it depends on how quickly your images and other medical files are sent to us. Once your images, pathology and files are obtained, time is needed to review so that we can be prepared for your appointment. Most health insurance companies pay for second opinions. Call your health insurance company to confirm.

To make an appointment:

• Call the Breast Center at University Hospital at (608) 266-6400, Breast Center at 1 S. Park Clinic at (608) 287-2050 or UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center Rockford at (779) 696-9400.

• Or fill out our online form. A nurse will call you.