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Murfreesboro Breast Cancer Care

  • Fellowship Trained Breast Surgeon

    Dr. Lindsay Keith is the ONLY fellowship trained breast surgical oncologist in Murfreesboro, TN.

  • Same Day Biopsy

    Ultrasound-guided biopsies can be done in the office on the same day as your appointment. Most facilities will have you wait until the next available biopsy date, which is often weeks at a time.

  • Guidance from diagnosis through treatment

    Dr. Keith will guide you from a diagnosis of breast cancer through treatment, keeping you informed and reducing your anxiety throughout the whole process.

Hours

Monday – Friday

8am – 5pm

Murfreesboro Breast Cancer Surgical Care

When a patient is first diagnosed with breast cancer, it may feel like their entire world has collapsed. After this initial reaction, it is time to think about treatment. Part of the doctor’s job is to restore their confidence and help them feel empowered about treatment.

Breast cancer treatment is very much individualized for each patient and is based on the type and stage of their breast cancer, but more importantly, the subtype or biology of their breast cancer. The initial step is to find a breast surgeon who will act as the “quarterback” of the team of doctors that will be needed to treat this disease process.

In Fellowship training really that important?

A fellowship-trained breast surgeon has studied all aspects of breast cancer from the genes that cause cancer, diagnosis, pathology and all aspects of treatment for this disease process. Dr. Lindsay Keith is the only fellowship-trained breast surgeon in Murfreesboro and spent an extra year past general surgery residency to fulfill this role.

Dr. Keith reaches her patients on a personal level and from the first visit, aims to ease some of the fear and uncertainty that invariably comes with a diagnosis of breast cancer. What makes her process more impactful is that she starts by establishing trust with her patients. Her goal is always to establish a positive, stress-free environment that allows patients to express what they’re going through and, in the process, gain strength and courage to fight breast cancer.

Establishing a comfortable environment for patients is essential. At Dr. Keith’s clinic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the office is designed for comfort and accessibility. We are in a beautiful, quiet part of the city away from the traffic of Nashville. It is the perfect place to get treatment – and for patients who live in Murfreesboro’s surrounding cities, treatment can be given closer to home.

A female breast cancer surgeon may be more comfortable to patients and is able to establish trust with the patient, perhaps in a way that male surgeons may not be able to. Since a female doctor can empathize with patients in a more personal way, the more physical aspects of the treatment are less intimidating. Empowerment is her goal, and that happens even before the surgery is performed. For most patients, it makes a big difference to have the doctor show support and encouragement before surgery.

Dr. Keith also treats other non-breast cancer (benign) breast issues, including fibroadenomas, cysts, and breast pain. Once you are seen, she can offer a treatment plan based on relevant factors such as your age, imaging needs, family history and the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

In terms of prevention, there is no definite way to prevent the development of breast cancer. However, some people are at a higher risk because of a genetic mutation that they inherited from a parent. If you have two or more family members who have had breast cancer, you may be at higher risk of getting breast cancer than the general population. Dr. Keith can help determine if you qualify for genetic testing. If you need someone to guide you with confidence about issues concerning your breasts, call Dr. Keith for a consult.

Meet Dr. Lindsay Keith

My Mission

Passionate about educating and empowering patients concerning their disease, and guiding them through treatment with confidence.

How I Can Help You…

PreventionScreening & Detection DiagnosisTreatment Recovery & Follow Up

Step 1 is Prevention!

There is no proven way to prevent breast cancer. However, obesity is associated with excessive body fat composition and elevated hormone levels. Since some breast cancers are hormonally driven and hormones can be stored within fat cells, it is important to keep your body fat composition low. In fact, there is a 33% increase in breast cancer specific and overall mortality in obese individuals with a BMI >30. Furthermore, obesity at diagnosis of breast cancer is linked to a higher risk of the cancer coming back after treatment. This is true for pre- and post-menopausal women. In summary, the best thing you can do to prevent breast cancer and cancer in general, is maintain a healthy body weight with your diet and regular exercise.

Step 2 is Screening & Detection

The goal of screening for breast cancer is early detection of disease in a patient without symptoms, such as a new lump in the breast or skin changes, etc., where the benefit of the test will outweigh the cost of the procedure. In patients with a standard risk of breast cancer, screening is done with a mammogram. In women who have dense breast tissue that may obscure small masses or calcifications, a tomosynthesis or “3-D mammogram” may be preferred. Patients with an elevated risk of breast cancer of 20-25% or greater over their lifetime may be screened with a combination of mammograms and MRI alternating every 6 months. To discuss which type of screening is right for you, talk to your primary care physician or please feel free to schedule a consult with our office.

Step 3 is Diagnosis

If your screening mammogram has any suspicious findings or you have a new lump in your breast, your physician may request “diagnostic imaging”, which consists of a mammogram that looks specifically at the area of concern and may include an ultrasound as well. These imaging studies will look at the mass or calcifications and further clarify if a biopsy (taking a small sample of the tissue) is required. It is very important to understand that just because you get called back for more imaging DOES NOT necessarily mean you have breast cancer! If a biopsy is required, this can be done by the radiologist or possibly a breast surgeon. Once this is done, the tissue will be sent to a pathologist who looks at the tissue under a microscope, where a diagnosis can be made. You will receive a phone call from the office where the biopsy was performed, and if any further treatment is required, you will be sent to your breast surgeon where options will be discussed.

Step 4 is Treatment

Breast cancer is treated with a team of physicians, including your breast surgeon, a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist and possibly a plastic surgeon, genetic counselor and many nurses along the way. Every person’s breast cancer is unique and a personalized treatment plan will be made for you if you are diagnosed with breast cancer. Your surgeon and other physicians will discuss this together at a multidisciplinary conference and with you at each visit.

Step 5 is Recovery & Follow Up

Recovery from your breast surgery could range from a few days to several weeks depending on which procedure you have. Your breast surgeon and/or plastic surgeon will give you detailed information about post-operative instructions and follow-up care. You will see your surgeon(s) often in the first few months after surgery. Once your treatment is finished, you will continue to follow-up with your breast surgeon every six months for at least 2 years and often up to five years, depending on the type of cancer you had. This is the time where most recurrences will happen, if they are going to occur at all. It is important to follow up with your breast surgeon during this time, who will order follow up mammograms if indicated and/or perform an exam to look for local recurrences in the breast or chest wall.

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