Foreword: Management of Breast Disorders

Abstract

As many patients look to their OBGYN for the care of their breasts, a well-rounded understanding of breast disorders is important for routine and problem-based care. With increasing numbers of breast cancer diagnosed yearly across the world, 1 obstetricians and gynecologists will inevitably care for women with breast cancer while also being faced with other disorders of the breast. This issue of Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology hopes to prepare providers for those interactions. We have gathered experts in various fields from oncology to breast surgery to lactation who all provide information important to the specific care of the breast patients.My particular interest in breast cancer patients arose when I was in medical and graduate school as a physician scientist who performed research in pharmacology and cancer genetics. I ultimately chose to go into the field of OBGYN, but I never lost my interest in breast cancer. As a resident physician, I encountered many women who came to us for their yearly breast exams and mammograms while also scheduling with us to evaluate breast issues. However, I noted that we did not receive much education in residency on breast issues other than lactation. And while many OBGYNs will consider themselves adequately trained in breast disorders, 2 few have had rigorous training in breast education. As the field of OBGYN has mostly handed over management of breast issues to the breast surgeons because of the large breadth of health care already encompassed within our field, we have lost some of the foundations of caring for women and other patients with breast tissue. Many of our patients view us as their first point of contact for breast issues, and I felt under prepared this task. I, therefore, decided to seek out additional training in breast health; I completed a fellowship for Cancer Genetics and Breast Health that was specifically created to educate OBGYNs on breast health who would then continue in academics teaching future generations of OBGYNs. The contents of this issue haveThe author declares that there is nothing to disclose.