Breast cancer treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Maple is a virtual care platform that connects you with doctors and other healthcare providers via text, audio, or video. After you log in to your Maple account, you can request an online consultation.

Consultations work similarly to in-person appointments — the doctor can complete an assessment by asking questions about your symptoms, going through your health history, and determining what treatment is right for you. If they think your condition is more serious, they may tell you to go to a clinic for an in-person examination.

As a Maple member, you get 24/7 access to virtual primary care online and more. You can connect with our network of providers via text, audio, or video call within minutes.

Our membership costs $79.99/month and covers virtual care for patients and their families, including the primary account holder's spouse and any dependents.

For patients in eligible provinces, our membership includes:

• Access to daily primary care provider visits: One daily visit with a primary care provider for each family member in their household.
• Paediatric care: Covered paediatric primary care visits, available by appointment.
• Second medical opinions: access to a network of experts for a second opinion if diagnosed with a complex condition (e.g. cancer).
• Personal Health Check-Ins: A series of personalized, evidence-based proactive care screenings to maintain and improve health.
• iCBT courses: Access to iCBT (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy) self-assessment and courses.
• Access to specialists in eligible provinces: Easy access to specialists on Maple within days, not months. No referral is needed.
• Specialist referrals in eligible provinces: Ability to be referred to a physician specialist for in-person care, if needed.
• Credit discounts: An $80 credit per month to be applied to a Maple specialist visit.

Please note that our membership cannot be combined with other offerings, such as private insurance coverage and provincial programs, where available. In some cases, membership fees can be covered by a Healthcare Spending Account (HSA) — check with your HSA provider for more details.

We accept all major credit cards, including AMEX cards, as well as Google and Apple Pay.

At Maple, we proudly prioritize privacy as a cornerstone of our virtual care services. We strictly adhere to privacy and healthcare legislation in Canada, such as PIPEDA and PHIPA regulations, to ensure patients' personal and health information remains completely private and safeguarded.

Our policies and consent processes are designed to be simple and easily understood, empowering individuals with control and a clear understanding of their healthcare journey. When using our services, a patient’s session is protected by a comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies.

Patients also retain full control of their personal health information, medical records and test results at all times. Our approach is reinforced by consultations with leading experts, guaranteeing comprehensive policy frameworks that are reviewed at a regular cadence.

All providers delivering healthcare through Maple are licensed in Canada and governed by their licensing regulatory colleges, and in all instances, must act in accordance with the governing principles set out in the telemedicine policies of each medical regulator in the applicable province.

Regulators across Canada support and recognize the value of services like ours, and the way in which they can benefit patients, physicians, and Canada’s broader healthcare system by improving access to care and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of care.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, you can explore your options through a Maple Oncology Navigator. The navigator is a licensed physician who can give you a second opinion on breast cancer treatment options, and more information on clinical trials. Find out more about seeing an Oncology Navigator here.

Breast cancer is a disease where the cells in the breast tissue multiply uncontrollably. This usually results in the formation of a tumor, though not all breast cancers do.

Breast cancer symptoms vary depending on the stage of cancer. Early symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Change in the breast shape or size
• Persistent pain in any part of the breast
• Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
• Lumps in the breast or underarm
• Skin changes like colour changes, redness, or swelling
• Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples

There are both genetic and environmental causes for breast cancer:

• A history of breast cancer (having breast cancer once increases the likelihood that it will return)
• Dense breasts
• Alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Being a woman over 50; (note: it’s a myth that men can’t get breast cancer! They’re less likely to be diagnosed with the illness, but it is possible.)
• Having blood relatives with a history of cancer, including both breast cancer and other types of cancer
• Carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2, which are genes that increase the likelihood of breast cancer
• Radiation treatment, for breast cancer or other illnesses, before 30 years of age
• Hormone replacement therapy

There are several tests that a doctor can use to reach a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer screening tests include:

• Mammograms: an x-ray of the breast
• Breast biopsy: a small tissue sample is taken from the breast with a needle and examined under a microscope
• Ultrasound
• MRI

Methods of breast cancer treatment vary by stage. Stages of breast cancer range from stage 0 to stage 4. Treatment for stage 0-3 includes surgery, where the cancerous tissue is removed, or a mastectomy, where the entire breast is removed. Stage 4 breast cancer is treated with systemic drug therapy, like chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy, and other targeted drugs.

• Stage 0: non-invasive cancer that is usually inside the breast’s milk duct but hasn’t spread to the rest of the breast tissue. This is called Ductal Carcinoma.
• Stage 1: at this stage, breast cancer is still fairly small, with a chance that is has spread to the sentinel lymph node (a common occurrence)
• Stage 2: at this stage, the cancer is similar to stage one, but is larger and has likely spread to lymph nodes
• Stage 3: at this stage, tumors are large and are making contact with skin or muscle around the breast, and may have also spread to the lymph nodes
• Stage 4: the cancer spreads beyond the breast and invades other parts of the body at this stage.

A breast cyst is a fluid filled sac in the breast tissue that is usually not cancerous. Cysts can vary in size, and often become larger and more sensitive prior to and during the menstrual cycle. It’s common to have more than one cyst, and there isn’t any need for medical attention unless the cysts are painful. In that case, they can be drained.

Breast cancer is a disease where the cells in breast tissue multiply uncontrollably. This usually results in the formation of a tumor, though not all breast cancer does. Cancer can spread throughout the body, and requires immediate attention.