Memorial Sloan Kettering Breast Surgical Service Chief Monica Morrow explains that while breast cancer surgery today may seem relatively safe and quick, it’s crucial to choose the right place for care from the beginning.
“Your best chance for having the best surgery is to have it done right the first time,” she explains. At Memorial Sloan Kettering, 12 breast cancer surgeons focus solely on diagnosing and treating breast cancer. They work in concert with a team of specialized physicians, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, pathologists, breast imaging experts, nurses, social workers, and others to develop treatment plans uniquely shaped to each person’s situation.
“Because we see such a huge volume of patients each year … things that are rare elsewhere are common for us. That’s a real advantage for us because cancer treatment is constantly changing,” Dr. Morrow says. As a result, Memorial Sloan Kettering has the experience to keep up with newest standards of care – and in fact helps to create the standards in many cases.
Breast cancer surgeon Alexandra Heerdt adds that while it may be easy to find treatment information on the Internet and elsewhere, it’s the Memorial Sloan Kettering specialists who were actually integral to defining the best approaches for different scenarios.
“There are lots of options for breast cancer management,” concludes Dr. Morrow. “It’s important that you understand what all of your choices are, and that you are making the best choice both for your overall health, and for your peace of mind.”
