The mission of the Breast Cancer Surgery Division is to provide compassionate, patient-centered care and to achieve prompt, accurate diagnosis and the highest possible cure rates in a manner that maintains the best quality of life for our patients. The division offers surgical and non-surgical management of breast cancer, including:

• Diagnostic tests such as mammography, image-guided biopsy and surgical excision for biopsy
• Fine-needle aspiration of breast masses
• Lumpectomy
• Mastectomy, including skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomies
• Collaboration with plastic reconstructive surgeons to provide simultaneous breast reconstruction.
• Mammary ductoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that looks inside the duct through the nipple to detect the cause of abnormal nipple discharge. The division is one of the few sites in the tri-state area to offer this procedure.
• Ongoing management of women with benign breast disease (such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ), which puts them at higher risk for developing breast cancer. This high-risk group includes women who also have certain genetic markers for breast cancer. Such management may include more frequent screenings with sophisticated imaging technology such as breast-specific gamma imaging scan. In fact, the division is one of only 60 sites in the country to offer this scan.

Minimally Invasive Breast Cancer Surgical Techniques
The division’s surgeons perform many therapeutic procedures using minimally or less-invasive techniques, such as fine-needle aspiration, mammary ductoscopy and lumpectomy. Because minimally invasive procedures allow treatment with smaller incisions or natural body orifices, patients benefit with less postoperative pain, limited scarring, faster recovery and diminished complications.

Multidisciplinary Approach and Interdisciplinary Support
Because of the nature of breast cancer and the collegial environment of Beth Israel Medical Center, the Division of Breast Cancer Surgery works closely with the Surgical Oncology Division and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Division, as well as with medical and radiation oncologists, imaging specialists, rehabilitation therapists, and the support team of the Continuum Cancer Centers of New York (nursing, social workers, mental health specialists, among others).

The division also employs its own:

• Genetic counselor
• Nutritional counselor
• Social worker
• Cytopatholgoists
• Breast imagers (radiologists)

This coordinated, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary management allows every patient to experience decreased stress and achieve the best possible outcome.

Research Activities
The Breast Cancer Surgery Division is involved in active research efforts, including participation in several clinical trials to investigate various breast cancer surgery techniques and procedures.

Division Surgeons

• Susan K. Boolbol, MD (Chief)
• John Kehoe, MD
• Laurie Kirstein, MD
• Michael Osborne, MD
• Mark Smith, MD (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
• Leslie Strong, MD

To make an appointment with one of our surgeons, please complete the appointment scheduling form. A staff member will contact you within 48 hours to schedule an appointment.