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Breast Surgery

Our breast surgeons are surgical oncologists who specialize in treating all aspects of breast disease - from benign to malignant. As a teaching site for Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, Stamford Hospital's Department of Surgery is widely recognized for its superior levels of expertise and clinical excellence.
Our surgeons are highly skilled, board-certified members of the Columbia faculty. Many are affiliated with national breast disease organizations including the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the American Society of Breast Disease, and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
All breast cancer cases are reviewed at our multidisciplinary breast cancer conference, ensuring that every woman receives the expertise of our entire cancer team.
If you need breast cancer surgery, our surgeons will work with you to review the options of breast conservation (keeping the breast intact) versus mastectomy (removing all of the breast tissue). Many women who undergo mastectomy choose immediate breast reconstruction. Our reconstructive plastic surgeons work closely with the breast cancer team to provide patients with breast reconstructive options:

Breast implants: An implant filled with salt water or silicone gel is placed under the chest muscle to build a new breast-like shape.
Tissue flaps: Flap reconstruction uses muscle, fat and skin from your body (usually from the abdominal or back) to create a new breast. These types of reconstruction are called transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps or latissimus dorsi myocutaneous (LD) flaps.

Breast Cancer Second Opinion Program

Making surgical decisions can be difficult, particularly when a patient is confronted with a new diagnosis of breast cancer.
Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer at another institution may want a comprehensive evaluation of all treatment options. Our team of breast surgeons, radiologists and pathologists, in cooperation with the physicians at the Bennett Cancer Center (medical oncologists and radiation oncologists), is available to help identify and prioritize your options.
For women with suspected or diagnosed cancer, this is a vitally important service, covered by most insurance carriers, since not all medical centers offer a full range of treatment options. Recognizing the importance of expediency, our schedulers make these appointments a high priority.

Our unique High Risk Breast Cancer Prevention Program provides the increased level of specialized monitoring and medical care high risk women need, bringing together medical expertise and state-of-the-art technology for screening and diagnosis. Armed with information specific to their health profile, most women feel enormous relief at being able to take control of a potentially frightening situation.

Personal or family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer, particularly in a first-degree relative who has/had premenopausal breast cancer
Obesity
Prolonged estrogen exposure
History of previous breast biopsy, particularly if the breast tissue was abnormal
First full-term pregnancy after age of 30
Never having a full-term pregnancy
Heavy alcohol use
Early start of menstruation
Late menopause

Referral to our Cancer Genetics Program for risk evaluation and medical testing. An individualized assessment of personal cancer risk will be performed in order to evaluate what role genetic factors may contribute to an individual's risk of developing breast cancer. Genetic testing for cancer susceptibility genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 is available to provide quantitative assessment of lifetime breast and ovarian cancer risk.
Specialized surveillance including more frequent breast screenings utilizing digital mammography with CAD (Computer Aided Diagnosis), high-resolution ultrasound and breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
Ductal Lavage and Ductoscopy which are screening modalities likened to "Pap smears" of the breast. These procedures are used to detect abnormal changes in the cells lining the breast ducts before they become malignant - so breast cancer can be prevented by appropriate risk reduction strategies.
Referral to the Bennett Cancer Center to meet with a medical oncologist to discuss chemoprevention - taking medication, such as Tamoxifen®, to prevent breast cancer before it begins.