Innovations: Breast Cancer Program Giving New Meaning to Personalized Care


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A woman facing breast cancer today might hope for personalized care delivered with sensitivity to her physical and emotional well-being. At Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, cancer specialists elevate “personalized” to a new level. “Personalized” also refers to the leading edge of medical science, where breast cancer treatment is customized to each individual. Innovations at Froedtert & The Medical College are expanding options for treatment, precisely tailoring therapy and offering effective cures or disease control.


“An individualized approach is critical, because breast cancer is not just one disease; it is many,” said John Charlson, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin medical oncologist. “Individualized here means care based on a patient’s history and the specific characteristics of her cancer.”


Diagnosis: The Front Lines Mary Beth Gonyo, MD


Radiologists use mammography to screen women for breast abnormalities and to investigate new findings detected on physical exams. Froedtert & The Medical College have


invested in all-digital mammography. “It gives us a much clearer picture,” said Mary Beth Gonyo, MD, radiologist and director of breast imaging. “We can detect subtle findings that were difficult to identify with film, especially in women with dense, glandular tissue.”


If a mammogram detects a new abnormality, a radiologist may recommend other mammogram views or ultrasound, and if indicated, will perform an image-guided core biopsy to obtain breast tissue for analysis. The minimally invasive core biopsy may confirm a diagnosis of cancer or reveal a benign finding.


Breast imaging specialists at Froedtert & The Medical College evaluate thousands of breast exams yearly, giving them the experience needed to understand various presentations of malignant and benign conditions. “We have a role in evaluating the extent of disease with ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which helps surgical oncologists plan treatment,” Dr. Gonyo said. The radiologist may also assist the surgeon by placing guide wires around or through a tumor to ensure the area of concern is removed. If a patient receives chemotherapy before surgery to shrink a tumor, radiologists monitor the tumor’s response with ultrasound and MRI. They are also part of a team that follows patients closely for signs of recurrence.


Once breast tissue is obtained through biopsy or surgical removal, a breast pathologist analyzes it to confirm the


Special Report 2011 Zainab Basir, MD 866-680-0505 11


Breast Cancer Program Team


Medical Oncology John A. Charlson, MD Yee Chung Cheng, MD Christopher Chitambar, MD Rafael Santana-Davila, MD


Neuropsychology David Sabsevitz, PhD


Pathology Zainab Basir, MD Behnaz Behmaram, MD


Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Oksana Sayko, MD


Plastic Surgery John B. Hijjawi, MD David Larson, MD John LoGiudice, MD


Psychology Rebecca Anderson, PhD


Radiation Oncology Joseph Bovi, MD Adam Currey, MD Tracy Kelly, MD Julia R. White, MD J. Frank Wilson, MD


Radiology Mary Beth Gonyo, MD Katherine Shaffer, MD, FACR Richard Wagner, MD James Youker, MD, FACR


Surgical Oncology Amanda Kong, MD, MS Philip Redlich, MD, PhD Alonzo Walker, MD Tina W. F. Yen, MD, MS


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