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Montefiore Medical Center's Department of Surgery has hired an internationally prominent female surgeon to provide specialized care and treatment for women patients with breast disorders. Leslie L. Montgomery, MD, joins Montefiore from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she was a noted breast surgeon, clinical trial researcher and director of the breast surgery fellowship program. Dr. Montgomery has been appointed chief of a new Breast Surgery Division completely focused and dedicated to women's health.
"Dr. Montgomery brings with her a wealth of experience and leadership that will enable us to expand our commitment to all women, providing comprehensive surgical treatment for benign and malignant breast diseases throughout the New York region," said Robert Michler, MD, Surgeon in Chief, Professor and Chairman, Departments of Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Montefiore.
"The new Breast Surgery Division will greatly enhance our existing, nationally recognized team of cancer specialists at the Montefiore-Einstein Center for Cancer Care," said Dr. Michler. The Center for Cancer Care provides a comprehensive range of cancer services, including diagnostic services (mammography, MRI and ultrasound), surgical treatments, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
Joining the breast surgery team is Lisa S. Wiechmann, MD, who completed a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Wiechmann's interests include the optimization of multidisciplinary care focused on providing women with a clear understanding of every treatment option.
Drs. Montgomery and Wiechmann have been appointed to the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Family-Focused and Psychosocial Research
Among the important areas of research and treatment that interest Drs. Montgomery and Wiechmann, is the improvement of care to the many women, including minority women, who do not respond to standard breast cancer hormone therapies such as tamoxifen and herceptin.
"Up to 40 percent of African American women have a type of breast cancer, called ‘triple negative', which infrequently responds to standard hormone therapy for breast cancer," said Dr. Montgomery. "Treatment for these women is now limited to chemotherapy and we are exploring newer options for these women through clinical research."
Dr. Wiechmann's clinical research interests include the psychosocial aspects of breast cancer, and the genetic and familial predisposition to breast cancer. These studies seek to identify women at risk in order to provide them with early treatment.
More than 210,000 women in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention. Another 62,000 will have in situ breast cancer - cancer confined to the breast. Through early detection techniques and focused research the team at Montefiore is committed to finding a cure for breast cancer.
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