Changing how breast cancer surgery is practiced
Dr. Anees Chagpar has made a difference in the lives of so many patients and families, not only as a breast cancer surgeon, but also through her research. Her groundbreaking study proved that removing just a little more healthy tissue during surgery cut the need for patients to have a second surgery in half. In this interview she spoke at length about that study—including the rationale behind it, its innovative design, and how it was shown to work in different hospitals—and she also talked about the special relationship she has with her patients. Anees Chagpar, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS, FRCS(C), is a breast surgical oncologist and full Professor in the Department of Surgery at Yale School of Medicine. 2:57 – What motivated her to be a breast cancer surgeon? 4:51 – The special relationship that she has with her patients 6:55 – How breast cancer surgery has changed over the years 12:36 – On her groundbreaking study showing that taking just a little bit more healthy tissue initially can help breast cancer patients avoid a return trip to the operating room 28:25 – How will other surgeons find out about these practice-changing findings? 30:34 – On the massive open online class (MOOC) she teaches at Yale called “Introduction to Breast Cancer.” Who takes this class? Why is teaching this course important to her? https://www.coursera.org/learn/breast-cancer-causes-prevention 32:58 – What she would like cancer patients and caregivers to know