My interest in cancer began in junior high when a mentor developed esophageal cancer, and I was struck by a feeling of powerlessness and ignorance. Since then, I have endeavored to learn as much as possible about cancer and to empower patients with knowledge and confidence that they are being given the best treatment possible. As a surgical oncologist, I am privileged to treat patients through an operation, which affords them the immediate satisfaction of being rid of a tumor, and to work with other specialists to provide multidisciplinary cancer care as a team. Cancer patients deserve meticulous, compassionate treatment from clinicians who are leaders in their field, familiar with cutting-edge innovations, and seek not only to prolong patients’ survival but also to improve their quality of life.

Having worked previously at the Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and M. D. Anderson Cancer, I incorporate into my practice the best knowledge, surgical skills, and advances from these institutions. My work has contributed to our understanding and management of gastrointestinal cancers, especially of the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract. I wrote the first North American study on two-stage hepatectomy, which entails removing multiple tumors in the liver while ensuring that sufficient normal liver remains. I have also published on the "liver hanging maneuver," which allows resection of tumors in the liver that involve major blood vessels and/or the diaphragm without violating the tumor.
Fox Chase merges the highest level of clinical care with cutting-edge research, as evidenced by the Nobel Laureates who have made breakthrough discoveries at Fox Chase. In addition to unparalleled cancer care, the size and accessibility of Fox Chase foster a warm, personal environment in which patients are treated as unique individuals with diverse medical, social, and emotional needs.

In 2006, I joined Fox Chase Cancer Center's department of surgical oncology as a breast surgeon. In my practice, I specialize in breast-conserving surgery, skin-sparing mastectomy and sentinel lymph-node biopsy with an emphasis on preserving a good cosmetic outcome.

In my practice, it is important to me that patients understand there are often multiple options for treatment, and that they understand the pros and cons of each of those possibilities. That way, patients can make an informed decision they will be happy with and one that best suits them. I also feel that patients should understand the rationale behind the recommended treatment(s).

I am acutely aware of the magnitude of the impact that a breast cancer diagnosis has on an individual. I do my best to foster a positive environment in which to start my patients' course of treatment.

I have served as primary investigator for the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Trials and was a member of the Breast Cancer Leadership Committee. During my fellowship, I became the first chief administrative surgical oncology fellow, an honor the program director now bestows annually. In addition, I was the proud recipient of the American College of Surgeons Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter's 30th Annual Resident's Clinical Research Award.

I am a medical oncologist with an emphasis on caring for and treating patients diagnosed with airway malignancies (lung and head and neck cancers) and breast cancer. My research focuses on clinical trials of new anticancer treatments, including medicines and combinations of medicines being given to patients for the first time. In the course of this research, I am working on new treatment options that I hope will prove effective and eventually become available to patients with cancer everywhere.

I came to Fox Chase in 2001 because it is a unique and productive community of physicians and laboratory scientists who are focused on and committed to working together to improve cancer treatment.

As a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer, I believe in providing women the most tailored, state-of-the-art treatment options. That is why I created the Breast Evaluation Center (BEC) when I joined the staff at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 1990.

As the director of the BEC, I work with a team of breast cancer experts, including medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and social workers. Together, we develop a comprehensive treatment plan for patients with early stage breast cancer.

By providing patients with useful information about their treatment options, we are empowering them with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their care. I believe this is very important for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, as they can be overwhelmed with the amount of information available today.

In addition to my clinical expertise in breast cancer, I am dedicated to breast cancer research. At Fox Chase, I am the leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program. In this role, I manage investigators from basic, clinical, and population science who collaborate in their research of breast cancer prevention, what causes tumors to develop, detection and treatment.

I have devoted my career to translational research, which turns basic research into therapeutic treatment for breast cancer patients. At the same time, my interest in investigational research is to reduce the incidence of breast cancer and improve outcomes.

I am committed to generating a national agenda for breast cancer research and care. Because of this interest along with my experience in research, Fox Chase Cancer Center has chosen me to represent the institution as the Principal Investigator for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG). ECOG conducts clinical trials in all types of adult cancers and is one of the largest clinical cancer research organizations in the United States. ECOG has appointed me as an active member of their Breast CORE committee.

In addition, I serve as a member of the Breast Cancer Guidelines Committee for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers, including Fox Chase Cancer Center.

I am the Director of Minimally Invasive Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgery at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. This Nationally recognized Comprehensive Cancer Center is accredited by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and is one of the the oldest Cancer Center in the United States.

Fox Chase Cancer Center has recently made an innovative choice by choosing to become one of only three cancer centers in the United States with a focus on minimally invasive approaches to cancer therapies. I am the first American surgeon to perform a Minimally Invasive HPB Fellowship at the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris in Paris, France, the hospital where the first published case of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the world was done. Because of this specialized training, I am one of a handful of surgeons in America to be able to offer Totally Laparoscopic Whipple Procedures and Major Hepatic Resections. Fox Chase Cancer Center recruited me to continue to grow this field and has given me the mandate to offer and expand this exciting new field that offers the potential to reduce length of hospitalization and adds to our armamentarium in the fight against pancreatic and liver cancer and benign diseases.

Although this center is one of a few hospitals in the country that exclusively takes care of cancer patients, I will be able to continue my pioneering work in the field of Scarless Surgery, specifically Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery, also known as Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site (LESS) Surgery and Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) for benign diseases as well.

I believe the idyllic setting in the periphery of Philadelphia offers the ideal tranquility needed to recover from major and minor HPB surgery and the innovative technology to offer the State of the Art in modern HPB clinical care. The size of Fox Chase also ensures that patients will never lose that personal touch with their physician, surgeon and healthcare team.

I would like to give you a little background about myself, my training and my approach to treating cancer patients.

I did my undergraduate work at the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in bioengineering. I attended medical school at Temple University and did my residency in radiation oncology at the Fox Chase Cancer Center where I served as chief resident in 2005-06. During my training, I participated in many clinical research projects which have been published in various peer reviewed journals and presented at our national meeting of radiation oncologists. My research endeavors earned me the RSNA Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award in 2006.

Upon finishing my residency, I entered private practice, joining a radiation oncology group in Richmond, VA where I spent two years. During that time, I attended training in Pittsburgh, PA, becoming certified on the gamma knife, a radiosurgery treatment unit to treat benign and malignant tumors and other conditions in the brain. While practicing in Richmond, I worked in conjunction with a large neurosurgery group and treated many types of central nervous system tumors. I became board-certified in radiation oncology in 2008. I am now returning to Fox Chase as the Director of the Fox Chase Cancer Center- Buckingham radiation facility in Bucks County.

I am excited to be part of the Fox Chase family once again. I chose to return to Fox Chase because of the outstanding care we provide. Not only do we offer treatments with the latest, most cutting edge technology, but we do so an evidence-based manner. We enroll patients on clinical trials, both Fox Chase trials and cooperative group trials, in order to scientifically analyze the most effective treatments. We maintain databases for various disease sites so as to critically analyze our results and make changes in treatment regimens to continually improve our outcomes.

I treat all types of cancer, but have a particular interest in breast, gynecologic, prostate and lung malignancies. I also have an interest in brain and spinal cord tumors. I have experience in using intensity modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiotherapy to treat many different cancers.

My personal philosophy with regards to treating cancer is a patient focused approach. I believe that each patient has a unique set of needs and concerns. I will create an individualized treatment plan to meet those needs. I will work in conjunction

I joined Fox Chase's department of radiation oncology in 1997. In my practice, I specialize in treating patients with prostate cancer.

At Fox Chase, I have had the opportunity to develop advanced programs that include intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), real-time intra-operative treatment planning for permanent prostate seed implants and temporary high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer. As a result, Fox Chase was the first in the Northeast United States to offer HDR implants to men with prostate cancer. As a radiation oncologist at Fox Chase, I have been privileged to be able to use these technologies to improve and expand the treatment of men with prostate cancer.

In addition, I have been involved in the first use of the BAT ultrasound for image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and MRI treatment simulator for prostate cancer treatment planning both for permanent, low-dose prostate implants and external radiation therapy. Fox Chase was the first in the world to use the MRI simulator in radiation treatment planning.

Fox Chase was also one of the first hospitals to use Calypso® - brand new 4-dimensional monitoring technology, which allows us to more precisely and accurately guide radiation therapy. Miniature electromagnetic sensors (similar to seeds), called Beacon® transponders, are implanted into the prostate during treatment planning to continuously monitor position and motion of the organ in real-time. This technology helps us determine a tumor's location with great accuracy and continuously monitor its position throughout treatment.

Over the years, I have enjoyed taking "the path less traveled." Life is a journey and every step prepares you for the next. For me, this journey has lead to practicing.

I came to Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2008 from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. I joined Fox Chase because it has a proven track record as a leading cancer center. Fox Chase has a great thoracic oncology program with world-renowned specialists. In addition, I believe there is a need for advanced and innovative thoracic surgery in Philadelphia, and Fox Chase is a great place to provide this.

In my practice, I see patients with diseases of the gastro-esophageal junction, esophageal cancer, lung cancer and mesothelioma. I have advanced training in minimally invasive surgery for cancers of the lung and esophagus. My expertise includes the full spectrum of procedures such as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), advanced laparoscopy, endoluminal diagnostics and therapeutic endoscopy techniques, including bronchoscopy, laser therapy, photo-dynamic therapy and stenting.

I believe a good physician needs to be able to read people quickly and understand the right solution. To me, excellence in modern medicine is about doing things for and not to our patients, about knowing how to tailor a solution for the individual patient.

The most rewarding part of my job, simply, is helping people. As a doctor, my duty is to help my patients do the most with what they've got. In every situation, it's different. Sometimes, that means curing someone's cancer; sometimes it is prolonging someone's life and giving them a better quality of life. In every case, I try to navigate my patients through difficult waters to get them to their best tomorrow.

My experience as a physician includes 13 years of service in the Israeli army. I held a variety of posts, including active duty as a battalion physician and platoon commander in an elite infantry unit. I received a Letter of Distinction for Bravery for treating and evacuating critically injured soldiers under fire. I finished my service as company commander and a major in the reserves in an elite paratrooper brigade, where I commanded the medical company. My experience in the military taught me that anything is possible. In addition, my training at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School taught me that 'you are only limited by the expectations of your mind.' These are sentiments I like to share with my patients. Always hold on to hope.

I joined the department of surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2006 as chief of gynecologic oncology. My specialty is complex gynecologic surgery and the surgical management of gynecologic malignancies, including ovarian, uterine, vulvar and cervical cancers. I have special training in laparoscopic and robotic surgery. In addition, I perform fertility-sparing surgery for early cervical cancer, as well as provide surgical treatment for urinary and rectal fistulas.

Working at Fox Chase gives me the opportunity to collaborate with doctors who are world leaders in developmental therapeutics for gynecologic cancers. Combining state-of-the-art surgery with innovative new therapies in a cancer center that emphasizes compassionate, personal care, gives my patients the best chance for survival and quality of life.

In addition to giving lectures world-wide, I perform regular surgical missions to Africa to treat women with injuries caused by childbirth.

I joined the dermatology department at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2006. My specialty is dermatology and Mohs micrographic surgery. This surgery is a highly effective and precise method for treating primarily basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin by removing cancerous tissue while sparing healthy tissue. I also have a special interest in treating patients with multiple skin cancers as well as those diagnosed with less common types of skin cancer. I strive to provide every one of my patients with thorough, compassionate care that is custom tailored to his or her particular needs.

I entered the field of dermatology because I enjoy the tangible nature of skin lesions as well as the opportunity to get to know patients. Often, there are many reasonable approaches to treating skin cancers. I consider it my responsibility and privilege to work with you and your local dermatologist to determine the best approach.

In addition to treating patients, my research interests include strategies for preventing the development of skin cancers, diagnosing them non-invasively, and treating them with topical medications. I also have advanced training in bioethics (MBE) and actively participate in Fox Chase's IRB [Institutional Review Board]. I have published several articles and book chapters, and am actively involved in clinical trials.

I came to the department of surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 1991, moving from San Francisco to join one of the country's first multispecialty head and neck cancer teams. Since then, I have dedicated my career to curing as many patients with head and neck cancer as possible, while providing all of them with the best quality of life.

I recognized years ago that many patients with head and neck cancer could be cured and enjoy a high quality of life if they were treated with radiation and sometimes with chemotherapy, instead of with operations. As a result, I have worked closely with other cancer specialists to care for many patients without radical surgery. The Fox Chase Cancer Center team is well-known and highly regarded because we work together to offer each patient the treatments that will help them best.

Head and neck cancer is uncommon, and modern treatment of head and neck cancer can be complex. Our experienced and talented team employs skills developed through years of working together to cure patients with these rare tumors. We draw together common threads to craft a plan for each patient. The head and neck surgeon must be willing to recommend care that does not involve an operation for those patients who do not need surgery. As radiation and chemotherapy treatments improve, major operations have become less necessary in the care of patients with head and neck cancer.

However, all too many patients still need operations for their primary tumor or for recurrent cancer. For these cases, we have refined and developed techniques for the safe removal and sophisticated reconstruction necessary to cure cancers of the head and neck, while allowing patients to pursue a high quality of life. In addition, I am honored to have played a role in the development and execution of important clinical trials that have led to improvements in quality of life for many patients with head and neck cancer. I believe in treating patients in the same way that I would want a member of my family to be treated. By listening to each patient, and after a thorough discussion of all the available treatments, I strive to develop an individually-tailored treatment plan--one that offers the best chance for cure but also recognizes the importance of quality of life.

I believe in treating patients in the same way that I would want a member of my family to be treated. By listening to each patient, and after a thorough discussion of all the available treatments, I strive to develop an individually-tailored treatment plan--one that offers the best chance for cure but also recognizes the importance of quality of life.

To achieve that goal, I use my experience in performing minimally invasive (video-assisted or VATS) techniques, such as VATS lobectomy, to remove malignant lung tumors. Patients benefit with a significant decrease in pain and more rapid return to normal activities.

We can offer potentially curative surgery to patients who might not have qualified in the past. I am the first surgeon in the Delaware Valley to investigate the use of ultrasound bronchoscopy (endobronchial ultrasound) to evaluate lymph nodes in the chest, a procedure that can potentially reduce the need for invasive surgery. I also offer robotic surgery for chest tumors.

I have dedicated my surgical career to treating cancers that involve the chest. Lung cancer, esophageal cancer, mediastinal tumors, Pancoast tumors and tumors of the chest wall and other thoracic cancers are best treated by a team of physicians. Fox Chase Cancer Center pioneered this team approach and that is one of the reasons why I joined the Center in 2001.

I have been the principal investigator or co-investigator of a number of national and international clinical trials. I have authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles, presentations and a book for patients and families.

My research is based on working with patients; thus, it is called clinical research. Before a new treatment can be widely offered, it must be closely studied and compared with the current standard treatments. Designing these studies requires the latest medical and scientific knowledge, sensitivity to the best needs of the patient and strong ethical principles. Patients benefit from my involvement in research, because I am aware of and able to offer the latest treatment approaches.

I have always wanted to be and considered it an honor to be a physician, a privilege that I hold sacrosanct and a responsibility I take very seriously. My ultimate commitment is to my patients whose best interest I hold paramount. By direct patient care, I endeavor to make a difference in current patients' lives and by research and teaching I hope to positively impact the lives of future patients.

I joined the Fox Chase Cancer Center in October of 2008, as Director of Thoracic Oncology in the Department of Medical Oncology after having worked in the thoracic division of the H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. I joined Fox Chase Cancer Center owing to its very collegial working paradigm; a coterie of outstanding clinicians working in tandem with exceptional basic scientists, all working towards the common goal of enhancing the life expectancies of patients with lung and other cancers and improving the quality of their lives.

Clinically, I specialize in malignancies of the chest, which primarily consist of the various types of lung cancer and mesothelioma. My special interests lie in developing the individualized treatment strategies for patients based on their tumor's molecular profile. Having described the prognostic significance of ERCC1, I was part of team of physicians that investigated the use of ERCC1 as a clinical decision making tool. Additionally, we also showed that chemotherapy for advanced disease or Stage IV could be tailored based on the patients' molecular profile and this could improve response rates and survival. I hope to continue this line investigation at the Fox Chase Cancer Center.

In mesothelioma, we are exploring novel drug combinations both in previously treated and untreated patients.

In the laboratory, we study nuclear excision repair and its effect on the bulky DNA adducts generated by some of the newer platinums. We are also working towards identifying treatment strategies for Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, based on markers of nuclear excision repair.

A second area of investigation in the laboratory is glucose metabolism in tumors. Tumors utilize glucose as its primary energy source. We are exploring ways to selectively deprive tumors of glucose in an effort to impede tumor cell growth, enhance tumor cell kill and augment the efficacy of cytotoxic agents.

I believe in treating patients as I would my own family. I strive to communicate effectively with patients and family members at all levels. Through extensive discussions with my patients, I develop treatment plans that are both effective and acknowledge that quality of life issues are exceptionally important. I emphasize individually tailored treatments to help patients achieve success and limit treatment-related side effects which can affect quality of life.

I am sensitive to the particular issues regarding surgical treatment of genitourinary cancer, especially the physical and emotional effects on patients and their family. By fostering a doctor-patient relationship based on mutual respect and open dialogue, I encourage patients to become empowered managers of their care.

As one of the first fellowship-trained laparoscopic urologic oncologists in the region, I am specially trained in nerve-sparing, organ sparing and organ reconstructive surgical techniques for men and women. These strategies are essential for preserving normal functions. For instance, I perform kidney sparing surgery whenever possible to avoid future risks of dialysis. For prostate or testicular surgery, nerve preservation is essential; and when bladder removal is necessary, reconstruction of a new (neobladder) is my preferred approach.

Professionally, I have published more than 100 journal papers in urologic oncology and have lectured extensively regionally, nationally and internationally on the topics of kidney, prostate, bladder, and testicular cancer. I am the principle investigator or co-investigator on multiple national and regional clinical trials in urologic oncology. Because of my research and extensive membership in professional organizations, I am among the first to know what is new in urologic cancer treatment. Philadelphia Magazine has chosen me several times for its "Top Doctors" list.

During my fellowship training, I had the opportunity to learn about caring for sarcoma patients. I found working with these patients is challenging because of the varied types of tumors and their rarity.

When I joined the faculty of Fox Chase in 1996, I chose to continue seeing sarcoma patients in our multi-specialty practice. I work closely with Fox Chase pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and social workers to develop the best treatment option for each patient.

In addition, I am fascinated by the role of the immune system in helping to control cancers. This ongoing research has found its greatest promise to date in finding new treatment options for patients with melanomas and it continues to be evaluated. When I'm not seeing patients, I devote my energies to applying what we learn from research to developing new therapies for patients with sarcoma.