Department of Surgery establishes new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery

UAB is continuing its world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

BreastCancer1Helen Krontiras, M.D., will serve as division director.The University of Alabama at Birmingham is continuing its efforts to provide world-class patient care with the establishment of a new Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery.

The breast and endocrine surgery team provides personalized, comprehensive care for patients with a broad array of benign and malignant tumors of the breast and thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. As members of the NCI-designated O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, surgeons are knowledgeable about the latest in breast and endocrine surgery research.

Helen Krontiras, M.D., the Kirby I. Bland, M.D., Endowed Professor of Surgery, will lead the division as director.

“I am thrilled with the opportunity to lead the inaugural Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery,” Krontiras said. “Growing this program clinically and academically will improve the care of the patients in our state and in the region.”

Krontiras, a breast surgical oncologist, also serves as the medical director of the UAB Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic.

Surgeons within the division will collaborate with members from the Department of Radiation Oncology, the Division of Hematology and Oncology, the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, the Division of Plastic Surgery, and the Department of Genetics to guide patients through the surgical decision-making process and provide innovative, advanced diagnostic and therapeutic options.

With this new addition, the current Division of Surgical Oncology will focus on both treating and studying various abdominal, gastrointestinal and soft tissue cancers using a multidisciplinary approach that seeks to personalize treatment for each patient. Marty Heslin, M.D., executive vice chair for the Department of Surgery, will serve as interim division director.