News

Each year, the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation present the Humanism in Medicine Award to one practicing physician who provides effective, compassionate, and empathetic care to breast cancer patients. Duke Surgery would like to congratulate Lisa Tolnitch, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Advanced Oncologic and Gastrointestinal Surgery, for being the 2017 recipient of the Humanism in Medicine Award. Dr. Tolnitch is recognized for her continued efforts to provide breast cancer treatments to underinsured and uninsured patients in North Carolina.

Congratulations to Dr. Oluwadamilola “Lola” Fayanju, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Division of Advanced Oncologic and Gastrointestinal Surgery, for being selected as a KL2 Scholar through the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute. The objective of the KL2 program is to train and develop young investigators using state-of-the-art clinical and translational research methods.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer diagnosis for women in the United States, with over a quarter million new cases reported in 2016. While incidence rates have decreased in the U.S. since 2000, the treatment of breast cancer has become more varied and complex in recent years, with systemic therapy, surgery, and radiation offering diverse approaches to treatment. The success of these treatments varies from patient to patient, but a new study led by Dr. Rachel A.