Clinical Challenges in Breast Surgery: Managing Breast Cancer Risk - From Assessment to Interventions

Breast cancer risk varies widely across patients, and surgeons play a central role in recognizing elevated risk and guiding appropriate management. In this episode, we review the spectrum of breast cancer risk and discuss practical strategies for risk assessment and risk reduction. We’ll cover surveillance, lifestyle interventions, risk-reducing medications, high-risk breast lesions, and prophylactic surgery—with an emphasis on translating the available evidence into individualized clinical care.

Hosts:

- Rashmi Kumar, MD, PhD

Resident, University of Michigan General Surgery Residency Program

Twitter/X: @RashmiJKumar

- Melissa Pilewskie, MD

Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist, Co-Director of the Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer, Michigan Medicine

Twitter/X: @MPilewskie

- Stephanie Downs-Canner, MD

Attending Breast Surgical Oncologist & Physician-Scientist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Program Director of the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Program

Twitter/X: @SDownsCanner

Learning Objectives: