Dr. Jennifer Tseng emphasizes the progress that physicians have made in treating breast cancer, a disease that will affect one out of every eight women during their lifetimes.
The star surgeon at City of Hope Orange County is currently leading a groundbreaking clinical trial of robot-assisted surgery, which provides a minimally invasive procedure. It is the first clinical trial in the U.S. for robotic mastectomies, with the goal of bringing the technology to Orange County.
“This trial underscores that we are offering treatment options far different from a decade ago, even five years ago,” Tseng told the Business Journal on Sept. 24. “The minimally invasive surgery trial is progressing well.”
Tseng is medical director of breast surgery at City of Hope Orange County.
Breast Cancer Awareness
Tseng, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, won a Women in Business Award at the Business Journal’s 29th annual event last October.
The month itself holds special significance.
“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is a good time to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and to provide hope to the 1 in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes,” Tseng said.
“We are evaluating the efficacy of robotic-assisted, single-incision mastectomies, comparing outcomes to open surgery. The minimally invasive procedure could potentially lead to significant improvements in breast surgery,” Tseng said.
Historically, cuts were made at the bottom of the breast to take out cancerous tissues.
The new, robotic surgery allows a single-incision, minimally invasive mastectomy at the side of the breast, reducing the scar from 4 inches long to 1 inch long.
A mastectomy is a surgical procedure involving the removal of all or part of the breast.
Tseng is widely regarded as one of the nation’s foremost experts in breast cancer surgery, the City of Hope said last October.
Many Patients Interested
Speaking of the experiences at City of Hope Orange County, she said many patients have expressed interest.
“Of course, as in any clinical trial, we have to ensure that the patient meets the criteria. This study is open to patients in the early stages of breast cancer. We expect to enroll more patients over the next several months,” the surgeon said.
Tseng watched a robot help doctors perform a mastectomy at a hospital in Milan in 2018, furthering her interest in the procedure.
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women and is considered the leading cause of mortality among cancers in gynecology and obstetrics.
The global five-year incidence of breast cancer is more than 43 million cases, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Mastectomies have changed dramatically in recent decades as it’s often no longer necessary to remove the entire breast, Tseng told the Business Journal a year ago.
Nowadays, techniques exist for nipple sparing surgeries, and only the cancerous portions are removed, she said.
FDA Approval Needed
It’s been challenging to use robots for mastectomies because FDA approval is first needed.
The robotic surgery doesn’t mean the machine oversees the operation, Tseng said.
“The surgeon controls the robot at all times,” Tseng said. “We control every single movement of the robot. Robotic surgery isn’t like a self-driving vehicle.”
She said it’s “vital that women be screened for breast cancer, and mammograms are the most reliable screening available.”
“In addition, I always encourage women to advocate for their health,” she said.
As for the much talked about immunotherapy cancer treatments, Tseng said: “Immunotherapies hold tremendous promise in treating many kinds of cancer, including breast cancer.”
