Assistant Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology
Breast Cancer
I count it as a privilege to be able to devote my surgical practice exclusively to the care of patients with breast cancer, collaborating with the remarkable multidisciplinary team at Fox Chase Cancer Center to provide world-class breast cancer care.
A diagnosis of breast cancer can be incredibly frightening, but from the very first consultation, I make it a priority to show patients that there is a path forward, and that the advances in care for breast cancer may make their journey through treatment and into survivorship easier than they are anticipating. As a former high school teacher, I also view every patient encounter as an opportunity to educate. I consider it to be my responsibility that patients and their loved ones understand their diagnosis and each of their treatment options, spending as much time as necessary to ensure they are equipped to make decisions that are right for them.
I also approach the treatment of breast cancer as a researcher, constantly evaluating whether we can improve aspects of our treatment strategies. Whether it is attempting to understand and dismantle barriers to patient access to high quality care, studying whether we can de-escalate the amount of surgery we perform, or probing the inner workings of a patient’s specific tumor cells, I am committed to delivering the most innovative and cutting-edge breast cancer care to each of my patients.
A few years ago, when I was 46, something unusual showed up on my yearly mammogram. So they did an ultrasound and said I should come back every six months for monitoring for the next two years.
For 18 months, there was no change. Then, in April of 2023, I went for my last follow-up scan. When we finished, instead of sending me home, the radiologist came into the room to talk to me. I knew then that something wasn’t right.
Williams, A.D., Khan, A.J., Sevilimedu, V., Barrio, A.V., Morrow, M., Mamtani, A. Omission of Intraoperative Frozen Section May Reduce Axillary Overtreatment Among Clinically Node-Negative Patients Having Upfront Mastectomy. Ann Surg Onc. ePub Aug 2022.
Williams, A.D., Dang, C.T., Sevilimedu, V., Morrow, M., Barrio, A.V. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in the elderly: are we accomplishing our treatment goals? Ann Surg Onc. ePub Jul 2022.
Williams, A.D., Ciocca, R.M., Sabol, J.L., Carp, N.Z. The use of neoadjuvant therapy increases the rate of breast conservation in men with locally advanced breast cancer. Clinical Breast Cancer. Jun 2022. 22(4):343-358.
Williams, A.D., Chang, C., Wang, C., Sigurdson, E.R., Aggon, A.A., Porpiglia, A., Hill, M.V., Bleicher, R.J. Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and delays in surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ: implications for the coronavirus pandemic. Ann Surg Onc. Mar 2022. 29(3):1683–1691.
Williams, A.D., Buckley, M., Ciocca, R.M., Sabol, J.L., Larson, S.L., Carp, N.Z. Racial and Economic Disparities in Breast Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Pennsylvania. Breast Cancer Res Treat. Feb 2022. 192:191–200.
Williams, A.D., Ciocca, R.M., Sabol, J.L., Carp, N.Z. Institutions treating breast cancer patients of a low socioeconomic status achieve multidisciplinary quality standards at lower rates. Ann Surg Onc. Oct 2021. 28(10):5635-5647.
Williams, A.D., McGreevy, C., Tchou, J., De La Cruz, L. Utility of Oncotype DX in Male Breast Cancer Patients and Impact on Chemotherapy Administration- A Comparative Study with Female Patients. Ann Surg Onc. Oct 2020. 27(10):3605-3611.
Williams, A.D., Bleicher, R., Ciocca, R. Breast cancer risk, screening and prevalence among sexual minority women: an analysis of the National Health Interview Survey. LGBT Health. Feb/Mar 2020. 7(2):109-118.
Williams, A.D., Arlow, R., Reyes, S., Tchou, J., De La Cruz, L. Is Age Trumping Genetic Profiling in Clinical Practice? Relationship of Chemotherapy Recommendation and Oncotype DX Recurrence Score in Patients <50 versus ≥50 and Trends Over Time. Ann Surg Onc. Oct 2018. 25(10):2875-2883.
Williams, A.D., So A., Synnestvedt M., Tewksbury C.M., Kontos D., Hsieh M.K., Pantalone L., Conant E.F., Schnall M., Dumon K., Williams N., Tchou J. Mammographic breast density decreases after bariatric surgery. Breast Cancer Res Treat. Oct 2017. 165(3):565-572.
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