Biliary Tract Cancer near Bayonne, NJ

Care Philosophy: Qun Dai, MD, PhD is a medical oncologist and hematologist at Staten Island University Hospital. She specializes in treating breast cancer and provides personalized care to ensure the best outcomes. She uses clinical assessment, biomarker features and genomic prediction to determine the appropriate treatment for her patients. She also uses molecular assays, such as next generation sequencing and immune markers, to identify additional treatment options. She emphasizes both treatment outcomes and patient quality of life. At Northwell Health, Dr. Dai works with a multidisciplinary team of doctors regularly and collaborates with breast surgeons, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and genetic counselors to create individualized treatment plans. Dr. Dai is also devoted to breast cancer prevention. She sees patients at high risk for breast cancer due to family history, atypical hyperplasia, and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). She provides recommendations for risk reduction measures. While she focuses on breast cancer, Dr. Dai also provides care for the patients with gynecologic malignancies such as ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer, and other types of solid tumors, as well as malignant and benign hematologic disorders. She is actively involved in clinical cancer research and participates in both institutional and nationwide clinical trials. She has published in peer-reviewed medical journals and is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Dai earned her medical degree from Nanjing Medical College in China and completed her residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine/Bronx VA Medical Center. She received fellowship training in hematology and oncology at the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She also earned a PhD in molecular biology at the New York University School of Medicine. She is now an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Dai finds helping her patients the most rewarding. I work to establish a good connection with my patients and their families so I can support them as they are going through their treatment process, she says.

Care Philosophy: Alexander Bershadskiy, MD, specializes in hematology, medical oncology, and internal medicine, and is based at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH). He is also an assistant professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and a board-certified Medical Director for SIUH Hospice.I went into medicine to help people,`` he says. ``I've always loved knowledge, and the idea of using that to get answers in a way that made people's lives better is compelling. The more I learned, the more questions I had, so I knew the best way forward was to study medicine. After earning his medical degree from St. Georges University School of Medicine, Dr. Bershadskiy completed his residency at Lenox Hill Hospital, followed by a fellowship at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. He joined Northwell Health in 2015. Dr. Bershadskiy chose oncology because it's a rapidly evolving field, and seems to have the most advances and research, with quickly changing treatment options. In his fellowship, he dove deeper into the nuances of hematology, which he also found fascinating. He brings that intellectual vigor and curiosity into patient care as well. `` Cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. I always strive to give patients the full scope of their condition, with a detailed explanation of treatment, so they can feel comfortable making the right decision for themselves,`` he says. Patients have taught me to be compassionate, empathetic, and humane.`` Patients benefit from the collaborative nature of Northwell, Dr. Bershadskiy adds. From tapping into the extensive resources at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute to consulting with a breadth of specialists throughout Northwell, he feels that the teamwork approach results in more patient-centric care. Dr. Bershadskiy has been involved in research, particularly clinical trials focused on stage 2 and stage 4 colon cancer, and he looks forward to opening more trials to advance the field and increase the chance of finding a cure for cancer. ``My main goal is to continue improving patient care in whatever way I can,`` he says.

Care Philosophy: Basem Nady Azab, MD, is the director of surgical oncology at Staten Island University Hospitals Florina Cancer Center at Northwell, one of the largest cancer programs in the New York metropolitan area. Hes the first and only doctor in the country who is triple board-certified by the American Board of Surgery, American Board of Medicine and American Board of Surgical Oncology. My father was a firefighter, and I developed the same passion for helping others, Dr. Azab explains. Thats why I became a doctor and chose a career path where I could really make a difference. Prior to joining Northwell, Dr. Azab completed his internal medicine and surgical residency at Staten Island University Hospital, where he received the honorary Humanistic Award for exceptional patient care. He continued his training in a two-year surgical oncology fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Azab's areas of focus include complex procedures and minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery to treat a wide range of cancers. Under his leadership, the Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) Program was created at Staten Island University Hospital, the first of its kind in Richmond County. It offers state-of-the-art therapies for patients with advanced abdominal cancer, pairing the latest treatments and surgical techniqueslike vascular reconstruction with Whipple surgeryto deliver the best results. Compassion and accessibility are also important to Dr. Azab. Most of my patients have my personal cell phone number, he says. Theyre very much involved in the treatment discussion, and we work together to find the best path forward. As assistant professor at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Dr. Azab trains the next generation of surgical oncologists. His work has been featured in nearly 5 publications, he has spoken at several international and national oncology meetings, and hes a member of numerous professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons. Outside of his professional duties, Dr. Azab is a master chess player. It's a game of strategy, much like the job of a surgeon, he explains. You must avoid decision fatigue and be on your toes, which is critical in the operating room. For Dr. Azab, the gift heis able to give patients is the most rewarding: It is gratifying to know that I play a part in helping my patients not only live, but also enjoy life moving forward, he says.