Elizabeth Berger, MD, MS, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery (Oncology, Breast)Cards
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About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Surgery (Oncology, Breast)
Biography
Dr. Elizabeth Berger is an Assistant Professor of Breast Surgical Oncology, and cares for patients as part of The Center for Breast Cancer at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale Cancer Center in New Haven. Dr. Berger received her Medical Degree from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. She completed a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she was selected as the Breast Cancer Alliance Fellow. She received her Master of Science in Health Services and Outcomes Research from Northwestern University and did a General Surgery Residency at Loyola University Medical Center.
Dr. Berger was an American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Scholar-in-Residence from 2014 to 2016. Her focus at the ACS was in breast cancer research and outcomes. Her research focuses on improving health outcomes for breast cancer patients, including perioperative surgical quality, cancer care quality measure development, and assessment of national accreditation in breast cancer surgery. Dr. Berger has published in several high impact journals such as JAMA, Annals of Surgery, and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, as well as contributed chapters to several surgical textbooks. She has also served on national quality committees, including being a part of the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).
Appointments
Surgical Oncology
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Cancer Prevention and Control
- Center for Breast Cancer
- Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- The Breast Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Medicine
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2020)
- MS
- Northwestern University, Health Services and Outcomes Research (2016)
- Residency
- Loyola University Medical Center (2016)
- MD
- Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (2012)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Rachel Greenup, MD, MPH
Gregory Zanieski, MD, FACS
Mehra Golshan, MD, MBA
Donald Lannin, MD
Anees Chagpar, MD, MBA, MPH, FACS, FRCS(C)
Cary Gross, MD
Publications
2024
ASO Visual Abstract: National Patterns of Hospital Admission Versus Home Recovery Following Mastectomy for Breast Cancer
Kim L, Moore M, Schneider E, Canner J, Ayyala H, Chen J, Anant P, Graetz E, Lynch M, Zanieski G, Gillego A, Valero M, Proussaloglou E, Berger E, Golshan M, Greenup R, Park T. ASO Visual Abstract: National Patterns of Hospital Admission Versus Home Recovery Following Mastectomy for Breast Cancer. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2024, 31: 9113-9113. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-024-16259-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNational Patterns of Hospital Admission Versus Home Recovery Following Mastectomy for Breast Cancer
Kim L, Moore M, Schneider E, Canner J, Ayyala H, Chen J, Anant P, Graetz E, Lynch M, Zanieski G, Gillego A, Valero M, Proussaloglou E, Berger E, Golshan M, Greenup R, Park T. National Patterns of Hospital Admission Versus Home Recovery Following Mastectomy for Breast Cancer. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2024, 31: 9088-9099. PMID: 39322830, DOI: 10.1245/s10434-024-16107-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsHR patientsLymph nodesRate of neoadjuvant chemotherapyHospital admissionNational patterns of careEmergency departmentDecrease wound complicationsNeoadjuvant chemo-Hospital re-admissionNeoadjuvant chemotherapyIn-hospital admissionRate of reconstructionPerioperative outcomesPostoperative hematomaComplication ratePostoperative complicationsWound complicationsHome recoveryPatterns of careBreast cancerMastectomyEmergency room visitsMultivariate analysisComplicationsPatientsIncidence of Pathologic Nodal Disease in Clinically Node-Negative, Microinvasive or T1a Breast Cancers
Dey P, Kc M, Proussaloglou E, Khubchandani J, Kim L, Zanieski G, Park T, Lynch M, Gillego A, Valero M, Schneider E, Golshan M, Greenup R, Berger E. Incidence of Pathologic Nodal Disease in Clinically Node-Negative, Microinvasive or T1a Breast Cancers. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2024, 31: 8821-8828. PMID: 39240394, DOI: 10.1245/s10434-024-16124-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTriple-negative breast cancerClinically node-negativePathologically node-negativePN+ diseaseNode-negativeBreast cancerYears of ageNodal diseaseHR-/HER2Significant comorbiditiesEpidermal growth factor receptor 2-positiveOdds of node positivityRate of nodal diseaseTriple-positive breast cancerTriple positive breast cancerEarly-stage breast cancerHR-positive/HER2-negativePathologic nodal diseasePathologic nodal positivityPredictors of pN+T1a breast cancerHR-/HER2+Sentinel node biopsyNational Cancer DatabasePathologic nodal stage
2023
Ancillary Treatment Referrals and Visits After Breast Cancer Surgery in a Sociodemographically Diverse Population
Chan V, Heller D, Berger E, Capozza S, Greenup R, Sanft T. Ancillary Treatment Referrals and Visits After Breast Cancer Surgery in a Sociodemographically Diverse Population. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2023, 30: 5637-5648. PMID: 37266804, DOI: 10.1245/s10434-023-13431-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsBreast cancer surgeryHealth care accessCancer surgeryMultivariable analysisAncillary treatmentHigher median household incomeHispanic ethnicityCare accessYale New Haven Health SystemBreast cancer surgical patientsPoor health care accessMedian household incomeEnd pointMultivariable logistic regression analysisHealth systemHigh school degreeCancer surgical patientsPrimary end pointLogistic regression analysisUrban cancer centerPostoperative referralPostoperative morbidityAdjunctive therapyProvider referralSurgical patientsASO Visual Abstract: Ancillary Treatment Referrals and Visits After Breast Cancer Surgery in a Sociodemographically Diverse Population
Chan V, Heller D, Berger E, Capozza S, Greenup R, Sanft T. ASO Visual Abstract: Ancillary Treatment Referrals and Visits After Breast Cancer Surgery in a Sociodemographically Diverse Population. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2023, 30: 5651-5652. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-023-13610-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2022
ASO Visual Abstract: Comparison of Outcomes Between BRCA Pathogenic Variant Carriers Undergoing Breast-Conserving Surgery and Those Treated With Mastectomy
Shubeck S, Sevilimedu V, Berger E, Robson M, Heerdt A, Pilewskie M. ASO Visual Abstract: Comparison of Outcomes Between BRCA Pathogenic Variant Carriers Undergoing Breast-Conserving Surgery and Those Treated With Mastectomy. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2022, 29: 4714-4715. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-022-11813-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAncillary treatment referrals and visits after breast cancer surgery in a sociodemographically diverse population.
Chan V, Heller D, Berger E, Capozza S, Greenup R, Sanft T. Ancillary treatment referrals and visits after breast cancer surgery in a sociodemographically diverse population. Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2022, 40: 1533-1533. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.1533.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBreast cancer surgeryProvider referralCancer surgeryMultivariable analysisHigher median household incomeHispanic ethnicityYale New Haven Health SystemMedian household incomeMultivariable logistic regression analysisHealth systemHigh school degreeLarge urban health systemPost-operative morbidityBreast cancer patientsUrban health systemZip codesLogistic regression analysisUrban cancer centerPoor healthcare accessElectronic health recordsAncillary therapySchool degreeCancer CenterCancer patientsTreatment referralASO Visual Abstract: Association of Medicaid Expansion on Postmastectomy Reconstruction Rates
Le Blanc J, Golshan M, Lannin D, Greenup R, Berger E, Saridakis A, Horowitz N, Zanieski G, Avraham T, Mastrioanni M, Park T. ASO Visual Abstract: Association of Medicaid Expansion on Postmastectomy Reconstruction Rates. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2022, 29: 2191-2192. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-021-10944-9.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
ASO Visual Abstract: Assessing Interobserver Variability of Cosmetic Outcome Assessment in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conservation Surgery
Chagpar A, Berger E, Alperovich M, Zanieski G, Avraham T, Lannin D. ASO Visual Abstract: Assessing Interobserver Variability of Cosmetic Outcome Assessment in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breast Conservation Surgery. Annals Of Surgical Oncology 2021, 28: 632-632. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-021-10584-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsHow did the COVID crisis affect use of neoadjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer?
Chagpar A, Lannin D, Mougalian S, Berger E, Gross C, Horowitz N, Sanft T, DiGiovanna M, Golshan M, Pusztai L. How did the COVID crisis affect use of neoadjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer? Journal Of Clinical Oncology 2021, 39: e18708-e18708. DOI: 10.1200/jco.2021.39.15_suppl.e18708.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUse of NTNeoadjuvant therapyEarly pandemic periodBreast cancerNon-metastatic breast cancerPractice settingsEarly pandemicFlatiron Health databaseNeoadjuvant endocrine therapyTechnology-enabled abstractionSame period one yearSimilar clinicopathologic featuresLongitudinal electronic health recordsPeriod one yearElectronic health recordsTNBC subsetEndocrine therapyPatient ageTN patientsClinicopathologic featuresContemporary cohortClinical stageCancer clinicCancer managementHigh risk
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor Health Policy Scholarship
National AwardACS (American College of Surgeons) FoundationDetails09/12/2022United States
Clinical Care
Overview
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Learn More on Yale MedicineBreast Cancer in Men
Learn More on Yale MedicineCancer Surgery
Learn More on Yale MedicineSentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
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Board Certifications
General Surgery
- Certification Organization
- AB of Surgery
- Original Certification Date
- 2019
Yale Medicine News
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News
- December 11, 2024
Drs. Elizabeth Berger and Jennifer Ogilvie Appointed to Faculty Advisory Council
- September 11, 2024
Yale Cancer Center Team Receives Yosemite—American Cancer Society Award
- August 23, 2024Source: Everyday Health
‘Boy Meets World’ Actress Diagnosed With Stage 0 Breast Cancer
- August 01, 2024Source: WTNH News 8
Connecticut Families: Hamden couple raises awareness of breast cancer in men
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Are You a Patient? View this doctor's clinical profile on the Yale Medicine website for information about the services we offer and making an appointment.