Press Date: 08/13/2009
Grant Medical Center increased its capacity to provide advanced procedures to cancer patients with the Aug. 3 appointment of surgeon Alicia Terando, MD, to the staff of Surgical Oncology Associates of Ohio on the Grant Medical Center campus.
Dr. Terando joins Brenda Sickle-Santanello, MD, who has more than 20 years of oncology experience, in the practice dedicated to the treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous conditions, mainly of the breast, skin and thyroid.
The 36-year-old surgical oncologist has extensive training and research experience in cancer surgery and immunotherapy, a type of treatment against breast and skin cancer that activates the body's natural defenses to disrupt the growth of cancer cells.
She is a recent graduate of the John Wayne Cancer Institute (in Santa Monica, California) fellowship in surgical oncology, where her research focused on the development of vaccines for the treatment of advanced melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer.
"These are very difficult tumors to treat and one of the best treatment options for patients uses techniques that boost the immune system," Dr. Terando said. These techniques include the application of creams for early lesions on sensitive areas such as the face, and the injection of weakened bacteria (BCG) into certain types of melanoma recurrences that cannot be completely removed.
A native of the Washington, D.C. area, Dr. Terando earned her Doctor of Medicine Degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She completed her residency training at the University of Michigan, where she was a research fellow in its Center for Immunology and Immunotherapy.
Her background supports comprehensive management of breast cancer patients, for whom she is trained to apply the most recent advances in breast conservation therapy, including nipple-sparing mastectomies, to ensure the most effective result with the least amount of trauma and disfiguration.
Dr. Terando is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research; the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She also is an associate fellow with the American College of Surgeons.
She accepted her appointment at Grant after sorting through several outstanding career opportunities. "I felt like Grant was the best fit for me," she said. "I was impressed with its high degree of professionalism and the personal nature of its patient care that's not always possible at a larger hospital."
She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry in 1994 from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, laying the foundation for a career that has been devoted to improving cancer care. "There is something very satisfying about being able to cure a patient with our interventions," she said.
Dr. Terando lives in New Albany with her husband Sean, an information technology network specialist, and the couple's two children, ages three and five. She devotes spare time to her family and environmental pursuits that include home composting and retrofitting the family home to be more energy efficient.
Medical Specialty Foundation
The OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation employs more than 200 physicians in primary care and a wide range of specialties, giving patients access to one of the leading health systems in the nation. Members of the OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation serve on the medical staffs of OhioHealth's hospitals. Physicians in the Foundation collaborate closely with each other and their colleagues at OhioHealth's inpatient and outpatient care sites to develop the strategies and plans that result in patients receiving a comprehensive range of accessible, expert care.
The OhioHealth Medical Specialty Foundation was created with the patient in mind. The goal was to create an infrastructure that fosters and enables the delivery of the highest quality, most effective healthcare available. A seamless partnership with physicians helps us fulfill our mission to "improve the health of those we serve."
