Richard J. Bleicher, MD, FACS

Richard Bleicher Updated Headshot

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Clinical Locations

  • Fox Chase Cancer Center
    333 Cottman Avenue
    Philadelphia, PA 19111
    Phone: 888-369-2427

Chief, Division of Breast Surgery

Director, Breast Fellowship Program

Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology

Attending Surgeon

Clinical Director, Breast Service Line

Specialties

  • Breast Surgical Oncology

Areas of Expertise

Breast Cancer

Treatment Focus

  • Novel Treatment Modalities for Breast Cancer
  • Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
  • Cosmetic Outcomes in the Treatment of Breast Cancer
  • Male Breast Cancer
  • Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia
  • Ductal Carcinoma in Situ
  • Timeliness of Treatment

Research Program

Distinctions

Treatment Philosophy

I am acutely aware of the impact that a breast cancer diagnosis has on an individual. I do my best to foster a positive environment in which to start my patients' course of treatment and take the time to explain the pros and cons of each treatment option, so that they can make an informed decision. My treatment philosophy also includes, not just an emphasis on successful treatment, but also preserving a good cosmetic outcome. I feel fortunate to be a fellowship trained, very highly specialized clinician practicing at Fox Chase Cancer Center, which is an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, because this combination of factors allows me, and our treatment team, to focus on one thing all day, every day, and do it well: curing breast cancer. Additionally, what may be rarely seen by others, such as unusual pathology results, complex cases, or rare clinical situations (such as male breast cancer or breast cancers whose primary tumor cannot be found), I see frequently. I enjoy using that experience to help individuals where it may be hard for them to find expertise for their specific concern. When it comes to curing breast cancers of all types, I think there is nothing more rewarding that I could do as a clinician. 

Follow on Twitter: @RichardBleicher 

Educational Background

  • Fellow, Basic Science Research, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Fellow, Surgical Oncology, John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, CA
  • Resident, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
  • MD, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 1994
  • BA, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1990

Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery - Surgery

Memberships

  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
    • Epic User Group Committee
  • American College of Surgeons
  • American College of Surgeons Oncology Group
  • American Medical Informatics Association
  • American Radium Society
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • Association for Academic Surgery
  • Oncology Group American
  • Society of Breast Surgeons
  • International Sentinel Node Society
  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network
  • Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
  • Society of Surgical Oncology
  • Society of University Surgeons 

Honors & Awards

  • Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors, 2017-20, 2023-24
  • Jamie Brooke Lieberman Remembrance Award, Susan G. Komen® Philadelphia, 2020
  • America's Top Doctors®, 2016-17
  • Best Doctors in America®, Best Doctors Inc., 2014
  • Breast Cancer Researcher of the Year Award for 2009, Adams County Breast Cancer Coalition
  • Sentinel Node 2002 Congress Young Investigator Award, 2002
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award, 2002 

Research Interests

Health services research, breast imaging, breast cancer, population studies; Sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer; Novel treatment modalities for breast cancer; Breast cancer clinical trials; Breast imaging and cancer outcomes, Disparities in breast cancer, Male and female breast cancer.

Selected Publications

Jordan, RM, Rivera-Sanchez L, Kelley K, O’Brien MA, Ruth K, Porpiglia AS, Aggon AA, Ross E, Sigurdson ER, Bleicher RJ. The Impact of an Electromagnetic Seed Localization Device as versus Wire Localization on Breast Conserving Surgery: A Matched Pair Analysis. Ann Surg Oncol 2023; 30 (7), 4111-4119. 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37012435/

Bleicher R.J., Moran M.S., Ruth K., Edge S.B., Dietz J.M., Wilke L.G., Stearns V., Kurtzman S.H., Klein J., Yao K.A., The impact of radiotherapy delay in breast conservation patients not receiving chemotherapy and the rationale for dichotomizing the radiation oncology time-dependent standard into two quality measures. Ann Surg Oncol. 29(1): 469-481, 2022.PMC9059503. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34324114.

Williams A.D., Chang C., Sigurdson E.R., Wang C.H., Aggon A.A., Hill M.V., Porpiglia A., Bleicher R.J., Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and delays in surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ: Implications for the coronavirus pandemic. Ann Surg Oncol. 29(3): 1683-1691, 2022.PMC8504964. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34635974.

Sharp N.E., Sachs D.B., Melchior N.M., Albaneze P., Nardello S., Sigurdson E.R., Deng M., Aggon A.A., Daly J.M., Bleicher R.J., Does the false-negative rate for 1 or 2 negative sentinel nodes after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy translate into a high local recurrence rate? Breast J. 27(4): 335-344, 2021.PMC8927898. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33709448.

Esposito AC, Crawford J, Sigurdson ER, Handorf EA, Hayes SB, Boraas M, Bleicher RJ. Omission of radiotherapy after breast conservation surgery in the postneoadjuvant setting. Journal of Surgical Research, 221:49-57, 2018. PMC5729922

Bleicher RJ, Ruth K, Sigurdson ER, Beck RJ, Ross E, Wong YN, Patel SA, Boraas M, Chang EI, Topham NS, Egleston BL. Time to surgery and breast cancer survival in the United States. In Press, JAMA Oncol 2015

Bleicher RJ, Ruth K, Sigurdson ER, Daly JM, Boraas M, Anderson P, Egleston BL. Breast Conservation Versus Mastectomy for T3 Primaries (>5 cm): A Review of 5,685 Medicare Patients. In Press, Cancer 2015.

Bleicher RJ. Reply to E. Peralta, et al. re: Breast MRI as it is, in contrast to how we wish it to be.  J Clin Oncol 2014; 32, 2818-2819.

Loveland-Jones C, Ruth K, Sigurdson ER, Egleston BL, Boraas M, Bleicher RJ. Breast conservation surgery in the Medicare patient: Will the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 Trial change the pattern of care? Br Cancer Res Treat 2014; 143, 571-7. [DOI 10.1007/s10549-014-2834-9, PubMed]

Bleicher RJ, Ruth K, Sigurdson ER, Ross E, Wong YN, Patel SA, Boraas M, Topham NS, Egleston BL. Preoperative delays in the United States Medicare population having breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2012; 30, 4485-92. [DOI 10.1200/JCO.2012.41.7972, PubMed]

Crivello M, Ruth K, Egleston BL, Sigurdson ER, Wong YN, Boraas M, Bleicher RJ. Advanced imaging modalities in early stage breast cancer– preoperative use in the United States Medicare Patient. Ann Surg Oncol 2013; 20: 102-10. [DOI 10.1245/s10434-012-2571-4, PubMed]

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