Dr. Mehra Golshan of Yale Visits KFSYSCC to Share New Directions in Personalized Breast Cancer Care
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when the global conversation moves from awareness to action. This year, Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center (KFSYSCC) marked the month by welcoming an international leader in breast cancer surgery: Dr. Mehra Golshan from the Yale School of Medicine.
On October 24, Dr. Golshan met with KFSYSCC’s breast cancer team along with our diagnostic and therapeutic radiology teams for a focused academic exchange. Together, we explored how today’s breast cancer care is becoming more precise, more personalized, and more multidisciplinary.
A World-Class Expert in Breast Cancer Surgery
Dr. Golshan is a Professor of Surgical Oncology at Yale University and serves as Clinical Director for Breast Cancer. He has led multiple international clinical trials and is widely recognized for advancing:
Personalized breast cancer surgical strategies
Innovative approaches to preoperative (neoadjuvant) treatment planning
His visit created a valuable opportunity for KFSYSCC clinicians to compare strategies, discuss complex cases, and learn from global experience.
Key Topics: Oligometastatic Disease and Multidisciplinary Treatment
The exchange focused on two major areas:
1) Managing oligometastatic breast cancer
Oligometastatic disease refers to breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast, but only to a limited number of sites. It often requires careful decision-making: what combination of surgery, radiation, systemic therapy, and monitoring offers the best outcomes and quality of life?
Dr. Golshan and KFSYSCC clinicians discussed practical decision pathways and how to strengthen care by combining:
Radiation therapy
Image-guided techniques (using imaging to precisely target treatment)
Molecular biomarkers (tumor markers that help guide treatment choices)
The goal was clear: more precise treatment, better outcomes, and better quality of life.
2) Multidisciplinary management of breast cancer
The second theme was the value of multidisciplinary care, where specialists collaborate closely to design a plan that fits the individual patient. This approach is increasingly central to modern breast cancer care, especially for complex or higher-risk cases.
“We’ve Been On the Right Path”: KFSYSCC’s 35-Year Commitment to Team-Based Care
Dr. Ben Long Yu, convener (lead) of KFSYSCC’s breast cancer team, shared how Dr. Golshan’s research reinforced KFSYSCC’s long-standing approach:
“Dr. Golshan’s research helps confirm that KFSYSCC has been on the right path for the past 35 years. We use a multidisciplinary team model that integrates breast surgery, radiation oncology, diagnostic radiology, pathology, and psychosocial care to tailor the best plan for every patient.”
At KFSYSCC, we believe that excellent outcomes come from both clinical expertise and true collaboration across specialties.
Our Outcomes: Using Data to Tell the Story
During the exchange, KFSYSCC also shared recent breast cancer outcome trends and registry-based survival data.
Based on information from Taiwan’s National Health Administration cancer registry center, the age-adjusted average 5-year observed survival rate for women with invasive breast cancer (2013–2017) was:
KFSYSCC: 91%
Taiwan national average: 86%
Average for Taiwan medical centers: 87%
KFSYSCC’s breast cancer patients also achieved a 10-year observed survival rate of 87%.
We attribute these results to our consistent commitment to:
A Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) approach
Patient-centered, integrated care
From Pink to Precision: Breast Cancer Awareness Month at KFSYSCC
The pink ribbon remains a powerful symbol, but modern breast cancer care is increasingly defined by precision. This year, KFSYSCC adopted the theme:
“From Awareness to Action, from Pink to Precision.”
By hosting international experts and sharing real-world results, we aim to connect Taiwan’s clinical experience with global best practices and keep moving forward together.
Reflections from Dr. Golshan
Dr. Golshan shared his impressions of KFSYSCC:
“I’m deeply impressed by KFSYSCC’s clinical quality and treatment outcomes. KFSYSCC demonstrates the clinical standards of a world-class cancer center and shows that multidisciplinary collaboration is a key driver of success in breast cancer care.”
Looking Ahead: Growing Through International Collaboration
KFSYSCC Chairman Dr. Andrew T. Huang emphasized that this visit represents a shared global mission:
“Dr. Golshan’s visit is not only an academic connection, but also reflects a global goal in breast cancer care: ensuring every patient receives the most appropriate and scientifically grounded treatment. We will continue strengthening international collaboration as we move into a new era of medicine.”
KFSYSCC will continue to promote international exchange, expand precision approaches, and strengthen multidisciplinary care, always with one goal: helping each patient receive the right treatment at the right time.