Why I Became a Breast Cancer Surgeon - Dr. Danielle Bertoni's Story

Hi, I'm Dr. Danielle Bertoni, a breast surgical oncologist at the Gregory Rhodes MD Cancer Center, and I've been treating cancer for 15 years. I decided I wanted to be a doctor when I was nine, originally thinking I would become a pediatrician. But during medical school, I did a surgery rotation and fell in love with it. I loved the idea of using my hands to fix something while still applying critical thinking. One of my mentors during that time, a chief resident, ended up going into breast surgical oncology—a field I hadn’t even heard of before then.

When I started my general surgery residency at Stanford, I spent a lot of time on breast surgery rotations during my first two years. One of the attending surgeons noticed my interest and said I had a natural inclination toward the field. At the time, I was still focused on working with children, but over time, my experiences began to shift my perspective. Stanford has a very strong oncology program, and the more I was exposed to it, the more I realized I wanted to focus on cancer. I loved everything about it—the clinic, the tumor boards, and the surgeries.

Later in my residency, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was living across the country in Connecticut, and it was incredibly difficult to be a busy surgical resident dealing with that kind of news from afar. That experience completely changed how I viewed my role in medicine. It gave me a new appreciation for the emotional and practical side of breast cancer care. I also learned that I had a strong family history of breast cancer—my grandmother, my mom’s aunt, and her cousins all had it. I found out that I myself am considered a high-risk patient. That personal experience helped me understand what it means for patients navigating a high-risk diagnosis.

As a breast surgical oncologist, I’m often the first person to see a patient after they receive their breast cancer diagnosis. It’s my job to walk them through everything—from the diagnosis and pathology to the full range of treatment options including medical oncology, radiation therapy, and surgery. Being that first point of contact means I answer a lot of questions, so it’s critical to have deep knowledge across all areas of breast cancer treatment.

What really drew me to this specialty is the multidisciplinary approach. Treating breast cancer requires close collaboration with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and others. I enjoy the teamwork and the opportunity to specialize deeply in one area while helping patients through every step of the journey. I look forward to meeting you. Please visit us at basscancercenter.com to learn more about me and how to schedule a visit.