Robert A. Wascher, MD, FACS – Surgical Oncologist
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“I strongly believe every patient should have as much information as possible about the biology of their cancer, as well as information about all of the available evidence-based approaches to treating their cancer,” says Dr. Robert Wascher.
Dr. Wascher is board certified and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology. In August 2011, he became a member of our integrated team of cancer experts at our hospital in suburban Phoenix, Arizona.
He says, “I view each patient as a unique person, with unique concerns and needs, and I embrace the Cancer Treatment Centers of America core concept that an empowered patient will make the best possible decisions regarding their treatment.”
Dr. Wascher adds, “Ultimately, as with all specialists who care for patients with cancer, my goal is to seek the best possible outcomes for every patient, and with the least possible risk. Using a multidisciplinary approach, I seek to provide every patient with compassionate, competent, honest, and evidence-based care that never quits.”
A surgical oncologist, Dr. Wascher treats a wide variety of cancers of the skin, breast, abdomen, gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, extremities, chest wall, and head and neck. He has a special interest in breast cancer, melanoma, soft tissue sarcomas, and tumors of the stomach.
Some of the advanced procedures Dr. Wascher performs are less invasive than traditional, open surgery. He notes, “For tumors within the abdomen, including many cases of colorectal or liver cancer, and stomach tumors, laparoscopic surgery can significantly decrease postoperative discomfort and speed up recovery from surgery.”
Additionally, Dr. Wascher points to Covidien’s microwave ablation system, the SPY Intraoperative Imaging System and Intraoperative Radiation Therapy (IORT) as examples of innovative surgical tools and technology he is able to utilize at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Intraoperative imaging and IORT can benefit patients fighting breast cancer, while microwave ablation can be used to destroy tumors in the liver and other organs.
Prior to completing medical school on a U.S. Army scholarship, Dr. Wascher earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences (with honors in research) from the University of California, Irvine. He graduated magna cum laude with a medical degree from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska.
Dr. Wascher completed a surgical internship at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, California, followed by a fellowship in neurosurgery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Wascher went on to complete residency training in surgery at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was then assigned to Darnall Army Hospital in Fort Hood, Texas.
While assigned to Fort Hood, Dr. Wascher served as Chairman of the Cancer Program at Darnall Army Hospital, as well as the Chief of General Surgery. Subsequently, Dr. Wascher completed a research and clinical fellowship in surgical oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California.
After completion of his fellowship, Dr. Wascher returned to Tripler Army Medical Center as the Chief of Surgical Oncology, and as Director of Research for Tripler’s General Surgery Residency Program. While stationed in Honolulu, Dr. Wascher was also appointed as a Clinical Associate Professor in the Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the University of Hawaii’s renowned Cancer Research Center. He also served on the state of Hawaii’s Life Sciences Council.
In 2006, Dr. Wascher retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel, and was appointed as the Director of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey, and as Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. He went on to serve as Physician-in-Chief for Surgical Oncology for Kaiser Permanente in Orange County, California before joining CTCA. Dr. Wascher also remains a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of California, Irvine.
Dr. Wascher belongs to several national and international professional associations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Medical Association, and the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, among others.
Dr. Wascher is the author of A Cancer Prevention Guide for the Human Race, an evidence-based cancer prevention book for lay readers. He has also been published in leading clinical journals, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Annals of Surgical Oncology, The British Journal of Cancer, Cancer Treatment and Research, Cancer, and Current Surgery.
Dr. Wascher is the founder and editor of Weekly Health Update, a global online health information site. Additionally, he serves as a consultant in surgery, oncology and public health for numerous healthcare organizations, including LIVESTRONG (The Lance Armstrong Foundation), Sharecare (a collaboration of Jeff Arnold and Dr. Mehmet Oz, in partnership with Harpo Studios, HSW International, Sony Pictures Television and the Discovery Television Network), Know Cancer, Physician Nexus, and eHealth Forum, among other organizations.
Other Surgical Oncologists at Western
- David A. Litvak, MD
Chief of Staff, Surgical Oncologist - Edgar D. Staren, MD, PhD, MBA
President and CEO at CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center, Surgical Oncologist
