Rebecca Aft

Rebecca Aft is an American surgical oncologist and breast cancer researcher. Holds the inaugural title of Moley Professor of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Aft studies the mechanisms of breast cancer metastasis and explores potential targets for treatment. Her work has identified the anti-metastatic effects of bisphosphonates in patients with breast cancer.

Early life and education Aft was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She left St. Louis to pursue a PhD in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. at the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research. Following the completion of her PhD in 1983, Aft completed post-doctoral studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Aft is a full Professor of Surgery in the Division of General Surgery and Section of Surgical Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Aft also operates at the John Cochran Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Louis. She also holds a position on a committee of faculty involved in medical student admissions at Washington University School of Medicine. In a randomized controlled trial published in the Lancet in 2010 that women who take bisphosphonates during chemotherapy treatment have less disseminated tumor cells (DCTs) in their bone marrow. In women with triple negative breast cancer, patients who took bisphosphopnates after treatment were less likely to have metastasis (cite, cite).

Robotic-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomies

Aft is also part of a multi-institutional research effort to explore the possibility of minimally invasive and nipple sparing breast surgery on patients with breast cancer. Along with 8 other institutions, Aft leads the Washington University School of Medicine effort to conduct a randomized controlled trial of mastectomies with and without a robot. 2011 - Jewish Light Unsung Hero Award

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