eOncology Report

With regional director, breast health gets a statewide push

Laurel C. Soot, M.D., F.A.C.S., has been named regional clinical director of breast health for Providence Cancer Center. In this role, Dr. Soot will develop a statewide, multidisciplinary breast care program at Providence Health & Services facilities throughout Oregon.

This includes facilitating consensus-developed standards of care, developing protocols for breast health and breast cancer treatment, and overseeing data collection and analysis in the Providence Breast Health Registry. She also will work to obtain national breast center accreditation for the Providence Safeway Foundation Breast Center at Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence St. Vincent Ruth J. Spear Breast Center.

A physician partner with The Oregon Clinic and active practicing surgeon at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Dr. Soot helped to found the Ruth J. Spear Breast Center at Providence St. Vincent and serves as the center’s co-medical director. The center has been credited for improving care of patients as they transition from radiological screening to surgical evaluation and treatment, for both benign and malignant breast disease.

Approximately 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States. Dr. Soot is committed to a model of coordinated care for breast health, and one which enhances related programs such as screening, research, surgery, social services and integrative medicine.

“Dr. Soot will be working with our Providence programs across the area as regional clinical director of breast health,” said Calvin Harrison, executive director of cancer services and regional research for Providence Cancer Center. “Our goal is to make breast health education and services accessible to people throughout Oregon and southwest Washington who might not have had such services available.”