Honorary Member

Awardee Interview
 

 

Isabel T. Rubio – Breast Cancer Center, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Madrid, Spain

 

 

 

 

 

What have been the highlights of your career?

I have had the privilege of working in the field of breast cancer and have been involved in the development of new, less invasive surgical techniques that reduce morbidity and improve quality of life for patients. I have worked in research, and on training the future cancer surgeons. I am deeply convinced that patients treated at Breast cancer centers achieve better outcomes as well as  better quality of life through the collaboration with other specialists in the multidisciplinary care of cancer patients.

What is your next challenge?

I believe there is still room to improve. I will continue working on trying to expand high quality breast surgery for all patients, bringing the new innovations into the benefit of cancer patients.  I am also putting efforts on global health, ensuring to reduce the disparities in access to cancer care.

What do you think are the next challenges in your field?

The biggest challenges in the field of breast cancer are to achieve a real personalized treatment. And in the area of breast cancer surgery keep working on improving outcomes in the most complex cases, and bringing the gap between innovation, technology and outcomes. It is important that although we are experts in our field in the management of breast cancer patients, we need to work on improving the entire journey of cancer patients 

What does the award mean to you?

This is an incredible honor and recognition of the work I’ve dedicated my life to. And it is also a recognition of the work of all the team and collaborators that have worked together along the years. Of course, I am honored also for the trust my patients have placed on me.

What has been your involvement within ESTRO?

I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with ESTRO on educational programs, workshops, and have participated in research projects that integrate surgery and radiotherapy. Surgery and radiation therapy are part of the locoregional treatment in breast cancer and working together is the best way to achieve the better outcomes for our patients. I have very good relationships with many radiation oncologists that I admire.

To whom would you like to dedicate your award?

I have learnt a lot from my breast cancer patients,  for their resilience and how they deal with so many changes in their life’s when there is a diagnosis of breast cancer. So, I dedicate this award to them. And I also want to dedicate it to my family, my mentors, and colleagues for their support and collaboration throughout my career.