Emory surgical oncologist Toncred Styblo, MD, has been recognized by the Center for Women at Emory with its Unsung Heroine Award for 2021. This Emory Women of Excellence Award will be presented by the center on March 8th via Zoom.
This designation recognizes women who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to issues that affect women at Emory or in the larger community, with examples including taking substantial risks to challenge sexism; blazing trails in previously male-dominated environments; promoting safety, justice, and equity for girls and women through significant community service; and/or serving as role models or mentors for girls or women.
Dr. Styblo has been at Emory since 1988, and her dedication and passion for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer has grown her clinical practice to over 1,000 patients a year. Her clinical accomplishments include establishing and co-directing the High Risk Assessment Breast Clinic, which initiated risk evaluation for patients during their screening mammogram and subsequent referral to the program if deemed prudent.
For over three decades, she has been active both locally and nationally in clinical and translational research. Of particular note are her research collaborations with the late John Bostwick, MD, in skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, with Emory radiologist Naomi Alazraki, MD, in clinical trials to establish sentinel lymph node biopsy as a standard of care for axillary staging, and with Emory plastic and reconstructive surgeon Albert Losken, MD, in the use of oncoplastic reduction to improve the outcome of patients having breast conserving therapy.
In 2015, Dr. Styblo was appointed the first chair of the Emory Integrated Cancer Program (INCP), which coordinated patient-centered cancer care at Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, and Emory Johns Creek Hospital. As chair, Dr. Styblo led the effort that resulted in the INCP being awarded consecutive three-year accreditations in 2016 and 2019 by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.