UAB: Comprehensive Cancer Center

May 16, 2011

The UAB Breast Health Center, part of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, is the first in Alabama and its multi-state region to be accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC).

UAB is the first NAPBC-accredited breast center in Alabama, as well as the only NAPBC-accredited center in the region that includes Mississippi, the Florida panhandle and western Georgia.

The National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers is a consortium of national, professional organizations dedicated to the improvement of the quality of care and the monitoring of outcomes for patients with diseases of the breast. This mission is pursued through standard-setting, scientific validation, and patient and professional education.

The UAB Breast Health Center, part of the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, is a leader in breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and research. It uses a multidisciplinary team approach to evaluate and treat breast cancer. This team includes surgical oncologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, as well as radiologists, pathologists, research and staff nurses, residents and fellows.

“We are extremely proud and honored to receive this recognition,” said Helen Krontiras, M.D., UAB breast surgeon and co-director of the Breast Health Center. “This further establishes our clinic as a leader in the field of breast cancer research and treatment and illustrates how we are setting the standards for care.”

NAPBC accreditation is granted only to those centers that have voluntarily committed to provide the best in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and is able to comply with established NAPBC standards. Each center must undergo a rigorous evaluation and review of its performance and compliance with the NAPBC standards. To maintain accreditation, centers must undergo an on-site review every three years.

The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center is among the 40 cancer centers in the nation to meet the stringent criteria for the National Cancer Institute's comprehensive designation. The center is recognized for its multidisciplinary approach to treatment, combining multiple specialists from a variety of disciplines into one team that develops a tailored, individual treatment plan for each patient.