Freya R. Schnabel, MD

I treat people who have breast cancer and benign disease of the breast. I also take care of those who are at a high risk of developing breast cancer, either because of personal history or family history.

Breast surgery is really fascinating. The field requires knowledge of a lot of different aspects of medicine—medical oncology, radiation oncology, breast imaging, genetics, and more. At NYU Langone, breast surgery is a team effort, enabling us to offer the best care possible. People with breast cancer are often recommended a variety of different therapies. Harnessing the expertise of specialists in different areas of breast cancer treatment helps patients better understand their treatment options and allows for shared decision making.

At Perlmutter Cancer Center, we are focused on creating a comfortable and accessible environment in which we treat the whole person. Knowing my patients—their family history, risk factors, and background—helps me tailor treatment to suit each person. Amassing as much information as I can about a condition helps me develop a treatment plan that is just right for each patient. I am proud to work in a place where genuine care and individualized treatment is emphasized.

We also have an energy and forward momentum in the field of breast surgery that give me the opportunity to combine great research with excellent clinical care. We have been a part of several important initiatives responsible for moving breast cancer surgery forward, including a multi-institutional, international trial that demonstrated the benefit of using the MarginProbe^® during breast-conserving surgery.

We conducted a clinical trial to test a device that can be used to help surgeons locate nonpalpable breast lesions, which are abnormalities detected by mammography or other breast imaging methods rather than during physical exam. This device makes nonpalpable breast lesion surgery less complicated and reduces discomfort for patients during the surgery.