Dr.

Coral Quiet

 is a

radiation oncologist

 that has specialized in breast cancer since she was a resident. In fact, she interned as a surgeon at the University of Chicago planning to specialize in mastectomies and immediate reconstructions. At that time, the data about

breast preservation treatments

 were just beginning to gain scientific strength and after 2 years in surgery, she decided she preferred her patients to be awake and with their own tissue! That resulted in a career change and she began her study of oncology and radiation.

She has been in Arizona since 1993. When she came to the Valley, there was no one specializing in

breast cancer

 and in fact only 20% of women were treated with

breast conservation (lumpectomy and radiation)

... 80% were treated with mastectomy. Because of her concern that women were not getting full information before making their treatment decisions, Dr. Quiet co-founded the Arizona Institute for Breast Health (www.AIBH.org), a non-profit organization that provides a FREE second opinion service for women and their families recently diagnosed with

breast cancer

. 

Dr. Coral Quiet began the breast brachytherapy program in 2000 and it has grown and succeeded over the last 10 years. She helped to pioneer the

Mammosite catheter

 for the FDA studies and have been involved with that devices long term use and research. After much experience with the device, she realized that it was limited, in fact could only treat 60% of the patients we were seeing with

early stage breast cancer

.  She has since pioneered a new device,

SAVI

 which has completed its early studies and has shown great use and is able to treat a lot more women with early stage breast cancer while avoiding high dose to skin and ribs. Newer devices are being worked on that will continue to develop breast cancer treatment options.