Medical Profile: Jennifer Gambla, M.D., Breast Surgeon UChicago Medicine Breast Clinic at Silver Cross Hospital

Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery as part of their treatment.

Depending on the situation, there are different types of breast surgery, and they may be done

for different reasons. For example, surgery may be done to:

• Remove as much of the cancer as possible (breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy)
• Evaluate whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
• Restore the breast’s shape after the cancer is removed (breast reconstruction)
• Relieve symptoms of advanced cancer

As part of the cancer services partnership between UChicago Medicine and Silver Cross Hospital

in New Lenox, Dr. Jennifer Gambla specializes in surgery for patients with breast cancer, benign

breast diseases, and abnormal breast imaging.

She performs a full range of procedures, including mastectomy, partial mastectomy or

lumpectomy, excisional biopsies and coordinates breast reconstruction surgery with plastic

surgeons at the time of breast cancer surgery. Dr. Gambla also offers a surveillance program for

patients at heightened risk for breast cancer, including those with a family history.

Hidden Scar Technique

What’s more, Dr. Gambla is certified in the Hidden Scar Technique™, an advanced approach to

removing breast cancer in which the surgeon places the incision in a location that’s hard to see

(such as in the fold under the breast or around the areola) so that the scar is not as visible when

the incision heals.

As a result, patients have little or no visible reminder of the surgery or their breast cancer. And

while many women see their breast surgery scars as an empowering symbol of beating cancer,

many do not.

In fact, studies show that breast surgery scars can significantly impact a woman’s psychological

and emotional recovery and quality of life after surgery because scars can have a large impact

on a woman’s self-confidence, intimacy and body image.

The Hidden Scar approach can be performed for a nipple-sparing mastectomy or lumpectomy.

UChicago Medicine Breast Clinic at Silver Cross

Dr. Gambla, who sees patients at the UChicago Medicine Breast Clinic at Silver Cross, is certified

by the American Board of Surgery. She earned her medical degree from The Ohio State

University College of Medicine and completed her general residency at The Ohio State

University’s Wexner Medical Center. She attended the University of Michigan for a breast surgery fellowship. Dr. Gambla also holds memberships in the American College of Surgeons

and is an active participant in the American Society of Breast Surgeons. She’s been in practice

since 2005 but recently came to practice in New Lenox.

Dr. Gambla’s office is located at the UChicago Medicine Breast Clinic at Silver Cross Hospital,

Pavilion A, Suite 455. For more information, call 815-300-5887.

Silver Cross Hospital

1900 Silver Cross Blvd

New Lenox, IL 60541