Dr. Adam I. Riker is a board-certified, fellowship-trained surgical oncologist specializing in the management of breast cancer, skin cancers (melanoma, squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma) and soft tissue sarcomas. Dr. Riker's Research
Mona Hagmaier is a certified physician assistant providing superior care and treatment with Dr. Riker of healthy patients in need of cancer screening.
The surgical management and treatment of any type of cancer is complex, and we believe that choosing the right surgeon is one of the most important decisions that you can make in preparing for the challenges ahead. We pride ourselves in having a face-to-face thorough and complete consultation about your cancer in a non-stressful, and relaxed setting. We will spend the necessary time to explain to you everything about your cancer, the best treatment options and to answer all of your questions by you and your family members, who are encouraged to come with you on your visit.
The new Cancer Screening Clinic provides a variety of services such as full body skin examinations, coordination of your cancer screening needs based upon National guidelines, second opinion consultation, clinical breast examinations, office biopsies for diagnosis and treatment and treatment of pre-malignant skin lesions by a variety of methods. We also offer the full range of genetic testing and counseling for genetically-based cancers. You do not need a referral from your doctor in order to take advantage of this service. Second opinion consultations are available and provide an invaluable resource for educating cancer patients and families about how to best approach the complex management of cancer.
We want to help you to make the most thorough and educated decision about your treatment options through our expert weekly review of all new cancer patients. This interdisciplinary cancer conference is comprised of our team of cancer specialists, such as our medical, surgical and radiation oncologists. All of the staff at the Mitchell Cancer Institute are specialty-trained personnel, ranging from fellowship-trained physicians and surgeons to our superbly trained oncology nursing staff and physician extenders.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, accounting for about 180,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2007. Of those patients, about 41,000 patients will die as a result of their breast cancer. The surgical management of a newly diagnosed patient with breast cancer is complex, with many different surgical options currently available. These range from minimally invasive biopsies for diagnosis, breast conservation therapy (lumpectomy) and sentinel node mapping to more aggressive forms of treatment, such as mastectomy. Other therapies for breast cancer do not begin with surgery and rather are treated first with chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Regardless, all possible treatment options will be discussed in detail, allowing you to make the best decision as to the choice of therapy for you.
The proper diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is best accomplished by specialty-trained surgeons who have an expertise in the exclusive surgical management of cancer. Dr. Riker’s clinical practice is focused only on those patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer [and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer]. Thus, you can be assured that Dr. Riker has the necessary experience to optimally manage your care.
Although there have been several breakthroughs in the treatment of breast cancer, we will have the most impact at improving the outcomes of breast cancer patients through earlier diagnosis of breast abnormalities. Thus, breast cancer screening guidelines are currently available for all women, and we at the Mitchell Cancer Institute will provide the most up-to-date screening guidelines in regards to the early detection and prevention of breast cancer. Our rapidly growing second opinion consultation service, provides the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment recommendations for newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, with the number of newly diagnosed cases increasing at a faster rate compared to all other cancers. There will be about 60,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed in the U.S. in 2007, not including the melanoma-in-situ (early) skin cancers. Again, we will have the most impact in treating melanoma patients through the early detection and prevention of melanoma. This returns us to the cancer screening clinic, and SPF 90.
Melanoma is also a complex cancer to treat surgically, and Dr. Riker has a particular expertise in the surgical management of melanoma. He also has an active laboratory devoted the the research of melanoma and why it spreads to other parts of the body (metastasizes). He has recently developed an exciting experimental clinical research trial, for patients with advanced and/or metastatic melanoma (Stage III and IV). The Mitchell Cancer Institute has treated more newly diagnosed melanoma patients than all others in this region, and this program continues to grow quite rapidly.
GI and Hepatobiliary Cancers
Gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary oncology encompasses cancers of the esophagus, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, bile ducts, small intestine, colon, rectum, and anus. For the best management of patients with these types of cancer, surgical oncology has a close working relationship with the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute’s medical oncology and radiation oncology divisions as well as the USA Surgery Department. A multidisciplinary conference is held each week to formulate a comprehensive, individualized treatment strategy for each patient. Surgical treatments may include surgical removal of your tumor either through classical means or even with a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) technique to improve outcomes with less time spent in the hospital. Additionally, we are currently expanding our program to offer the latest technologies in local ablative therapies, such as radiofrequency ablation (RF ablation), SirSpheres technology for metastatic cancer to the liver, and minimally invasive surgery for many other cancers. Finally, experimental therapies through well-designed clinical trials are currently available for patients who are interested in the latest approaches to treating their cancer.
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