My Locations
Siteman Cancer Center at Northwest HealthCare
Expertise & Training
Carmen R. Bergom, MD, PhD
5 minsCarmen R. Bergom, MD, PhD, Radiation Oncologist from Siteman Cancer Center, discusses how she treats each patient like a family member and understands that cancer is frightening, so she starts with the basics and carefully reviews everything. She recognizes that the information can feel overwhelming, and patients may need to hear things more than once for it to fully sink in. She emphasizes patience and wants patients to know they are being treated in the best possible way. Because each patient requires individualized, personalized care, she takes time to explain all treatment options, including potential benefits and side effects, and to understand each patient’s goals. A key advantage of modern radiation therapy for breast cancer is that treatment is often much less intensive than in the past, with fewer side effects due to advanced technology.
Clinical Expertise
Breast Cancer
Primary Academic Title
Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology, WashU Medicine
Board Certification
- 2014: American Board of Radiology, Radiation Oncology
Training
- 2009 - 2013: Resident, Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- 2010 - 2013: Holman Research Pathway, American Board of Radiology, Tucson, AZ
Education
- 2008: MD, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- 2006: PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Research & Selected Publications
Research Interest
Dr. Bergom is an R01-funded investigator focused on utilizing unique pre-clinical genetic models to improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy and decrease side effects from radiation exposure of normal tissues. Her research specifically focuses on using genetic models to identify factors in the tumor microenvironment that enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy, as well as using these models to identify genetic variants that alter the sensitivity of the heart to radiation exposure. Dr. Bergom is also examining how radiation therapy may be used to treat cardiac conditions such as heart failure.
Research Publications