Sarah L. Blair, MD, FACS

Sarah L. Blair, MD, is a surgical oncologist and board-certified general surgeon who specializes in diagnosing and treating breast cancer, melanoma, sarcoma and soft tissue tumors. Her expertise is in sentinel node staging for breast cancer, utilizing new energy sources for better resection of tumors, and innovative reconstructive techniques for breast conservation operations. Dr. Blair is committed to providing compassionate care to patients and believes in a multidisciplinary approach to treating breast cancer.

As a professor in the Department of Surgery, Dr. Blair instructs medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Her research focuses on using nanotechnology to develop advanced imaging techniques that can be used in the operating room to detect cancer cells. This technology could ensure that all tumor cells are removed at one time, avoiding the need for additional surgeries.

Dr. Blair has co-authored many peer-reviewed articles, and work has appeared in Cancer Medicine, Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and The American Journal of Surgery, among others.

She completed a fellowship in surgical oncology at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Los Angeles and a research fellowship in surgical metabolism and thoracic oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Blair completed a residency in general surgery at University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. She earned her medical degree at State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse. She is board-certified in general surgery.

Dr. Blair is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and member of the Society of Surgical Oncology.

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For more information see and Cancer Care and Surgical Services.