Helen Cappuccino

MD, FACS

Surgical Oncology

Dr. Cappuccino is a Buffalo Spree Top Doctor! See all of our physicians who made this year's list.

Top Doctors 2022

Specializing In:

Breast Cancer Benign Breast Disease Culinary Medicine- Dietary intervention with cancer and wellness Therapeutic Hypothermia De-escalation of treatment Minimally Invasive Breast Cancer Treatment Oncoplastic Surgery

Special Interests:

Growth and progression of breast carcinoma Therapeutic hypothermia

About Helen Cappuccino

Biography:

I am delighted to be on staff at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

After a decade in private general surgical practice, I accepted an invitation to join Roswell exclusively in 1999. I felt it gave me an opportunity to do two things that are important to me: develop long-term relationships with my patients, and help them by surgically treating breast cancer. Being at an institute which has a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer, emphasizes state-of-the-art treatment, and offers many resources to my patients was especially important to me. Also, I like that Roswell gives my patients access to research protocols. As a Board-certified surgeon, I feel it’s important to stay current on new and effective treatments available to treat breast disease. I have written chapters in surgical textbooks, and published in scientific journals, speak to patient advocacy groups as I do my best to help assure women screen for breast cancer, understand the disease and are treated properly for breast cancer and other breast issues. More recently, I have been involved in teaching Culinary Medicine at the University of Buffalo, and am very interested in healthy living as a way of preventing and treating cancer.

When not in the hospital, my husband Andy (a Roswell Park cancer survivor (AML 2014), spine surgeon, medical inventor, and a team doctor for the Buffalo Bills) and I enjoy time with our six children, currently aged 27-41, and our grandson. We heed the call of civic duty, and I'm active on several local non-profit boards, including the UB, Western New York Women's Foundation and the Albright Knox Art Gallery. My husband and I have been involved in medical mission work here and abroad (Kenya). I consider it a privilege to care for patients.

Positions

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Assistant Professor of Oncology
Breast Surgery Division, Department of Surgical Oncology

Jacobs School Of Medicine And Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo

Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery

University of Rochester Strong Memorial

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Background

Education and Training:

MD - University at Buffalo School of Medicine (Cum Laude), Buffalo, NY

Residency:

Monmouth Medical Center, Long Beach, NJ
Jersey Shore Memorial Medical Center, Neptune, NJ
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Board Certification:

American Board of Surgery
Certified by the American Board of Surgery
Basic Life Support
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Advanced Trauma Life Support

Professional Memberships:

American College of Surgeons - fellow
American Medical Association
Medical Alumni Association SUNY Buffalo
American Society for Clinical Oncology
FAA Examiner
ASCO - American Society of Clinical Oncology
Western New York Chapter ACS- President 2001-2002, President Elect 2000-2001, Secretary 1999-2000, Treasurer 1998-1999, Young Surgeon Representative to National ACS
American Medical Association
Medical Alumni Association SUNY Buffalo 1988-present, Treasurer 2005-2006, Vice-President 2006-2007, President 2007-2008, emeritus- current
Erie County Medical Society

Honors & Awards:

2020, 2021, 2022 - Buffalo SpreeTop Doc
2019 - Woman of Influence - Inspiration Award
2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 - Castle Connelly Top Doc
2018 - Castle Connelly Top Docs - Breast Surgery
2017 - Business First Health Care Hero
2016 - University of Buffalo Volunteer of the Year Award, Medical School
May 2014 - Keynote Speaker John S Koplas Memorial Lecture Series
2010 - Western New York Community Leader Healthcare Award- National Federation of Just Communities (WNY chapter)
1995-1997 - AMA Physician Recognition Award
1995 - Positive Physician Project- Selected as one of America’s fifty most positive physicians

Featured on Cancer Talk

Publications

Being a Woman Surgeon: 60 Women Share Their Stories- author two selections (pub April 2015)

The Best of Medicine: Doctors, Patients, and the Covenant of Caring

The Best Medicine: Stories of Doctors and Patients who Care for Each Other, Positive Doctors in America