Posted 6 months ago
‘Compassionate Cancer Care for Every Patient’ As Seen in Good Housekeeping and Woman’s Day
We’re excited to share that Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers have been featured in an article highlighting our innovative, multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment. Discover how our dedicated team, including Dr. Darshil Shah, Dr. Ian Komenaka, and Dr. Sumeet Mendonca, is pioneering personalized care and advancing research to provide the best outcomes for our patients. Read the full article to learn more about our commitment to compassionate, cutting-edge oncology care.
Ian K. Komenaka, MD, FACS
Dr. Ian Komenaka is a board-certified general surgeon who completed the Breast surgical oncology fellowship at Columbia University- Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He specializes in treatment of both benign and malignant diseases of the breast. He completed his undergraduate education at Cornell University and returned home to the University of Hawaii to complete medical school. He completed surgical residency at New York Methodist Hospital. After fellowship at Columbia University, he also completed post-fellowship training in Genetic cancer risk assessment at City of Hope National Medical Center.
Dr. Komenaka uses a multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients. Patients should feel confident that their care is individualized for them and their particular type of cancer. They should know that their treatment is being guided by over 50 years of the highest level research and studies that are constantly changing and evolving. The patients will be involved in the decision making to get compassionate treatment to provide the best possible outcome and quality of life. Dr. Komenaka is constantly involved in clinical research and has authored over 80 peer reviewed publications. He performs lumpectomy (breast conservation), skin and nipple sparing mastectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, as well as modified radical mastectomy and axillary node dissection when indicated. His personal philosophy is to not over treat patients. Cancer treatment is mentally, physically, and psychosocially taxing and therefore no patient should undergo additional testing, treatment, and surgery that will not benefit their health and outcome. My goal is to provide the patient with all the information to come to a shared decision where they are satisfied with the best possible outcome and quality of life.
Dr. Komenaka is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons as well as a member of the American Association for Cancer Research. Dr Komenaka is married with two children. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family. He also has an interest in health, fitness, diet, nutrition, and exercise.
Sumeet K. Mendonca, MD
Dr. Sumeet Mendonca serves as the Director Of Breast Oncology at Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers. She received her medical degree from University of Mumbai after which she spent several years in research at the Center for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Infectious Diseases at University of Connecticut. Her work was very well received and resulted in several publications in premier peer reviewed journals. She completed her training in Medical Oncology at St Elizabeth Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston and while she is Board certified in Medical Oncology, she has further specialized in breast malignancies. Dr. Sumeet Mendonca has been a practicing oncologist in Arizona since 2008, initially with Desert Oncology Associates and has been with Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers since their merger in 2012.
As a part of an expatriate family, she received a global educational imprint in places like India, Singapore, and Nigeria shaping her outlook and enhancing respect to the cultural diversities in our society which bodes well in sensitive patient physician relationships.
Besides her commitment to her patients as a clinical oncologist she also continues to be actively involved in research, serving as an investigator on clinical trials as well as partaking in community initiatives where she is an active speaker. Well recognized by her patients and peers alike, it comes as no surprise that she has been Top Doc in PHOENIX Magazine several times.
What matters most to Dr. Mendonca, always, are her patients. A tireless advocate for the promotion of women’s health, focusing on prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. Dr Mendonca’s key priority is on delivering individualized care in a comprehensive and compassionate manner.
Darshil Shah, MD, MPH
Dr. Darshil Shah serves as the Director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Division at Ironwood. He joined Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers in July 2017. Dr. Shah is Board Certified in Hematology and Medical Oncology. He received his medical degree from NHL Medical College, India. He subsequently completed his residency in Internal Medicine at William Beaumont Hospital, Michigan, and his fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University of Kentucky, where he was a Chief fellow. He has a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor focusing on Healthcare Management.
Dr. Shah is actively involved in the education of medical students and residents from Creighton University School of Medicine and Midwestern University and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Creighton University.
Dr. Shah specializes in gastrointestinal malignancies. He has published manuscripts in reputed peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Shah is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the American Society of Hematology (ASH). His professional peers have selected him as a Top Doc in PHOENIX Magazine. He is, at present, an investigator in research trials. He aims to provide innovative, optimal, and comprehensive patient care.