Petra Rietschel MD |Noted Oncologist

Petra Rietschel MD is a talented and accomplished oncologist. Her areas of expertise include the treatment and research of breast cancers, melanomas and sarcomas.

A native of Germany, Petra attended the University of Heidelberg. It was there she earned both her MD and her Ph.D. After earning her Ph.D., Petra continued her research during a fellowship in the Department of Neuroendocrinology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Petra then went on to complete an internship in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. It was here she also completed her Internal Medicine residency. After her residency, Petra worked as an oncology and hematology fellow at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Petra joined Brooklyn’s Maimonides Cancer Center as an attending physician in oncology and hematology. There she contributed to the hospital’s recognized Brooklyn Breast Program. She served as the Director of Breast Medical Oncology as well as the Director of the Brooklyn Melanoma Program.

After a successful tenure at Maimonides, Petra joined Montefiore Medical Center as an attending oncology physician. She presently serves as the Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center’s Clinical Program Director for Melanoma and Sarcoma Oncology. Petra is also an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

A Word on Melanoma

As an oncologist and cancer researcher, Petra Rietschel MD stresses the importance of preventionas it relates to melanoma. Though it is not practical or even healthy to avoid the sun, it is necessary for individuals to take steps to reduce exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays. The sun’s ultraviolet rays reach the earth each day and their effects on the skin accumulate over time.  Engaging in preventative measures on a daily basis are truly beneficial habits.

When enjoying a sunny day, take care to sit in the shade. Always wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Wearing a hat and sunglasses also helps reduce exposure to the scalp, face and eyes. When possible, it is a good idea to limit the amount of time spent in the sun between from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The sun’s rays are most intense during these hours.

It is also very important to avoid tanning beds. Just like the sun, the bulbs used in these beds expose the skin to both UVA and UVB rays. The misconception that tanning salons are safer alternatives to the sun is simply a myth. The use of tanning beds, especially at a young age, is correlated with an increased risk of melanoma.

Professional Organizations

Petra Rietschel MD is an active member of multiple professional organizations. Involvement in these organizations serves to keep professionals dynamic in their fields and facilitates ongoing advancements. Petra’s affiliations include the:

Ongoing Education

Physicians and researchers eventually leave the classroom, but they never stop learning. As such, Petra Rietschel MD continually hones her skills through a variety of medical education sessions. Some of the advanced trainings she has attended include:

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

• Clinical Research Methodology Curriculum
• Biostatistics Seminar
• Protection of Human Research Subjects Training Course

National Institutes of Health

• Immunotherapy Training
• Institutional Ethics and Responsibility in Clinical Research Course

Washington University

• Oncotalk Communication Skills Training Course
• Oncotalk Teacher Trainings

In addition to these sessions, Petra has also attended educational seminars on a number of topics. These seminars include the New York Blood Bank’s Transfusion Medicine Seminar. She also attended:

• Institutional and Cooperative Group Clinical Trials: Trial Designs, Correlative Sciences, Ethical Considerations, and Regulatory Oversight Seminar
• Clinical Research in Outcomes Analysis, Psychometric Measurements, Biological Markers, Early Detection, Epidemiology and Chemoprevention Seminar

Petra presently holds three board certifications. She became a Diplomat of Internal Medicine in 2003, and in 2006, she earned her Diplomat of Medical Oncology. Petra became a Diplomat of Hematology in 2007.

Petra Rietschel MD on Breast Cancer Research and Screenings

An accomplished researcher, Petra serves as a member of the Institutional Review Board at Albert Einstein. As a member of this committee, she helps ensure research conducted with human subjects complies with the ethical standards set forth by governing bodies.  Institutional Review Boards are accountable to Federal and State laws as well as institutional regulations.

Throughout her career, Petra has contributed to a number of research studies. Her current projects include acting as a principal investigator on a number of breast cancer studies. Pending and ongoing research includes:

• Randomized phase II Trial of ABT-888 vs. ABT-888 in combination with carboplatin in patients with stage IV BRCA-associated breast cancer, NCI#8264 pending

• CDX011-03-A Phase II, randomized, multicenter study of C DX-011 (CR011-vcMMAE) in patients with advanced GPNMB-expressing breast cancer, pending

• Phase  I-II trial of Vorinstat plus weekly Paclitaxel (+/- Trastuzumab) followed by Doxorubicin-Cyclophosphamide in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (HER-positive or “triple-negative), NYCC1 – accrual nearing completion

A great way for women to overcome a breast cancer diagnosis is to engage in regular, preventative screenings. All women regardless of age should conduct breast self-exams on a monthly basis. This provides individuals a baseline to understand what is normal for their breasts. Women should report changes in shape or the presence of lumps to their physicians as soon as they are noticed.

Women ages 20 through 39 should undergo a clinical breast exam performed by a physician approximately every three years. Women ages 40 and above should have this examination on a yearly basis. Women in this age group should also have an annual mammogram. On occasion, a physician may recommend additional screenings should a woman have a family history or other factors that predispose her to the disease.

Petra Rietschel MD is an oncologist and researcher whose work is highly praised by both patients and colleagues. Dedicated to the medical profession, Petra Rietschel MD is well versed in a number of conditions related to breast cancers, sarcomas and melanomas. Petra Rietschel MD is committed to research on these diseases in hopes they will one day no longer affect patients and their families.