Dr. Czerniecki is a Fellowship Trained Surgical Oncologist currently maintaining an active clinical practice specializing in Diseases of the Breast including Breast Cancer and Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). He is currently the Co-Director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Czerniecki is a nationally recognized leader in the development of sentinel node techniques (see publications). He has pioneered several of the currently used protocols for sentinel node mapping in breast cancer and melanoma.

Dr. Czerniecki holds an advanced degree in Immunology and is the Surgical Director of the Immunotherapy Program for the Abramson Cancer Center investigating the role of the immune system in the prevention and treatment of patients with breast cancer. He has been supported by the American Cancer Society, the Susan B Komen Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute to develop vaccines for the treatment of early breast cancer. There are currently ongoing clinical trials in these areas that Dr. Czerniecki has developed including the first vaccine for the treatment of patients with DCIS. This work is being developed for patients with invasive breast cancer as well. He has been recognized by the NCI as an expert in management of DCIS and has served on several NIH panels for developing recommendations for the treatment of DCIS.

Dr. Czerniecki specializes in oncoplastic breast conservation therapy, and has a wealth of experience in performing skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomies for patients with breast cancer. He also treats selected patients with DCIS with lumpectomy without radiation therapy. Dr. Czerniecki has experience in mammosite catheter placement for appropriate patients that are candidates for brachytherapy for breast radiation speeding the process of radiation to five days.

Dr. Czerniecki is a member of the Pigmented Lesion Group of the Abramson Cancer Center. He specializes in treating patients with melanoma a deadly form of skin cancer. He performs wide excisions, sentinel node biopsies, removal of lymph nodes involved by melanoma and resections of metastatic disease when indicated. He is involved in multiple clinical trials for melanoma at the Abramson Cancer Center. He also applies immunotherapeutic approaches for patients with melanoma as well as breast cancer. His area of expertise is the development of dendritic cells for the treatment of breast cancer and melanoma (see research description). Dr. Czerniecki has published more than 75 articles in the area of tumor immunology.

Dr. Czerniecki has a multidisciplinary team coordinated with the Abramson Cancer Center for the treatment of both breast cancer and melanoma with close associations with radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, behavioral therapists, nutritionists, genetic counselors, and social workers to provide complete comprehensive cancer care through the Abramson Cancer Center of the NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. Dr. Czerniecki’s background in tumor biology and immunology provide extensive depth for the treatment of patients with these cancers.