A Moraga mother of two says she is in remission after an aggressive breast tumor was removed with a single-port surgical robot at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland. Hospital officials and local reports describe the operation as one of the earliest single-port, nipple-sparing robotic mastectomies in the United States outside of clinical trials, a milestone that has quickly grabbed the attention of patients and surgeons across the Bay Area.
Moraga resident Vicky Pan, 46, underwent the surgery on March 9 and is now in remission, according to local reporting. Pan told reporters that the first two weeks after her diagnosis were "very scary" and that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy and immunotherapy before a planned reconstructive surgery, comments she shared with KTVU. "I appreciate everything now, from the coffee in the morning to the sunset," she told the station.
How the single‑port system changes the operation
The single-port robotic approach relies on a single small incision placed away from the breast, paired with wristed instruments and magnified 3D visualization. That setup lets surgeons remove breast tissue while preserving the skin and nipple-areola complex, according to Sutter Health. The hospital notes that the platform, which the FDA has cleared for nipple-sparing mastectomy, can reduce visible scarring and may help preserve sensation and improve cosmetic results for qualifying patients. The program is embedded in the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center at Alta Bates Summit, the notice says.
Surgeon training and early rollout
Dr. Rita Kwan-Feinberg, the surgeon who operated on Pan, spent months training with robotics specialists in Abu Dhabi and held rehearsals with her operating room team before offering the technique to patients, according to the reporting. Based on hospital statements provided to the local station, Kwan-Feinberg has performed 16 additional single-port procedures across 10 patients since March and has three more on the books in the coming weeks. She told KTVU that the robot's instruments mirror the movements of the surgeon's hands, which allows for precise dissection through a very small incision.
Growing evidence, but long‑term data still pending
Recent large trials and reviews have started to back the technique for carefully selected patients with early-stage disease, though experts say longer follow-up is still needed. A prospective, multi-center randomized trial presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons meeting found comparable safety and patient-reported outcomes between da Vinci single-port robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy and the traditional open version in early-stage cases, according to an ASBrS press release. Systematic reviews that pool smaller, single-center studies describe single-port approaches as feasible with generally low complication rates, while urging prospective comparative trials to confirm long-term cancer control and cost-effectiveness, as outlined in the Journal of Robotic Surgery.
What it means for East Bay patients
Sutter Health says philanthropic support from Peter Read helped bring the da Vinci single-port system to Alta Bates in January, allowing more patients to access advanced breast surgery without traveling to distant academic centers. Hospital leaders say the goal is to provide multidisciplinary, whole-person care close to home, while surgeons caution that not every patient will qualify for the robotic approach. For now, the team is tracking outcomes as it expands the program and lines up additional procedures.
