Yara V. Robertson MD, FACS

Chief of Surgery at  CARTI Cancer Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. Fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist, board certified in general surgery.

– Yara Robertson, MD Breast Surgical Oncologist

Yara V. Robertson, M.D. is fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist and is board certified in general surgery. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Robertson is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and completed her medical school at Quillen College of Medicine (East Tennessee State University). After finishing her general surgery residency at UAMS, she completed a fellowship in Diseases of the Breast at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at UAMS. In 2011, she moved to Atlanta, GA and spent 9 years in a private breast surgical oncology practice. In 2020, she was recruited back to Little Rock, AR and joined CARTI Cancer Center where she currently serves as Chief of Surgery.

She has served as Vice-Chairman of the Atlanta based organization Sisters by Choice (SBC), a non-profit organization that provides support for women diagnosed with breast cancer, educates on breast health, and provides free breast health screenings to uninsured women. Due to her work with SBC, she has received congressional recognition from Georgia Congressman David Scott. She currently serves as an advisor for Not Putting on a Shirt, which is national non-profit organization that advocates for optimal surgical outcomes for women who choose to go flat after mastectomy. She also serves in an advisory role for the organization Learn Look Locate which provides education and advocacy for the early detection of breast cancer. She serves as a board member for the Arkansas Cancer Coalition.

As a kidney cancer survivor herself, Dr. Robertson is fully aware of the importance of the patient’s role in shared decision making and advocates for patient centered care.

Dr. Robertson is passionate about eliminating disparities in breast cancer treatment, especially in the African American community. She lectures on breast health and participates in a number of health fairs providing free clinical breast exams.

Instagram: @dryararobertson

“Everyone, including the uninsured and underinsured, should receive quality breast health care.”

Breast cancer can occur in younger women and this year alone, 11% of all cases of breast cancer in the U.S. will be diagnosed in women younger than 45. ⁠

Some risk factors increase the chances of women getting breast cancer at a younger age & they should be aware of those risks. Risks include:⁠

  • Any history of the chest wall or breast radiation during childhood or early adulthood⁠
  • Close relatives diagnosed w/ breast cancer below the age of 50 or ovarian cancer diagnosed at any age, or a male w/ breast cancer in the family⁠
  • Known genetic mutations such as BRCA1 & BRCA 2 in the family⁠
  • Personal history of other beast issues such as lobular carcinoma in-situ ⁠(LCIS) or atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), or atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH)⁠.⁠
  • Being told you have dense breast tissue on a mammogram⁠

If you have a higher risk, then you need to talk to a healthcare provider for options. You may be screened earlier for breast cancer, possibly sent for genetic testing, or placed in a clinic for high-risk patients. ⁠

Know your breasts. It is very important for young women to be aware of changes to their breasts. Monthly self-breast exams have been hotly contested over the past few yrs. I feel that women should practice breast self-awareness which includes: ⁠

  • Knowing your risks⁠
  • Getting Screened⁠
  • Seeing a physician⁠
  • Getting a mammogram at the appropriate time⁠
  • Clinical breast exam by your provider (every 2-3 yrs for women at average risk that are younger than 40, & annually for women 40 & older⁠
  • Knowing what is normal for your breasts⁠
  • Any new changes such as lumps, skin changes like thickening, any nipple discharge, nipple retraction, scaliness or itching of the nipple, puckering of the skin⁠
  • Lifestyle choices/changes to reduce your risk⁠
  • Maintaining a healthy weight⁠
  • Minimize alcohol⁠
  • Exercise⁠