Our team of surgeons who specialize in skin and soft tissue surgery help treat benign and malignant diseases. Soft tissue in the body includes fibrous tissue, cartilage, muscles, tendons, fat, blood and lymph vessels, nerves and the tissue surrounding joints.
In some cases of skin and soft tissue cancers, surgical intervention may be recommended as part of a patient's treatment plan. In collaboration with the University of Arizona Cancer Center, our providers treat all types of melanoma; soft tissue, extremity, and retroperitoneal sarcoma; lymph node enlargement; and more.
Meet our Providers
Jennifer Erdrich, MD, MPH, FACS, is a surgical oncologist and assistant professor with the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Arizona Department of Surgery. A member of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, she specializes in melanoma, sarcoma and breast cancers.
Dr. Erdrich earned her Medical Degree from Harvard Medical School. She attained a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in cancer prevention and completed an NCI-funded research fellowship at Harvard School of Public Health. In addition, she completed her general surgery residency at Stanford University, followed by a fellowship in surgical oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.
After personally witnessing many of the disparities in Native American healthcare, especially in the areas of surgical care and cancer treatment, Dr. Erdrich developed a particular clinical and research interest in serving tribal populations. Through her work in the Department of Surgery, she hopes to expand the surgical oncology resources available to local tribal communities through multidisciplinary approaches that leverage innovation and teamwork.
James A. Warneke, MD, FACS, is a professor in the Department of Surgery Division of Surgical Oncology, where he is currently the interim division chief. He joined the faculty at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine in the Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Oncology in 1991.
Dr. Warneke completed a surgical oncology fellowship at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY. He is involved in various research endeavors that allow him to continue to provide his patients with the most up-to-date treatment options available. Dr. Warneke’s research involves the treatment of skin malignancies, especially melanoma and sarcoma. His other research, conducted in the laboratory, consists of examining thymocyte receptor expression in melanoma, which is used to study the progression and prevention of melanoma. He is also co-principal investigator on a program project grant for the study of chemoprevention of skin cancer from the National Cancer Institute belonging to David Alberts, MD. Dr. Warneke is also a co-investigator on several Arizona Cancer Center clinical gene therapy studies funded by Vical, Inc. and coordinated by Evan Hersh, MD.
Make an Appointment:
(520) 694-CURE (2873).