As part of our Breast Cancer Awareness Month series, we continue to spotlight members of our breast team. Following our feature on Dr Fiona Chambers, we now introduce Dr Monica Saini, Radiologist Lead, Breast Imaging, for Pacific Radiology’s Wellington region.
Dr Monica Saini
Monica brings over 15 years of patient care experience across the United States and New Zealand. She completed her medical and radiology training in the U.S., including a fellowship in women’s imaging from the University of Washington. After leading The Breast Institute, Monica joined Pacific Radiology, where she continues her commitment to supporting women’s health and helping New Zealanders live healthier, happier lives.
Her passion for breast imaging was sparked by three inspiring mentors – women who were not only experts in breast cancer but also practical, hands-on teachers. “These women unravelled the mysteries of breast cancer and knew how to spark curiosity in their students,” Monica reflects. “My skills are due to their training.”
For Monica, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to reflect on the progress made, and the people who made it happen. “It represents the hard work of patients who found the lack of information on breast cancer prevention unacceptable,” she says. “Some lost their lives in this battle, but their determination led to progress in screening, treatment, and prevention. This month is about honouring them and showing gratitude to those who keep persisting in the battle for a cure.”
Monica is passionate about empowering women with knowledge. “The cure rate for early-stage breast cancer is over 95%,” she explains. “Screening can make cancer a bad but short chapter in an otherwise long book. Without early detection, the book ends too soon.”
One of her career highlights is helping women understand what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to breast health. “Knowledge gives control back to the patient,” she says. “Screening is about wellness and breast health.” She also takes pride in making procedures like needle biopsies as comfortable as possible. “When a patient says it was much easier than she expected, we’ve done our job well.”
Monica is also a vocal advocate for greater awareness around breast density – a factor that can make cancers harder to detect and is often overlooked in routine screening conversations. In her 2019 TED Talk, “Breast Density: A Personal Biomarker of Cancer,” she called for better education and personalised screening, urging women to understand how breast density affects their health.
When it comes to mammograms, Monica often hears two myths that need busting. “First, that the squeeze of the mammogram spreads cancer- which is false. The other is that the radiation is dangerous,” she says. “But a 3D mammogram gives you about the same radiation as a flight from New Zealand to Europe. That’s a safe level, and we check our machines every day to make sure they’re working exactly as they should.”
For those feeling anxious about their first mammogram, Monica recommends visiting a breast centre, asking questions, and bringing a support person. “The Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has great resources on when to start and how often to screen,” she adds.
While early detection is a vital part of her role, Monica finds the greatest reward in building long-term patient relationships. “I’ve known many of my patients for over a decade. I get to see photos of their kids and grandkids, hear about their travels and life changes. They remind me that cancer is just a chapter.”
Outside of work, Monica enjoys making her kids laugh, discovering new music, and getting lost in the forest - activities that help her recharge and stay grounded.
