Podcasts about Surgical oncology

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear quick, high-yield summaries with practical takeaways on the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the June 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors this month are Tara Jennings, MD, and Bradley Merritt, MD.This podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the June issue are highlighted in-depth in a companion episode, Spotlight, published on June 12, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Dr. Tari King and Dr. Austin Williams join Dr. Kara Button to discuss their paths into breast surgical oncology, from early training and pivotal mentorship moments to the decisions that shaped their careers. We explore how each navigated the transition from training to practice, how their definitions of success have evolved over time, and what has guided the roles they've chosen to take on, or step away from. They also reflect on the realities of day-to-day practice, how they structure their clinical and academic work, and what surprises them most about life as a breast surgical oncologist. Finally, they share advice for medical students and residents interested in the field, including how to find meaningful mentorship, build early experiences, and think intentionally about training and career decisions.

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, we introduce Journeys in Surgical Oncology - a new podcast series from the SSO Resident and Medical Student Task Force exploring the diversity of careers within surgical oncology. Designed with trainees in mind, this session is moderated by Dr. Ian Garbarine, who is joined by Drs. Margo Shoup, Keith Lillemoe, and Anna Dare. Together, they discuss the wide range of career opportunities and practice types available in cancer surgery - from academic medicine to community cancer care to global surgery - and share reflections on mentorship, leadership, overcoming setbacks, advice for the next generation of cancer surgeons, and more.

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear in-depth summaries and expert commentary on select surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the June 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors Tara Jennings, MD, and Bradley Merritt, MD, share key insights and perspectives on the articles: Updates for Management of Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Systematic ReviewThe CLASS Project: A Proof-of-Concept Machine Learning-Driven Complexity Level Algorithm for Surgical Scheduling in Mohs Micrographic SurgeryPharmacologic Methods to Reduce Postoperative Bleeding During the First Stage of the Interpolated Forehead Flap Repair: A Systematic ReviewThis podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the June issue are highlighted in a companion episode, Rapid Pearls, publishing on June 19, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

Join the Behind the Knife Surgical Oncology Team as we discuss clinical challenges through case-based examples including the diagnosis, workup, and management of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Learning Objectives:In this episode, we review the workup and management of patients with cutaneous melanoma and both microscopic and macroscopic nodal disease. References used in the making of this episode: Reijers, I.L.M., Menzies, A.M., van Akkooi, A.C.J. et al. Personalized response-directed surgery and adjuvant therapy after neoadjuvant ipilimumab and nivolumab in high-risk stage III melanoma: the PRADO trial. Nat Med 28, 1178–1188 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01851-x Christian U. Blank et al. Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus adjuvant nivolumab in macroscopic, resectable stage III melanoma: The phase 3 NADINA trial.. J Clin Oncol 42, LBA2-LBA2(2024). DOI:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.17_suppl.LBA2 Faries MB, Thompson JF, Cochran AJ, et al. Completion Dissection or Observation for Sentinel-Node Metastasis in Melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(23):2211-2222. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1613210   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28591523/ National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Cutaneous Melanoma. Version 1.2026. Accessed April 8, 2026. NCCN Guidelines PDF   Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.  If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium: https://behindtheknife.org/premiumOral Board Review: https://behindtheknife.org/oral-boardOral Board Simulator: https://behindtheknife.org/oral-board/simulatorGeneral Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

In this episode of SurgOnc Today, we explore the evolving role of value-based care in surgical oncology. Drs. Casey Allen, Matthew Katz, and Cristina O'Donoghue join the discussion to define what "value" truly means in cancer care, examine the evidence behind programs such as ERAS and prehabilitation, and review emerging frameworks used to assess value in oncology. The conversation also addresses stakeholder collaboration and the critical intersection between value-based care and health equity. This episode offers practical insights for surgical oncologists seeking to deliver high-quality, patient-centered, and sustainable cancer care.

Yale Cancer Center Director Dr. Eric Winer speaks with Dr. Kiran Turaga, Division Chief of Surgical Oncology about the evolution of surgical oncology. The many topics covered include minimally invasive surgical advancements, and the potential for artifical intelligence and targeting gene mutations before a person gets cancer. Yale Cancer Center Visit: https://medicine.yale.edu/cancer/ Email: canceranswers@yale.edu Call 203-785-4095

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear quick, high-yield summaries with practical takeaways on the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the May 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors this month are Yesul Kim, MD, and Divya Srivastava, MD. This podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the May issue are highlighted in-depth in a companion episode, Spotlight, published on May 8, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

In this new episode of Speaking of SurgOnc, Dr. Rick Greene & Dr. Giorgos Karakousis discuss the article: "Assessing the Evidence for and Utility of Gene Expression Profiling of Primary Cutaneous Melanoma" from the March 2025 issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Dr. Mihir M. Shah speaks with Drs. Shailesh Shrikhande and Syed Ahmad about strategies to improve clinical trial enrollment, expand access, and strengthen participation in surgical oncology research.

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear in-depth summaries and expert commentary on select surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the April 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors Drs. Yesul Kim and Divya Srivastava share key insights and perspectives on the articles: Utilization of Mohs Micrographic Surgery for Benign Adnexal Tumors of the Skin: A Systematic Review Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Mohs Surgeons in the Assessment of MART-1 Frozen Section Margins for Melanoma Delayed Full-Thickness Skin Grafting After Skin Cancer Resection: A Systematic ReviewThis podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the May issue are highlighted in a companion episode, Rapid Pearls, publishing on May 15, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

In this episode of SurgOnc Today, members of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee interviewed attendees and faculty at the Society of Surgical Oncology 2026 meeting. Here, we present some of the most fantastic moments and give initial impressions of up and coming changes in care for patients with cancer. Thanks for listening, and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2027. As always, the Society of Surgical Oncology seeks to improve multidisciplinary patient care by advancing the science, education, and practice of cancer surgery worldwide.

This mini-series on Behind the Knife delves into the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program and Cancer Surgery Standards Program. This episode highlights sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer.Hosts:- Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a Surgical Oncology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center.- Lauren Postlewait, MD, FACS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine and is the Medical Director of the Breast Center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA.- Chantal Reyna, MD, FACS (@kprgrl3) is a Breast surgical oncologist at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, IL and serves as the oncology clinical lead for the breast service line.Guest:- Susan E. Pories, MD, FACS (@SusanPoriesMD) is a professor of surgery, vice chair for quality and safety, and director of the Rutger's Breast Center at the University hospital. Learning Objectives: -       Understand the definition and identification of axillary sentinel lymph node. -       Understand the technique for injecting tracer or dye to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy. -       Understand the importance of preincision drainage evaluation and transcutaneous localization.-       Understand techniques to minimize seroma formation.Links to Papers Referenced in this EpisodeOperative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1: Breast, Lung, Pancreas, Colonhttps://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/Kindle edition:https://www.amazon.com/Operative-Standards-Cancer-Surgery-Section-ebook/dp/B07MWSNFSBSentinel-lymph-node resection compared with conventional axillary-lymph-node dissection in clinically node-negative patients with breast cancer: overall survival findings from the NSABP B-32 randomised phase 3 trial Lancet Oncol. 2010 Oct;11(10):927-33.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20863759/Improved Axillary Evaluation Following Neoadjuvant Therapy for Patients With Node-Positive Breast Cancer Using Selective Evaluation of Clipped Nodes: Implementation of Targeted Axillary Dissection J Clin Oncol. 2016 Apr 1;34(10):1072-8.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26811528/The false-negative rate of sentinel node biopsy in patients with breast cancer: a meta-analysis World J Surg. 2012 Sep;36(9):2239-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22569745/Effect of lymphoscintigraphy drainage patterns on sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with breast cancer Am J Surg. 2005 Oct;190(4):557-62.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16164919/Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy vs No Axillary Surgery in Patients With Small Breast Cancer and Negative Results on Ultrasonography of Axillary Lymph Nodes: The SOUND Randomized Clinical Trial JAMA Oncol. 2023 Nov 1;9(11):1557-1564.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37733364/Choosing Wisely GuidelinesSociety of Surgical Oncology. Released 2016 July 12; last updated 2020 November 13. Choosing Wisely: Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question.https://surgonc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SSO-5things-List_2020-Updates-11-2020.pdfPlease visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.  If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium:General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewOral Board Simulator: https://app.behindtheknife.org/oral-board-simulatorTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

We are joined by Dr. Sandra DiBrito, a surgical oncologist from Albany Med. Ray Graf hosts.

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear quick, high-yield summaries with practical takeaways on the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the April 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors this month are Sherrif Ibrahim, MD, PhD, and Caresse Gamret, MD. This podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the April issue are highlighted in-depth in a companion episode, Spotlight, published on April 10, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

In this new episode of Speaking of SurgOnc, Dr. Rick Greene & Dr. Mohammed Farooq discuss the article "Recurrence Patterns and Survival Outcomes in Clinical Stage IIB/IIC Melanoma: Can We Stratify Patients for Consideration of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy", from the January 2026 issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.    

In this episode of the Brown Surgery Podcast, PGY-4 general surgery resident Evan Mitchell sits down with a familiar face: Dr. Josh Cohen. Recently returning to the department as a surgical oncology attending, Dr. Cohen shares his journey from his residency training right here at Brown to his fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and what it's like starting his new practice.This conversation offers a grounded look into the realities of surgical oncology. Dr. Cohen discusses how to craft a career that balances broad operative skills with specialized cancer care, offering invaluable advice for medical students and residents trying to map out their futures.Key Topics Discussed:Choosing the Specialty: The unique appeal of head-to-toe operations, multidisciplinary care, and integrating complex cases with palliative care.Fellowship Nuances: The distinct differences in training and practice between Surgical Oncology and HPB fellowships.Advice for Trainees: Why you shouldn't stress about specializing too early, and the critical importance of finding a residency that builds a foundation as a strong general surgeon first.A Week in the Life: Managing a schedule dynamically split between the OR, clinic, and dedicated research time.Work-Life Balance & Dispelling Myths: Breaking down the misconception that surgical oncologists must have an intensely rigid personality, and how to maintain healthy boundaries while coordinating complex care across multiple specialties.Guest Bio:Dr. Josh Cohen completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester and medical school at UMass. After completing his general surgery residency at Brown University, he pursued a fellowship at Sloan Kettering before returning to join the Brown surgical faculty.

In this episode, surgical oncologist Dr. Seth Concors of Emory's Winship Cancer Institute discusses the role of the surgical oncologist within the multidisciplinary care team for neuroendocrine cancer. We explore what surgical oncologists do, why NET-specific experience matters, how surgical decisions are made, and what patients can expect during a surgical consultation. The conversation highlights coordination across care teams, common patient concerns, and the importance of informed decision-making and second opinions, offering practical guidance for patients and caregivers navigating surgical care in neuroendocrine cancer.TOP TEN QUESTIONS Understanding the Surgeon's Role1. What is a surgical oncologist, and what kind of training does that involve? How is a surgical oncologist similar to—or different from—other types of surgeons? Patients may hear the term “HPB surgeon.” What does that mean, and how can a patient tell if their surgeon is an HPB surgeon? 2. When a patient is looking for a surgeon, how can they find someone who is the “right fit” for them? How can patients know whether a surgeon has experience with the specific operation they may need—such as a Whipple procedure, liver surgery, or lung surgery? How important is it for a surgeon to be familiar with neuroendocrine tumors specifically?3. What should patients expect at their first appointment with a surgical oncologist? What key information are you usually trying to communicate during that first visit? What questions do you encourage patients and caregivers to ask their surgeon?4. How often should patients expect to see their surgical oncologist, and at what points in their care?Surgical Decision-Making5. How do you determine whether someone is a surgical candidate?  What is the typical goal of surgery for neuroendocrine tumors?6. If someone is not a surgical candidate initially, does that mean surgery is off the table forever? Are there treatments that can help make surgery possible in the future? How many NET surgeries can someone safely have over their lifetime? Can major surgeries—such as extensive liver resections—affect eligibility for future treatment options?Multidisciplinary and Coordinated Care7. How do surgical oncologists work within a multidisciplinary care team for NET patients? How do you collaborate with providers at different institutions, such as a local oncologist working with a NET specialty center?8. What is your perspective on second opinions, specifically for neuroendocrine cancer?9. Many patients worry about carcinoid crisis during surgery. How do you address and manage those concerns?Preparing for Surgery10. Patients often ask how they can best prepare—physically and emotionally—for surgery. What guidance do you typically offer?BONUS: What research is currently being done involving neuroendocrine surgery?ABOUT THE SPEAKERSeth Concors, MD, is an academic surgical oncologist at Emory University and the Winship Cancer Institute, where he serves as Associate Program Director for both the General Surgery Residency and the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship, and Director of the Surgical Oncology Research Fellowship. He leads Emory's Peritoneal Surface Malignancy and Neuroendocrine Tumor surgical programs, with clinical and research interests focused on gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors, cytoreductive surgery/HIPEC, and survivorship outcomes. Dr. Concors is actively involved in national surgical societies, including SSO, SSAT, NANETS, ACS, and ECOG-ACRIN, and his work emphasizes multidisciplinary collaboration, prospective outcomes research, and surgical education. He is committed to advancing patient-centered cancer care while mentoring the next generatioFor more information, visit NCF.net. 

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear in-depth summaries and expert commentary on select surgical oncology and reconstruction articles featured in the April 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery. Featured contributors Sherrif Ibrahim, MD, PhD, and Caresse Gamret, MD, share key insights and perspectives on the articles: National Trends in Repair Type Selection After Mohs Micrographic Surgery: A Benchmark Analysis Using TriNetX  Incidental Histologic Findings During Mohs Micrographic Surgery: A Systematic Review Vibration-Assisted Anesthesia Reduces Pain in Dermatologic Procedures: A Split-Lesion StudyImpact of Prior Malignancies on Survival of Patients With Merkel Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors and Microbial Shifts in Surgical Site Infections Following Mohs Surgery with Second Intention Healing: A Prospective StudyThis podcast is hosted by Naomi Lawrence, MD, Digital Content Editor for Dermatologic Surgery, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.The remaining surgical oncology and reconstruction articles from the April issue are highlighted in a companion episode, Rapid Pearls, publishing on April 17, 2026.We welcome your feedback. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Ko Un (Clara) Park, MD and Andrea Abbott, MD, MCSR lead a discussion with Taiwo Adesoye, MD and Kevin Hughes, MD to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tools are revolutionizing clinical decision-making and patient outcomes in surgical oncology. Real-world applications such as pathology image analysis, assistance during tumor board, and utilizing "ambient scribing" to reduce documentation burdens are discussed.

In this segment of Cancer Registry World, Laurie Kirstein, MD, FACS, a breast surgical oncologist in the Division of Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and current Chair of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC), discusses her vision and priorities for the CoC. Drawing on the power of cancer registry data, she highlights the essential role Oncology Data Specialists play in advancing cancer care, quality measurement, and program improvement. Tune in to hear how data-driven insights are shaping the future of oncology.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/YYF865. CME/MOC/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until April 5, 2027.Unifying Surgical-Oncology Expertise in Resectable Gastric/GEJ Malignancies: Leveraging the Evidence on Perioperative Immunotherapy Platforms to Deliver Personalized Care In support of improving patient care, PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent educational grant from AstraZeneca.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

On this episode of SurgOnc Today, Flavio Rocha, Professor and Division Head of Surgical Oncology at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, leads a discussion about engagement of surgeons in the National Clinical Trials Network cooperative groups with Sepideh Gholami, Associate Professor and Director of Translational Research in Surgical Oncology at Northwell Health, and Michael Lowe, Associate Professor and Director of the Melanoma Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. They discuss the impact that surgeons can have on the design and implementation of NCI-sponsored clinical trials and offer insights on ways for surgeons to engage with the cooperative groups.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

This content has been developed for healthcare professionals only. Patients who seek health information should consult with their physician or relevant patient advocacy groups.For the full presentation, downloadable Practice Aids, slides, and complete CME/AAPA/IPCE information, and to apply for credit, please visit us at PeerView.com/SHF865. CME/AAPA/IPCE credit will be available until March 18, 2027.Paving the Path Forward for Desmoid Tumors: Multidisciplinary Tactics to Effectively Implement Gamma Secretase Inhibitors in Clinical Practice In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, and Society of Surgical Oncology. PVI, PeerView Institute for Medical Education, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.SupportThis activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.Disclosure information is available at the beginning of the video presentation.

In this new episode of Speaking of SurgOnc, Dr. Rick Greene & Dr. Jamie Rand discuss the article: Omission of Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Patients with pT0-2 ER+/HER2− Breast Cancer with 3–5 Positive Lymph Nodes Undergoing Adjuvant Systemic Therapy and Radiation Does Not Impact Overall Survival: A Cancer Database Analysis, from the February 2026 issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear a summary of the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles in the March 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery followed by commentary from special guest contributors Ramona Behshad, MD, and Alexander Valiga, MD. This podcast is hosted by Dermatologic Surgery Digital Content Editor, Naomi Lawrence, MD, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. In this podcast series the cosmetic and general dermatology articles in the March issue of Dermatologic Surgery are featured in a separate episode. Your feedback is encouraged. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net. 

In this new episode of Speaking of Surgonc, Dr. Rick Greene & Dr. Elena Panetti discuss the article: Short- and Long-Term Outcomes After Hepatectomy in Patients Receiving Triplet Versus Doublet Preoperative Chemotherapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases, from the January 2026 issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.

In this episode of SurgOnc Today® Dr. Eyal Mor is joined by Dr. Myles Smith, Dr. Cornelius Thiels, Dr. Anai Kothari, and Dr. Heather Lyu to discuss Innovation in Surgical Oncology: Harnessing AI and AR in the Operating Room. Together, they explore how emerging technologies are transforming surgical planning, intraoperative navigation, and education — and how innovation can be integrated into everyday cancer care.

Join the Behind the Knife Surgical Oncology Team as we discuss the PRADO and NADINA randomized control trials regarding neoadjuvant therapy in Stage III melanoma with macroscopic nodal disease!Hosts:Timothy Vreeland, MD, FACS (@vreelant) is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Surgical Oncologist at Brooke Army Medical Center.Daniel Nelson, DO, FACS (@usarmydoc24) is Surgical Oncologist/HPB surgeon at Kaiser LAMC in Los Angeles.Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a 2ndYear Surgical Oncology fellow at MD Anderson.Beth (Elizabeth) Barbera, MD (@elizcarpenter16) is a General Surgery physician in the United States Air Force station at RAF Lakenheath.Joe (Joseph) Broderick, MD, MA (@joebrod5) is a General Surgery research resident between his second and third year at Brooke Army Medical Center.Galen Gist, MD (@gistgalen) is a General Surgery research resident between his second and third year at Brooke Army Medical Center. Learning Objectives:-       Evaluate the role of Completion Lymph Node Dissection (CLND) in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes, specifically citing the lack of melanoma-specific survival benefit vs. the improvement in regional disease control demonstrated in the MSLT-II trial.-       Determine the appropriate surgical excision margins for primary cutaneous melanoma, comparing the outcomes of 1 cm versus 2 cm margins as analyzed in the MINT trial (Lancet 2019).-       Analyze the impact of adjuvant systemic therapy (Anti-PD1/Immunotherapy) on recurrence-free survival in patients with resected high-risk Stage III melanoma.References:Reijers, I.L.M., Menzies, A.M., van Akkooi, A.C.J. et al. Personalized response-directed surgery and adjuvant therapy after neoadjuvant ipilimumab and nivolumab in high-risk stage III melanoma: the PRADO trial. Nat Med 28, 1178–1188 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01851-xChristian U. Blank et al. Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus adjuvant nivolumab in macroscopic, resectable stage III melanoma: The phase 3 NADINA trial.. J Clin Oncol 42, LBA2-LBA2(2024). DOI:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.17_suppl.LBA2*Sponsor Disclaimer: Visit goremedical.com/btkpod to learn more about GORE® SYNECOR Biomaterial, including supporting references and disclaimers for the presented content.  Refer to Instructions for Use at eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.  If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium:General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

In this episode of Outside the OR, Steven C. Katz, MD, FACS shares his journey at the intersection of surgical oncology and industry. From clinical insight to drug development, Dr. Katz discusses how surgeons can play a pivotal role in advancing innovation, translating research into therapeutics, and collaborating with industry partners to bring new treatments to patients. Tune in for an engaging conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, and how surgical oncologists can help shape the future of drug discovery.

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear a summary of the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles in the February 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery followed by commentary from special guest contributors David Carr, MD, MPH, and Divya Seth, MD, MPH. This podcast is hosted by Dermatologic Surgery Digital Content Editor, Naomi Lawrence, MD, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. In this podcast series the cosmetic and general dermatology articles in the February issue of Dermatologic Surgery are featured in a separate episode. Your feedback is encouraged. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

Dr. Pedro Barata and Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe discuss the evolving treatment landscape in gastroesophageal junction and gastric cancers, including the emergence of organ preservation as a selective therapeutic goal, as well as strategies to mitigate disparities in care. Dr. Maduekwe is the senior author of the article, "Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Primetime?" in the 2026 ASCO Educational Book. TRANSCRIPT Dr. Pedro Barata: Hello, and welcome to By the Book, a podcast series from ASCO that features compelling perspectives from authors and editors of the ASCO Educational Book. I'm Dr. Pedro Barata. I'm a medical oncologist at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and an associate professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. I'm also the deputy editor of the ASCO Educational Book. Gastric and gastroesophageal cancers are the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Over the last decade, the treatment landscape has evolved tremendously, and today, organ preservation is emerging as an attainable but still selective therapeutic goal. Today, I'm delighted to be speaking with Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe, an associate professor of surgery and the director of regional therapies in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Maduekwe is also the last author of a fantastic paper in the 2026 ASCO Educational Book titled "Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Prime Time?" We explore these questions in our conversations today.  Our full disclosures are available in the transcript of this episode as well. Welcome. Thank you for joining us today. Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Thank you, Dr. Barata. I'm really, really glad to be here. Dr. Pedro Barata: There's been a lot of progress in the treatment of gastric and gastroesophageal cancers. But before we actually dive into some of the key take-home points from your paper, can you just walk us through how systemic therapy has emerged and actually allowed you to start thinking about a curative framework and really informing surgery decision-making? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Great, thank you. I'm really excited to be here and I love this topic because, I'm terrified to think of how long ago it was, but I remember in medical school, one of my formative experiences and why I got so interested in oncology was when the very first trials about imatinib were coming through, right? Looking at the effect, I remember so vividly having a lecture as a first-year or second-year medical student, and the professor saying, "This data about this particular kind of cancer is no longer accurate. They don't need bone marrow transplants anymore, they can just take a pill." And that just sounded insane. And we don't have that yet for GI malignancies. But part of what is the promise of precision oncology has always been to me that framework. That framework we have for people with CML who don't have a bone marrow transplant, they take a pill. For people with GIST. And so when we talk about gastric cancers and gastroesophageal cancers, I think the short answer is that systemic therapy has forced surgeons to rethink what "necessary" really means, right? We have the old age saying, "a chance to cut is a chance to cure." And when I started out, the conversation was simple. We diagnose the cancer, we take it out. Surgery's the default. But what's changed really over the last decade and really over the last five years is that systemic therapy has gotten good enough to do what is probably real curative work before we ever enter the operating room. So now when you see a patient whose tumor has essentially melted away on restaging, the question has to shift, right? It's no longer just, "Can I take this out?" It's "Has the biology already done the heavy lifting? Have we already given them systemic therapy, and can we prove it safely so that maybe we don't have to do what is a relatively morbid procedure?" And that shift is what has opened the door to organ preservation. Surgery doesn't disappear, but it becomes more discretionary. Necessary for the patients who need it, and within systems that can allow us to make sure that we're giving it to the right patients. Dr. Pedro Barata: Right, no, that makes total sense. And going back to the outcomes that you get with these systemic therapies, I mean, big efforts to find effective regimens or cocktails of therapies that allow us to go to what we call "complete response," right? Pathologic complete response, or clinical complete response, or even molecular complete response. We're having these conversations across different tumors, hematologic malignancies as well as solid tumors, right? I certainly have those conversations in the GU arena as well. So, when we think of pathologic CRs for GI malignancies, right? If I were to summarize the data, and please correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not an expert in this area, the traditional perioperative chemo gives you pCRs, pathologic complete response, in the single digits. But then when you start getting smarter at identifying biologically distinct tumors such as microsatellite instability, for instance, now you start talking about pCRs over 50%. In other words, half of the patients' cancer goes away, it melts down by offering, in this case, immunotherapy as a backbone of that neoadjuvant. But first of all, this shift, right, from going from these traditional, "not smart" chemotherapy approaches to kind of biologically-driven approaches, and how important is pCR in the context of "Do I really need surgery afterwards?" Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: That's really the crux of the entire conversation, right? We can't proceed and we wouldn't be able to have the conversation about whether organ preservation is even plausible if we hadn't been seeing these rates of pathologic complete response. If there's no viable tumor left at resection, did surgery add something? Are we sure? The challenge before this was how frequently that happened. And then the next one is, as you've already raised, "Can we figure that out without operating?" In the traditional perioperative chemo era, pathologic complete response was relatively rare, like maybe one in twenty patients. When we go to more modern regimens like FLOT, it got closer to one in six. When you add immunotherapy in recent trials like MATTERHORN, it's nearly triple that rate. And it's worth noting here, I'm a health services-health disparities researcher, so we'll just pause here and note that those all sound great, but these landmark trials have significant representation gaps that limit and should inform how confidently we generalize these findings. But back to what you just said, right, the real inflection point is MSI-high disease where, with neoadjuvant dual-checkpoint blockade, trials like NEONIPIGAS and INFINITY show pCR rates that are approaching 50% to 60%. That's not incremental progress, that's a whole new different biological reality. What does that mean? If we're saying that 50% to 60% of the people we take to the OR at the time of surgery will end up having no viable tumor, man, did we need to do a really big surgery? But the problem right now is the gold standard, I think we would mostly agree, the gold standard is pathologic complete response, and we only know that after surgery. I currently tell my patients, right, because I don't want them to be like, "Wait, we did this whole thing." I'm like, "We're going to do this surgery, and my hope is that we're going to do the surgery and there will be no cancer left in your stomach after we take out your stomach." And they're like, "But we took out my stomach and you're saying it's a good thing that there's no cancer." And yes, right now that is true because it's a measure of the efficacy of their systemic therapy. It's a measure of the biology of the disease. But should we be acting on this non-operatively? To do that, we have to find a surrogate. And the surrogate that we have to figure out is complete clinical response. And that's where we have issues with the stomach. In esophageal cancer, the preSANO protocol, which we'll talk about a little bit, validated a structured clinical response evaluation. People got really high-quality endoscopies with bite-on biopsies. They got endoscopic ultrasounds. They got fine-needle aspirations and PET-CT, and adding all of those things together, the miss rate for substantial residual disease was about 10% to 15%. That's a number we can work with. In the stomach, it's a lot more difficult anatomically just given the shape of people's stomachs. There's fibrosis, there's ulceration. A fair number of stomach and GEJ cancers have diffuse histology which makes it difficult to localize and they also have submucosal spread. Those all conceal residual disease. I had a recent case where I scoped the patient during the case, and this person had had a 4 cm ulcer prior to surgery, and I scoped and there was nothing visible. And I was elated. And on the final pathology they had a 7 cm tumor still in place. It was just all submucosal. That's the problem. I'm not a gastroenterologist, but I would have said this was a great clinical response, but because it's gastric, there was a fair amount of submucosal disease that was still there. And our imaging loses accuracy after treatment. So the gap between what looks clean clinically and what's actually there pathologically remains very wide. So I think that's why we're trying to figure it out and make it cleaner. And outside of biomarker-selected settings like MSI-high disease, in general, I'm going to skip to the end and our upshot for the paper, which is that organ preservation, I would say for gastric cancer particularly, should remain investigational. I think we're at the point where the biology is increasingly favorable, but our means of measurement is not there yet. Dr. Pedro Barata: Gotcha. So, this is a perfect segue because you did mention the SANO, just to spell it out, "Surgery As Needed for Oesophageal" trial, so SANO, perfect, I love the abbreviation. It's really catchy. It's fantastic, it's actually a well-put-together perspective effort or program applying to patients. And can you tell us how was that put together and how does that work out for patients? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Yeah, I think for those of us in the GI space, we have SANO and then we also have the OPRA for rectum. SANO for the upper GI is what takes organ preservation from theory to something that's clinically credible. The trial asked a very simple question. If a patient with a GEJ adenocarcinoma or esophageal adenocarcinoma achieved what was felt to be a clinical complete response after chemoradiation, would they actually benefit from immediate surgery? And the question was, "Can you safely observe?" And the answer was 'yes'. You could safely observe, but only if you do it right. And what does that mean? At two years, survival with active surveillance was not inferior to those who received an immediate esophagectomy. And those patients had a better early quality of life. Makes sense, right? Your quality of life with an esophagectomy versus not is going to be different. That matters a lot when you consider what the long-term metabolic and functional consequences of an esophagectomy are. The weight loss, nutritional deficiencies that can persist for years. But SANO worked because it was very, very disciplined and not permissive. You mentioned rigor. They were very elegant in their approach and there was a fair amount of rigor. So there were two main principles. The first was that surveillance was front-loaded and intentional. So they had endoscopies with biopsies and imaging every three to four months in the first year and then they progressively spaced it out with explicit criteria for what constituted failure. And then salvage surgery was pre-planned. So, the return-to-surgery pathway was already rehearsed ahead of time. If disease reappeared, take the patient to the OR within weeks. Not sit, figure out what that means, think about it a little bit and debate next steps. They were very clear about what the plan was going to be. So they've given us this blueprint for, like, watching people safely. I think what's remarkable is that if you don't do that, if you don't have that infrastructure, then organ preservation isn't really careful. It's really hopeful. And that's what I really liked about the SANO trial, aside from, I agree, the name is pretty cool. Dr. Pedro Barata: Yeah, no, that's a fantastic point. And that description is spot on. I am thinking as we go through this, where can this be adopted, right? Because, not surprisingly, patients are telling you they're doing a lot better, right, when you don't get the esophagus out or the stomach out. I mean, that makes total sense. So the question is, you know, how do you see those issues related to the logistics, right? Getting the multi-disciplinary team, getting the different assessments of CR. I guess PETs, a lot of people are getting access to imaging these days. How close do you think this is, this kind of program, to be implemented? And maybe I would assume it might need to be validated in different settings, right, including the community. How close or how far do you think you see that being applied out there versus continuing to be a niche program, watch and wait program, in dedicated academic centers? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: I love this question. So I said at the top of this, I'm a health equity/health disparities researcher, and this is where I worry the most. I love the science of this. I'm really excited about the science. I'm very optimistic. I don't think this is a question of "if," I think it's a question of "when." We are going to get to a point where these conversations will be very, very reasonable and will be options. One of the things I worry about is: who is it going to be an option for? Organ preservation is not just a treatment choice, and I think what you're pointing out very rightly is it's a systems-level intervention. Look at what we just said for SANO. Someone needs to be able to do advanced endoscopy, get the patients back. We have to have the time and space to come back every three to four months. We have to do molecular testing. There needs to be multi-disciplinary review. There needs to be intensive surveillance, and you need to have rapid access to salvage surgery. Where is that infrastructure? In this country, it's mostly in academic centers. I think about the panel we had at ASCO GI, which was fantastic. And as we were having the conversation, you know, we set it up as a debate. So folks were debating either pro-surveillance or pro-surgery. But both groups, both people, were presenting outcomes based on their centers. And it was folks who were fantastic. Dr. Molena, for example, from Memorial Sloan Kettering was talking about their outcomes in esophagectomies [during our session at GI26], but they do hundreds of these cases there per year. What's the reality in this country? 70% to 80% to 90%, depending on which data you look at, of the gastrectomies in the United States occur at low-volume hospitals. Most of the patients at those hospitals are disproportionately uninsured or on government insurance, have lower income and from racial and ethnic minority groups. So if we diffuse organ preservations without the system to support it, we're going to create a two-tiered system of care where whether you have the ability to preserve your organs, to preserve bodily integrity, depends on where you live and where you're treated. The other piece of this is the biomarker testing gap. One of the things that, as you pointed out at the beginning, that's really exciting is for MSI-high tumors. Those are the patients that are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy-based organ preservation. But here's the problem. If the patient isn't tested at time of initial diagnosis before they ever see me as a surgeon, the door to organ preservation is closed before it's ever open. And testing access remains very inconsistent across academic networks. And then there's the financial toxicity piece where, for gastrectomy, pancreatectomy, I do peritoneal malignancies, more than half of those patients experience significant financial toxicity related to their cancer treatment. We're now proposing adding at least two years, that's the preliminary information, right? It's probably going to be longer. At least a couple of years of surveillance visits, repeated endoscopies, immunotherapy costs. How are we going to support patients through that? We're going to have to think about setting up navigation support, geographic solutions, what financial counseling looks like. My patient for clinic yesterday was driving to see me, and they were talking about how they were sliding because it was snowing. And they were sliding for the entire three-hour drive down here. Are we going to tell people like that that they need to drive down to, right, I work at a high-volume center, they're going to need to come here every three months, come rain or snow, to get scoped as opposed to the one-time having a surgery and not needing to have the scopes as frequently? My concern, like I said, I'm an optimist, I think it is going to work. I think we're going to figure out how to make it work. I'm worried about whether when we deploy it, we widen the already existing disparities. Dr. Pedro Barata: Gotcha, and that's a fantastic summary. And as I'm thinking also of what we've been talking in other solid tumors, which one of the following do you think is going to evolve first? So we are starting to use more MRD-based assays, which are based on blood test, whether it's a tumor-informed ctDNA or non-informed. We are also trying to get around or trying to get more information response to systemic therapies out of RNA-seq through gene expression signatures, or development of novel therapeutics which also can help you there. Which one of these areas you think you're going to help this SANO-like approach move forward, or you actually think it's actually all of the above, which makes it even more complicated perhaps? Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: I think it's going to be all of the above for a couple of reasons. I would say if I had to pick just one right now, I think ctDNA is probably the most promising and potentially the missing piece that can help us close the gap between clinical and pathologic response. If you achieve clinical complete response and your ctDNA is negative, so you have clinical and molecular evidence of clearance, maybe that's a low-risk patient for surveillance. If you have clinical complete response but your ctDNA remains positive, I would say you have occult molecular disease and we probably need intensified therapy, closer monitoring, not observation. I think the INFINITY trial is already incorporating ctDNA into its algorithm, so we'll know. I don't think we're at the point where it alone can drive surgical decisions. I think it's going to be a good complement to clinical response evaluation, not a replacement. The issue of where I think it's probably going to be multi-dimensional is the evidence base: who are we testing? Like, what is the diversity, what is the ancestral diversity of these databases that we're using for all of these tests? How do we know that ctDNA levels and RNA-seq expression arrays are the same across different ancestral groups, across different disease types? So I think it's probably going to be an amalgam and we're going to have to figure out some sort of algorithm to help us define it based on the patient characteristics. Like, I think it's probably different, some of this stuff is going to be a little bit different depending on where in the stomach the cancer is. And it's going to be a little bit more difficult to figure out if you have a complete clinical response in the antrum and closer to the pylorus, for example. That might be a little bit more difficult. So maybe the threshold for defining what a clinical complete response needs to be is higher because the therapeutic approach there is not quite as onerous as for something at the GE-junction. Dr. Pedro Barata: Wonderful. And I'm sure AI, whether it's digitization of the pathology from the biopsies and putting all this together, probably might play a role as well in the future.  Dr. Maduekwe, it's been fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us and also congrats again for the really well-done review published.  For our listeners, thank you for staying with us. Thank you for your time. We will post a link to this fantastic article we discussed today in the transcript of this episode. And of course, please join us again next month on the By the Book Podcast for more insights on key advances and innovations that are shaping modern oncology. Thank you, everyone. Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Thank you. Thank you for having me. Watch the ASCO GI26 session: Organ Preservation for Gastroesophageal and Gastric Cancers: Ready for Primetime? Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. Guest statements on the podcast do not express the opinions of ASCO. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Follow today's speakers:          Dr. Pedro Barata   @PBarataMD    Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe @umaduekwemd Follow ASCO on social media:          @ASCO on X (formerly Twitter)          ASCO on Bluesky         ASCO on Facebook          ASCO on LinkedIn          Disclosures:       Dr. Pedro Barata:   Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Luminate Medical   Honoraria: UroToday   Consulting or Advisory Role: Bayer, BMS, Pfizer, EMD Serono, Eisai, Caris Life Sciences, AstraZeneca, Exelixis, AVEO, Merck, Ipson, Astellas Medivation, Novartis, Dendreon   Speakers' Bureau: AstraZeneca, Merck, Caris Life Sciences, Bayer, Pfizer/Astellas   Research Funding (Inst.): Exelixis, Blue Earth, AVEO, Pfizer, Merck    Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe: Leadership: Medica Health Research Funding: Cigna    

This new mini-series on Behind the Knife will delve into the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program. This second episode highlights the thyroid cancer operative standard.Hosts:Tracy Wang, MD, MPH, FACS is a Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chair of Strategic and Professional Development at the Medical College of Wisconsin with a clinical focus on endocrine surgical oncology. Vladmir Neychev, MD, PhD is a Professor of Surgery at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine with a clinical focus on endocrine surgical oncology.Jack Sample, MD (@JackWSample) is a General Surgery Resident at Mayo Clinic Rochester.Guests:Elizabeth Grubbs, MD (@EGrubbsMD) is a Professor of Surgical Oncology at MD Anderson where she specializes in endocrine tumors, with expertise in cancer of the thyroid.David Hughes, MD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at University of Michigan, where he focuses on surgical diseases of the endocrine system, including a particular focus on the diagnosis and management of papillary thyroid cancer.Learning Objectives: Understand key preoperative and intraoperative aspects of the evaluation and treatment of patients with biopsy-proven papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) greater than or equal to 1 cm. Define factors that guide decision making regarding the extent of surgical resection (lobectomy versus total thyroidectomy) for PTC.Links to Papers Referenced in this EpisodeOperative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 2: Thyroid, Gastric, Rectum, Esophagus, Melanomahttps://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/Kindle edition:Amazon.com: Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery: Volume 2, Section 1: Thyroid eBook : Program, American College of Surgeons Clinical Research, Katz, Matthew HG: Kindle StoreImpact of Extent of Surgery on Survival for Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients Younger Than 45 years. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25337927/ Extent of Surgery Affects Survival for Papillary Thyroid Cancer. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17717441/Sponsor Disclaimer: Visit goremedical.com/btkpod to learn more about GORE® SYNECOR Biomaterial, including supporting references and disclaimers for the presented content.  Refer to Instructions for Use at eifu.goremedical.com for a complete description of all applicable indications, warnings, precautions and contraindications for the markets where this product is available. Rx only Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.  If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listenBehind the Knife Premium:General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-reviewTrauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlasDominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkshipDominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotationVascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewColorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewSurgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-reviewCardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-reviewDownload our App:Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

In this episode of the DermSurgery Digest, you'll hear a summary of the surgical oncology and reconstruction articles in the January 2026 issue of Dermatologic Surgery followed by commentary from special guest contributors Christopher Arpey, MD, and Jordan Lim, MB, BCh, BAO. This podcast is hosted by Dermatologic Surgery Digital Content Editor, Naomi Lawrence, MD, and co-hosted by Michael Renzi, MD. Dermatologic Surgery is the official publication of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. In this podcast series the cosmetic and general dermatology articles in the January issue of Dermatologic Surgery are featured in a separate episode. Your feedback is encouraged. Please contact communicationstaff@asds.net.

In this new episode of Speaking of SurgOnc, Dr. Rick Greene and Dr. Shayna Showalter discuss recently updated considerations by the SSO Breast Task Force regarding bilateral and contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy, highlighting important considerations for clinical practice, as reported in the editorial, "Highlights and Perspectives from The Society of Surgical Oncology's Statements on Bilateral and Contralateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy."

Host: Mindy McCulley, MS Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Specialist for Instructional Support, University of Kentucky  Guest: Dr. Leah Winer, MD Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Cancer Conversations Episode 70 In this episode of Cancer Conversations on Talking FACS, host Mindy McCulley welcomes Dr. Leah Winer, Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, to unpack the Surgeon General's advisory linking alcohol consumption to increased cancer risk. They discuss why public awareness of the alcohol–cancer connection is low, how alcohol causes harm at the cellular level, and why even small amounts may raise risk. Dr. Winer explains which cancers are most strongly connected to alcohol—mouth and throat cancers, larynx, breast, liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers—and how alcohol may compound other risks like smoking or obesity. The conversation covers implications of the advisory, including potential warning labels on alcoholic beverages, reassessment of drinking guidelines, and gaps in research (patterns of drinking, age of initiation, and whether risk falls after stopping). Practical advice includes: don't start drinking if you don't already, consider reducing or stopping intake, know your family history and screening recommendations, and seek support for dependence when needed. Tune in for clear, research-based guidance on reducing cancer risk and how to translate the Surgeon General's advisory into day-to-day choices for better health.

In this episode, Drs. Ali, Georgoff, and Swenson share some big-time updates to our oral board simulator.  We've also included a full example test for you to listen to. Whether you are studying for the exam, or for your next rotation, try the Behind the Knife Oral Board Simulator for free: https://behindtheknifeoralboardsimulator.org What's new: Massive Usage & Feedback: The Beta launch of the AI-powered oral board simulator has been a huge success, thanks to the incredible support and actionable feedback from the surgical community.  Your feedback has allowed for advanced fine tuning and a better user experience. Next-Level Feedback: Your readiness score just got a whole lot more honest! The score is now a more accurate reflection of your performance and the number of the 362 testable conditions and procedures you've actually covered. The Examiner Makeover: Experience a real-world test day with 20 different examiner voices (fast, slow, accented) to prepare you for any personality you might face. Introducing your new study partners: Get ready for three game-changing features designed to elevate your training: Coach: The ultimate study buddy! Ask it questions, and it will provide the right answers, identify your weaknesses, and walk you through scenarios (the opposite of the unhelpful examiner!). OpGuide: Perfect for procedural review. Ask it how to perform a procedure (like a Whipple), and it will provide concise, board-appropriate surgical steps. Wingman: Practice unfamiliar topics without the stress! It presents a patient stem, and if you're stuck, Wingman will answer for you in the first person, teaching you the topic as it goes. The future is now! Specialty Expansion: The simulator is coming soon to Vascular, Colorectal, Surgical Oncology, CT Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, and even OBGYN! Platform Integration: Look out for a big makeover as the simulator is fully integrated into the Behind the Knife app platform for a seamless and beautiful user experience. Listen to the end for a full scenario run-through and a detailed breakdown of the scoring to see the improvements for yourself! Your feedback is CRUCIAL to making this the best simulator it can be. Please use the in-app feedback button or the link below to share your thoughts! https://forms.gle/wAJxTtkEYowNeqNa9 Hosts: - Ayman Ali, MD (PGY-4, Duke Hospital) - Patrick Georgoff, MD (Trauma/Critical Care Surgeon, Duke Hospital): @georgoff - Matthew Swenson, MD (General Surgeon, Valley Health System) Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Download our App: Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049 Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US

This new mini-series on Behind the Knife will delve into the technical aspects of the Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, developed through the American College of Surgeons Cancer Research Program. This first episode highlights the colon cancer operative standard. Hosts: Timothy Vreeland, MD, FACS (@vreelant) is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and Surgical Oncologist at Brooke Army Medical Center Lexy (Alexandra) Adams, MD, MPH (@lexyadams16) is a Surgical Oncology fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Guest: George Chang, MD, MS, MHCM, FACS, FASCRS, FSSO is a Professor and the interim Department Chair in the Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center.   Learning Objectives: The extent of colon mobilization and resection depends on tumor location, with high vascular ligation of the tumor-bearing segment to complete adequate regional lymphadenectomy. The technical steps of right colectomy are reviewed, including high ligation of the ileocolic pedicle at the level of the superior mesenteric vein, and the right branch of the middle colic artery if present. Tips and tricks are discussed to identify vascular structures and avoid central vascular injury. Links to Papers Referenced in this Episode Operative Standards for Cancer Surgery, Volume 1: Breast, Lung, Pancreas, Colon https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/cancer-surgery-standards-program/operative-standards-for-cancer-surgery/purchase/ Kindle edition: https://www.amazon.com/Operative-Standards-Cancer-Surgery-Section-ebook/dp/B07MWSNFSB Short-term outcomes of complete mesocolic excision versus D2 dissection in patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy for right colon cancer (RELARC): a randomized, controlled, phase 3, superiority trial Lancet Oncol. 2021 Mar; 22(3):391-401. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33587893/ Impact of Proximal Vascular Ligation on Survival of Patients with Colon Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018 Jan;25(1):38-45. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27942902/ Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.   If you liked this episode, check out our recent episodes here: https://behindtheknife.org/listen Behind the Knife Premium: General Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/general-surgery-oral-board-review Trauma Surgery Video Atlas: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/trauma-surgery-video-atlas Dominate Surgery: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Clerkship: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-clerkship Dominate Surgery for APPs: A High-Yield Guide to Your Surgery Rotation: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/dominate-surgery-for-apps-a-high-yield-guide-to-your-surgery-rotation Vascular Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/vascular-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Colorectal Surgery Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/colorectal-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Surgical Oncology Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/surgical-oncology-oral-board-audio-review Cardiothoracic Oral Board Review Course: https://behindtheknife.org/premium/cardiothoracic-surgery-oral-board-audio-review Download our App: Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/behind-the-knife/id1672420049 Android/Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.btk.app&hl=en_US