Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center invites national cancer physician to speak at special Oncology Grand Rounds event

Posted on January 6, 2022 By Editor Movers & Shakers, Riverside, Avondale, Ortega, Murray Hill, San Jose, San Marco, St. Nicholas

Dr. Christopher Pezzi, head of the division of surgery at Baptist MD Anderson; Dr. David Bartlett; Dr. Niraj Gusani, chief of surgical oncology at Baptist MD Anderson; and Dr. Konstantinos Chouliaras, surgical oncologist at Baptist MD Anderson, during Oncology Grand Rounds special edition

Visiting Professor Dr. David L. Bartlett, Chair, Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute, spoke at Baptist MD Anderson Center’s special edition of Oncology Grand Rounds on Nov. 10.

Dr. Bartlett, past president of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), served as a senior investigator in the surgery division of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, where he developed innovative surgical techniques to treat patients with abdominal and liver cancers and performed cutting-edge laboratory research in viral-based immune therapies. The SSO is a dynamic global community of cancer surgeons shaping advancements in the profession to deliver the highest quality of surgical care for cancer patients.

Bartlett’s, “Surgical Oncology Mission,” highlighted how surgical oncologists are the forefront of clinical and translational research, asking the right questions that lead to improved surgical care for patients. Additionally, he emphasized the importance the surgical oncology team plays on a cancer treatment team, and how this specific field requires specialized training and experience. He stated that his goal for the future of surgical oncology is to shape advancements in the profession by pushing for more research and trials, with surgeons playing a crucial role in this paradigm.

“We are so pleased to have Dr. Bartlett join us for this amazing Grand Rounds,” Dr. Niraj Gusani, BMDA chief of surgical oncology, said. “He is a true visionary and his talk outlined how we can prepare for the future of oncology care where we can optimize the treatments for each patient utilizing modern surgical, medical, and research techniques.”

Bartlett was invited to visit Baptist MD Anderson by Gusani, who trained at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) under Dr. Bartlett’s mentorship when Bartlett was the Bernard Fisher Professor of Surgery and Chief of Surgical Oncology at UPMC.