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Surgical Tumour Groups

The Surgical Tumour Groups (STGs) advise the Provincial Lead, BC Cancer Surgery and the Network on the best practices, issues and challenges in the surgical management of patients within each tumour group.
The STGs are fundamental to the quality assurance/improvement initiatives that support the BC healthcare system in providing high quality, timely cancer surgery care to patients as close to home as possible.

Each STG is led by a Chair and comprised of provincial regional representatives who are experts in this area of cancer surgery, to improve the care and outcomes for cancer surgery patients across BC.  Together, the STGs serve to:

  • Establish the standard of care and best practices in the surgical management of patients within each tumour group.
  • Establish evidence-based tumour specific quality indicators to inform the collection, analysis and provision of cancer surgery data reporting.
  • Provide input into the BC Cancer Surgery strategic priorities, share best practices, identify knowledge gaps and consult on performance management issues.
  • Act as a liaison between the BC Cancer Surgery Network and the BC Cancer Provincial Tumour Groups.
  • Identify continuing professional development needs and work with the BC Cancer Surgery CPD-KT Committee to on educational initiatives.
  • Identify research and outcomes needs and facilitate data acquisition/analysis with the BC Cancer Surgery Network Research & Outcomes Evaluation Committee.
  • Establish tumour specific credentialing criteria for the provision of cancer surgery at the hospital level.

The 12 Surgical Tumour Groups include 

Members       


Dr. Andrew Lee (Chair)

Fraser Health 


Dr. Gary Goplen

Interior Health


Dr. Stephen Hentschel

Island Health


Dr. Serge Makarenko

Vancouver Coastal Health

 

Members    

Dr. Elaine McKevitt (Chair) 

Providence/VCHA 

 

Dr. Anise Barton

Vancouver Coastal Health 

 

Dr. Connie Chiu

Fraser Health


Dr. Rebecca Warburton

Vancouver Island Health

 

Dr. Erin Martin

Northern Health

 

Dr. Rebecca Warburton 

Providence Health


History/Archives

 

SON Fall Update 2016

The afternoon session of the 2016 Fall Update was dedicated to discussion on current guidelines and management of breast cancer. You can view presentations from the Fall Update on this page. 

 

SON Fall Update 2014

Another successful Fall Update conference on Breast Surgical Oncology was held on October 18th 2014 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. This years event was focused on "Current Controversies" in Breast Cancer treatment. More information can be found on our Fall Update page.

 

Breast Cancer Symposium 2004
This event took place on the 24th April 2004 at the Hotel Grande Pacific, Victoria and was open to all general surgeons with an interest in breast cancer. A full summary of the conference can be read in the September 2004 edition of the SON newsletter. Results of the pre- and post-test can be viewed on the Symposium page.

Guidelines 

The group are currently involved with development of the second Sentinel Lymph Node  Mapping Guidelines. The first guideline, "Provincial Guideline for Lymphatic Mapping and Sentinel Node Biopsy for Breast Cancer" is now available. 

Breast cancer was the subject of the spring 2004 Surgical Oncology Network newsletter, which includes information on the formation of the first provincial guideline and an interview with Dr. Allen Hayashi. 

Members

 

Dr. Tom Wallace (Chair)

Interior Health

 

Dr. Cailan MacPherson

Island Health

 

Dr. Manoj Raval

Vancouver Coastal Health

 

Dr. Magda Recsky

Interior Health

 

Dr. Elena Vikis

Fraser Health

  

History/Archives

Fall Update 2017


2017's Fall Update focus was on colorectal cancers and featured guest speakers and topic specialists. The program agenda for the day can be viewed here.


Fall Update 2015

The afternoon session of the 2015 Fall Update on Surgical Oncology was dedicated to lower GI tract cancers, providing useful information on current management and guidelines for community surgeons. You can view the presentations here.

Fall Update 2012

Another successful Fall Update was held in 2012 on the topic of lower GI tract cancers. You can view presentations from this event on the Fall Update page.

 

Surgeon Awards

Dr. Terry Phang and his team of researchers (Colleen E McGahan, MSc; Greg McGregor, MD; John K MacFarlane, MD; Carl J Brown, MD; Manoj Raval, MD; Rona Cheifetz, MD; Hagen Kennecke, MD; John H Hay, MD) received The Pennsylvania Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons Award for the best clinical poster. Their poster "Outcomes Improved after Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) Workshops in British Columbia" was presented at the ASCRS 2008 Annual Meeting and Tripartite Meeting, P280

SON Fall Update
Rectal Cancer Update:
The Last 5cm Distal TME and Beyond
Saturday October 24, 25, 2008
Vancouver, BC
St. Paul's Hospital

2008 Fall Update survey 
The Surgical Oncology Network Rectal Cancer Initiative with the cooperation of BC general surgeons has standardized the approach to rectal cancer management in BC. However, our recent province-wide data suggest that there are still important aspects of rectal cancer care that are suboptimal, especially our surgical techniques for cancer in the distal rectum. Thus, we plan on a follow up course on rectal cancer treatment and we are asking your help to design this update course. Please participate in the following survey and help us create a better learning opportunity for everyone.

Preliminary Outcomes After Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) in BC 
Outcomes for rectal cancer management in British Columbia (BC) were previously reported for the year 1996 and were proven worse than the reported standard of less than 10% [1-3]. Subsequently, a large Dutch TME study reported benefit from preoperative short course radiation in resectable rectal cancers treated with TME [4]. As a result, in 2002 and 2003, strategies were implemented to improve surgical and pathologic rectal cancer techniques and reporting. Management and initial surgical and pathological outcomes of a cohort of non-metastatic rectal cancer patients referred to BC Cancer in the 12 month period immediately following educational workshops are reviewed in this poster.

TME Videos 

  1. TME - Cadaver dissection showing dissection planes between visceral fascia of mesorectum and parietal fascia of pelvis, and showing pelvic nerves. Commentary on common questions of dissection.
  2. TME - Dr Bill Heald's live OR dissection and excellent commentary.

Improving Rectal Cancer Surgery Outcomes
The group has launched a project involving all general surgeons in British Columbia. The intent is to improve outcomes for patients following rectal cancer surgery. Surgeons throughout BC are being asked to complete a Dataform on patients when they have performed rectal cancer. Dr. Phang has been instrumental in teaching total mesorectal excision techniques, which have been shown to improve post surgery outcome. A poster has been created and displayed at various conferences in 2003, which details the success of TME instruction. 

 

Guidelines


The group have developed a guideline for the treatment of low rectal cancers.

 

TME Instruction
Two sessions of TME instruction have taken place - one at the end of November 2002 and the other in mid September 2003. Knowledge of rectal cancer surgery management was assessed through pre- and post-tests. Knowledge of management increased dramatically 0following the sessions. Photos from the September 2003 course are now available.
    

 Publications

  • Phang PMacFarlane JTaylor RCheifetz RDavis NHay J, et al. Practice patterns and appropriateness of care for rectal cancer management in BC. BCMJ Sept 2003;45(7):324-329 (full article in PDF format available by clicking here)
  • Phang PT, Law J, Toy E, Speers C, Paltiel C, Coldman A. Pathology audit of 1996 and 2000 reporting for rectal cancer in BC. BCMJ Sept 2003;45(7):319-323 (full article available in PDF format by clicking here)
  • Phang PT, Strack M, Poole B. Proposal to improve rectal outcomes in BC. BCMJ Sept 2003;45(7):330-335 (full article available in PDF format by clicking here)
  • Phang PMacFarlane JTaylor R, Cheifetz R, Davis N, Hay J, et al. Effect of emergent presentation on outcome from rectal cancer management. Am J Surg 2003;185(5):450-4.
  • Richard C, Phang P, McLeod R, Group CAoGSEBRiS. Canadian Association of General Surgeons Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery. 5. Need for preoperative radiation in rectal cancer. Preoperative radiotherapy combined with total mesorectal excision for resectable rectal cancer. Can J Surg 2003;46(1):54-6.  
  • Phang PMacFarlane JTaylor RCheifetz RDavis NHay J, et al. Effects of positive resection margin and tumour distance from anus on rectal cancer treatment outcomes. American Journal of Surgery 2002;183(5):504-8.
  • PT Phang: Editorials - Rectal cancer management in BC. BC Med J 2003, 45: 252-253, 312-313.
  • D Malfair, JA Brown, PT Phang: Preoperative rectal cancer imaging. BC Med J 2003; 45: 259-261.
  • Phang PT, Wong WD: Preoperative evaluation of the rectal cancer patient. Current Therapy in Colon & Rectal Surgery 2nd Ed., Chapter 30. 
  • Hay JShah A. Current adjuvant strategies for rectal cancer management. BC Med J 2003 
  • Phillips N, Coldman AJ. Computer Simulation of the Effect of Different Colorectal Cancer Screening Strategies for British Columbia. BC Med J 2003 

Members


Dr. Trevor Hamilton (Chair)

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Mohammadali Sohrab Khorasani

Island Health


Dr. Emile Woo

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Siham Zerhouni

Interior Health


Dr. Francis Zih

Fraser Health


History/Archives

SON Fall Update 2015

Another successful Fall Update was held on November 18th 2015 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. This years event was focused on GI Tract Cancers: From Top to Bottom. More information can be found on our Fall Updates page.    

The Surgical Oncology Network hosted the Surgical Problems in Proximal GI Cancer Management Conference on December 3rd, 2005.

 

Members


Dr. Janice Kwon (Chair)

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Harinder (Harry) Brar

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Trevor Cohen

Island Health

 

Members


Dr. Eitan Prisman (Chair)

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Don Anderson

Fraser Health


Dr. Roy Cheung

Island Health


Dr. Sergei Filatov

Northern Health


Dr. Matthew Hearn

Interior Health

 

Members


Dr. Shawn MacKenzie (Chair)

Fraser Health


Dr. Darren Biberdorf

Island Health


Dr. Gareth Eeson

Interior Health


Dr. Zaheer Kanji

Interior Health


Dr. Peter Kim

Vancouver Coastal Health

 

Members

Dr. Chris Baliski (Chair)

Interior Health


Dr. Mohammadali Khorasani

Island Health


Dr. Heather Stuart

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Evan Jost

Northern Health


Dr. Francis Zih

Fraser Health

 

Members


Dr. Paul Clarkson (Chair)

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Darren Biberdorf

Island Health


Dr. Sonia Cader

Fraser Health


Dr. Gareth Eeson

Interior Health


Dr. Andrea MacNeill
Vancouver Coastal Health


Resources


New Musculoskeletal Oncology Website: www.orthotumours.ca


This website was developed by the Surgery Networks Musculoskeletal, Bone and Soft Tissue Surgical Group Chair Dr. Paul Clarkson, in partnership with clinical collaborators. This is an invaluable resource for medical students, residents, family physicians and other physicians without specialty expertise, and patients.

 

Members


Dr. Maurice Blitz (Chair)
Interior Health


Dr. James Bond
Fraser Health


Dr. Michael Humer
Interior Health


Dr. John Samphire
Island Health


Dr. John Yee
Vancouver Coastal Health


Members


Dr. Sam Wiseman (Chair)

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Chris Baliski

Interior Health


Dr. Nadine Caron

Northern Health


Dr. Al Hayashi

Island Health


Dr. Adrienne Melck

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Eitan Prisman

Vancouver Coastal Health


Dr. Vance Tsai

Fraser Health


Future Goals 

  1. Standard OR and Pathology reports.
  2. Multidisciplinary for ALL Endocrine Tumours.
  3. Establishment of an endocrine surgery fellowship (In conjunction with surgical oncology).
  4. Widespread use of SPH prospective data collection.
FALL UPDATE CONFERENCE 2018
A successful fall update conference on Endocrine surgical oncology was held at the Four Seasons Hotel on October 13, 2018. 

 

Members


Dr. Michael Metcalfe (Chair)

Island Health


Dr. Derek Ottem

Interior Health


Dr. Brian Yang

Fraser Health


Dr. Guy Paterson

Northern Health

 

If you have any questions about the Surgical Tumour Groups please email SurgeryNetwork@bccancer.bc.ca.

 

SOURCE: Surgical Tumour Groups ( )
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