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Surgery Branch

Research

The Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute has a dual function at the NIH. Investigators in the Branch are involved in the conduct of laboratory and clinical research aimed at improving the care, management, and outcome of patients with cancer. Important areas of laboratory research include tumor immunology, immunotherapy and gene therapy of solid tumors, epigenetic changes in pulmonary malignancies, tumor stem cells, and molecular changes in breast carcinogenesis. In these studies, an emphasis is placed on the translation of laboratory findings into the development of clinical protocols. Clinical efforts emphasize the development of new approaches to the immunotherapy of cancer, to the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of solid tumors, as well as the development of innovative surgical and adjunctive approaches to the treatment of patients with primary and metastatic cancer.

(See Clinical Trials.)

A second important function of the Surgery Branch is to provide surgical consultative care for all patients in the Clinical Center, NIH. These include patients from all institutes at NIH, and involve clinical care in general surgery, thoracic surgery, gynecological surgery, endocrinology surgery, and vascular access.

A third important aspect of Surgery Branch activities is the Fellowship Program in Surgical Oncology. Physicians-in-training spend 2-3 years in the Surgery Branch gaining experience in clinical care in the surgical oncology subspecialties and laboratory experience under the direction of investigators in the branch.

(See Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program.)

Frequent multidisciplinary and research conferences are held and provide a valuable forum for discussion of clinical and scientific concepts. The Surgery Branch also collaborates with the investigators of many other branches and institutes at NIH in the conduct of clinical trials and clinical studies.

This page was last updated on 8/18/2009.