Single-Session Endoscopic Ultrasound-Directed Transgastric Intervention for a Fine Needle Biopsy of Pancreatic Head Mass Using Endoscopic Through-the-Scope Suturing in a Patient With Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Anatomy.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a diagnostic tool used to examine pancreatic lesions. In patients who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, lesions of the pancreatic head can be difficult to access because of altered foregut anatomy. To access the excluded stomach for better visualization of the pancreatic head, EUS-directed transgastric intervention can be used in a 2-step fashion.

National Institutes of Health Career Development (K) Awards to Young Surgeons: An Academic Milestone or One-hit Wonder?

Objective: To assess contemporary trends in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Career Development (K) Awards within the Departments of Surgery and its impact on the likelihood of achieving independent R01 grants.

Background: The NIH provides K-type Career Development Awards to nurture young clinicians toward a productive academic career, thereby maintaining a pipeline of physician-scientists. However, the impact of K awards on career trajectory of surgeons remains unclear.

National Institutes of Health Research Funding to Academic Surgical Oncologists: Who Are We and Where Do We Stand?

Background: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary public funding source for surgical research in the United States. Surgical oncology is a highly academic career, but NIH funding for surgical oncologists (SOs) is not well characterized.

Methods: The NIH RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results) was queried to identify R01-and-equivalents grants awarded to departments of surgery (DoS) between 2008 and 2018.

Evolving Role of Liver Resection in Selected Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Background: More effective chemotherapy regimens combined with metastasectomy have improved overall survival (OS) in several cancer populations. The value of liver resection (LR) in breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM) remains controversial. We sought to investigate the role of LR in BCLM as a therapeutic option in patients with isolated liver metastasis.

The Effect of Hospital Volume on Outcomes of Patients with Occult Breast Cancer.

Introduction: With limited data in regards to management, occult breast cancer (OBC) poses a challenging surgical scenario. Current surgical management includes axillary lymphadenectomy (ALND) with or without mastectomy. We sought to investigate the impact of hospital volume on surgical approach and survival outcomes of patients with OBC.

Patterns of National Institutes of Health Grant Funding to Surgical Research and Scholarly Productivity in the United States.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the contemporary trends in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants awarded to surgical investigators, including potential disparities.

Background: The NIH remains the primary public funding source for surgical research in the United States; however, the patterns for grants and grantees are poorly understood.

Methods: NIH RePORTER was queried for new grants (R01, -03, -21) awarded to Departments of Surgery (DoS).

Surgical Management of the Axilla in Patients with Occult Breast Cancer (cT0 N+) After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Background: Occult breast cancer (OBC) is a rare clinical entity. Current surgical management includes axillary lymphadenectomy (ALND) with or without mastectomy. We sought to investigate the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with OBC treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Utility of Radiation After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Surgically Resectable Esophageal Cancer.

Introduction: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) ± radiation (NRT) is the "gold standard" approach for locally advanced esophageal cancer (EC). However, the benefits of RT on overall survival (OS) in patients with resectable EC undergoing neoadjuvant therapy followed by esophagectomy remain controversial.

Methods: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with nonmetastatic EC between 2004 and 2014.

Survival Outcomes Associated With Clinical and Pathological Response Following Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX or Gemcitabine/Nab-Paclitaxel Chemotherapy in Resected Pancreatic Cancer.

Objective: To compare the survival outcomes associated with clinical and pathological response in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with FOLFIRINOX (FLX) or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GNP) followed by curative-intent pancreatectomy.

Background: Newer multiagent NAC regimens have resulted in improved clinical and pathological responses in PDAC; however, the effects of these responses on survival outcomes remain unknown.

Methods: Clinicopathological and survival data of PDAC patients treated at 7 academic medical centers were analyzed.

Disparities in access to cancer surgery after Medicaid expansion.

Introduction: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid eligibility to persons with income up to 138% of the federal poverty line. We investigated how Medicaid expansion (ME) impacted the access to cancer-specific surgical care in the US.

Methods: We used a nationwide population-based database (SEER) to identify patients with the 8 most prevalent cancers between 2007 and 2015.

Does Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Change the Role of Regional Lymphadenectomy in Pancreatic Cancer Survival?

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of lymph node (LN) dissection and staging in outcomes of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods: National Cancer Database was queried for patients with stages I to III PDAC diagnosed between 2004 and 2014. Overall survival (OS) was derived from Kaplan-Meier methods, and Cox-regression model was used to evaluate associations between the number of LN examined, number of positive nodes, and LN ratio with OS.