Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Cancers of the liver, pancreas, or biliary tracts are common and carry a poor overall prognosis. Surgery remains the only chance of cure for patients with these cancers and the majority of patients will undergo at least one surgical procedure for diagnostic, curative or palliative indications. Liver and pancreatic surgery remains a major undertaking, with complications in up to half of patients who undergo operation. The overarching goal of my research program is to improve the outcomes and experiences of patients undergoing liver or pancreas surgery through integrated, patient-centred, collaborative trials. I have established a national collaborative clinical trials group termed the "HepatoPancreaticoBiliary Community of Surgical ONcologists: Clinical, Evaluative, and Prospective Trials Team (HPB CONCEPT Team)" with excellent participation from surgeons and patients. Through this group I am currently leading a national, multicentre randomized controlled trial examining the impact of the drug tranexamic acid (TXA) on blood transfusion in patients undergoing liver resection. I am also leading a multicentre randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of a novel technique of pain management called "Medial Open Transversus Abdominis Plane (MOTAP) Catheters" in patients undergoing liver surgery. We are also working to develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative, electronic, patient-centred educational tool to optimize communication and achieve shared decision-making around the time of pancreatic cancer diagnosis. These trials and others conducted through our collaborative research group will improve the outcomes and experiences of patients undergoing liver and pancreas surgery in Canada and beyond.