Research

The specific objective of the ROE (Research Outcomes and Evaluation Committee) Research Project Program is to identify and enable projects that support the mandates of the Surgery Network.

This program can be used to support a variety of initiatives including obtaining data for early stage pilot or feasibility studies as well as communication or education initiatives. While the BC Cancer Surgery Network does not provide direct funding in the form of grants, it will provide in-kind administrative and organizational support for approved projects.

Surgery Network project support

Project application and guidelines

‎Eligibility requirements

All members of the BC Cancer Surgery Network are invited to apply.
The project leader in the project must be a surgeon practicing oncology. External participants may be included in the project proposal as co-applicants.
The proposed project must be directed towards supporting one of the four functions of the BC Cancer Surgery Network.

Application

A Project Support Application must be submitted by email to the BC Cancer Surgery Network Research and Outcomes Evaluation Committee (SurgeryNetwork@bccancer.bc.ca). The application will be reviewed by the ROE Committee Chair and Coordinator. If approved, you will be informed via email.

Please reach out to SurgeryNetwork@bccancer.bc.ca with any questions.

Conditions of Funding

Where necessary, the project leader will need to complete and submit an Ethics application. On acceptance of the proposal, the project leader will be responsible for the project and is expected
to work closely with the Surgery Network team to guide the project and ensure the milestones are achieved. In addition, a meeting with data analytics will be scheduled to discuss your project.

If the projected milestones are not achieved as per the project timeline, the project will be reviewed for re-approval and re-prioritization.

Communication Requirement

Recipients who receive support are required to acknowledge BC Cancer Surgery in any written or oral presentation of research results including scientific articles, news releases, news conferences, public lectures, and media interviews.

Contact Information
ROE Committee Coordinator
Biostatistician, BC Cancer Surgery Network
Email: SurgeryNetwork@bccancer.bc.ca

Published research projects

2019

2020 Publications

Jay M, Creelman B, Baliski C.

Patient reported outcomes associated with surgical intervention for breast cancer. The American Journal of Surgery May(2020). 219 (5): 816-822

Baliski C, Hamm J.

Does receipt of preference sensitive care impact patient reported outcomes following breast cancer surgery? The American Journal of Surgery May(2020). 219 (5): 746-749

2019 Publications

Monaghan A, Chapinal N, Hughes L, Baliski C.

Impact of SSO-ASTRO margin guidelines on reoperation rates following breast-conserving surgery. The American Journal of Surgery. May (2019). 217(5): 862-867

2018 Publications

Eng J, Baliski C, McGahan C, Cai E.

Uptake and Impact of Synoptic Reporting on Breast Cancer Operative Reports in a Community Care Setting. American Journal of Surgery. May (2018). 215: 857-861

2017 Publications

McKevitt E, Brown CJ, McGahan CE, Bakos B.

BC Surgical Practice for Breast Cancer Report.

Scott SA, Van der Zanden C, Cai E, McGahan CE, Kwon JS. Prognostic significance of peritoneal cytology in low-intermediate risk endometrial cancer. Gynecologic Oncology. 2017. May;145(2): 262–268

Eng J, Baliski C, McGahan C, Cai E.

Completeness of breast cancer operative reports in a community care setting. Breast. 2017. Oct; 35:91-97

2016 Publications

McColl, RJ, McGahan CE, Cai E, Olson R, Cheung WY, Raval MJ, Phang PT, Karimuddin AA, Brown CJ.

Impact of Hospital Volume on Quality Indicators for Rectal Cancer Surgery in BC. Am J Surg. 2016. Aug;212(2).

Hughes, L., Hamm, J., McGahan, C., Baliski, C.

Surgeon Volume, Patient Age, and Tumour-Related Factors Influence the Need for Re-Excision After Breast-Conserving Surgery. Ann Surg Oncol (2016). doi:10.1245/s10434-016-5602-8.

Leon-Carlyle M, Brown JA, Hamm J, Phang PT, Raval MJ, Brown CJ.

The accuracy of endorectal ultrasound in staging rectal lesions in patients undergoing transanal endoscopic microsurgery. American Journal of Surgery. Sept(2016). 212(3):455-60.

2014 Publications

Christopher Baliski, Colleen E. McGahan, Caitlyn M. Liberto, Sandra Broughton, Susan Ellard, Marianne Taylor, Janet Bates, Anky Lai.

Influence of nurse navigation on wait times for breast cancer care in a Canadian regional cancer center. The American Journal of Surgery. May 2014; 207 (5): 686-692.

Jutzi L, Russell D, Ho S & Kwon JS.

The role of palliative colorectal stents in gynaecologic malignancy. Gynecologic Oncology. 2014;134:566-9. The volume is 134, issue 3.

Kwon JS, McGahan C, Dehaeck U, Santos J, Swenerton K, Carey MS.

The Significance of Combination Chemotherapy in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2014 Feb;24(2):226-32.

2013 Publications

Faulds J, McGahan C, Phang PT, Raval M, Brown C. Differences Between Referred and Non-Referred Patients in Cancer Research. Can J Surg 2013 56(5)E136-E141

Dehaeck U, McGahan CE, Santos JL, Carey MS, Swenerton KD, Kwon JS.

The Impact of Geographic Variations in Treatment on Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2013 Feb;23(2):282-7.

2012 Publications

Aslani N, Lobo-Prabhu K, Heidary B, Phang T, Raval MJ, Brown CJ.

Outcomes of laparoscopic colon cancer surgery in a population-based cohort in British Columbia: are they are good as the clinical trials? The American Journal of Surgery. Oct 2012; 204(4): 411-15.

Shaila Merchant, Rona Cheifetz, Margaret Knowling, Fareeza Khurshed and Colleen McGahan.

Practice referral patterns and outcomes in patients with primary retroperitoneal sarcoma in British Columbia. The American Journal of Surgery. May 2012; 203 (5): 632-638.

Eeson, G., Chang, N., McGahan, C. E., Khurshed, F., Buczkowski, A. K., Scudamore, C. H., Warnock, G. L. and Chung, S. W.

Determination of factors predictive of outcome for patients undergoing a pancreaticoduodenectomy of pancreatic head ductal adenocarcinomas. HPB. 2012; 14: 310–316.

Liberto C, Baliski C, McGahan C, Broughton S, Taylor M.

Comparison of Breast Cancer Treatment Wait Times in the Southern Interior BC in 2006 and 2010. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2012; 55 (supp): 140 (abstract).

2011 Publications

P. Terry Phang, Ryan Woods, Carl J. Brown, Manoj Raval, Rona Cheifetz and Hagen Kennecke.

Effect of systematic education courses on rectal cancer treatments in a population. The American Journal of Surgery. 2011; 201: 640–644.

2010 Publications

P. Terry Phang, Rona Cheifetz, C.J. Brown, Manoj Raval. Revisiting rectal cancer management in British Columbia. BCMJ. December 2010; 52 (10): 510-551.

P. Terry Phang, Colleen E. McGahan, Greg McGregor, John K. MacFarlane, Carl J. Brown, Manoj J. Raval, Rona Cheifetz and John H. Hay.

Effects of change in rectal cancer management on outcomes in British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2010; 53 (4): 225-231.

Phang PT.

Evolving rectal cancer management in BC. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2010; 53: 222-224.

2007 Publications

Pinsk I, Phang PT.

Total mesorectal excision and management of rectal cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Therapy. 2007; 7:1395-1403.

2006 Publications

Cheifetz R, Phang PT.

Evaluating learning and knowledge retention after a continuing medical education course on total mesorectal excision for surgeons. American Journal of Surgery. 2006; 191: 687-690.

2004 Publications

Phang PT.

TME techniques. Canadian Journal of Surgery. 2004; 47: 130-137.

2003 Publications

P. Terry Phang, Martina Strack, Barbara Poole.

Proposal to improve rectal cancer outcomes in BC. BCMJ, September, 2003; 45 (7):330-335.

Phang PT, MacFarlane J, Taylor R, Cheifetz R, Davis N, Hay J, et al.

Practice patterns and appropriateness of care for rectal cancer management in BC. BCMJ. Sept 2003;45(7):324-329.

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.

Phang P, MacFarlane J, Taylor R, Cheifetz R, Davis N, Hay J, et al.

Effect of emergent presentation on outcome from rectal cancer management. American Journal of Surgery, 2003; 185(5):450-454.

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. Canadian Journal of Surgery. Feb. 2003; 46(1):54-56.

2002 Publications

Phang PT, MacFarlane J, Taylor RH, et al.

Effects of positive resection margin and tumour distance from anus on rectal cancer treatment outcomes. American Journal of Surgery. 2002; 183:504-508.

Current research projects

Impact of Breast Density on Reoperation Rates Following Breast Conserving Surgery (Dr. Chris Baliski)

The objective of this project is to determine if mammographic breast density influences re-excision rates following breast conserving surgery

Breast HydroMARK: A novel approach for breast conserving surgery in patients with breast cancer (Dr. Chris Baliski)

The objective of this project is to assess the efficacy of a novel approach to non-palpable breast cancers undergoing breast conserving surgery (BCS)

Cystectomy outcomes based on surgeon and location case volume in BC (Dr. Peter Black)

Radical cystectomy is the standard of care for all muscle invasive bladder cancer and for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer resistant to intravesical therapy. This study's central objective is to explore the survival outcomes of radical cystectomy according to surgeon and hospital case volume in BC between 2002 and 2012. It aims to examine, using the CIHI DAD, the relationship between readmission rates and overall survival on the one hand, and surgeon and hospital case volume on the other hand, while controlling for clinicopathologic variables. The team is currently in the process of gaining access to the staging data from the various health authorities, which will then need to be linked to the CIHI data.

Can we do less invasive surgery for patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment for breast cancer? (Dr. Elaine McKevitt)

The primary objective of the study is to determine how many patients are having breast conserving surgery or sentinel node biopsy following NAT. The secondary objective of the study is to identify a group of patients that would be good candidates for breast conserving surgery and sentinel node biopsy based on tumour characteristics. The third objective of the study is to see if how many additional patients could be eligible for breast conserving surgery or sentinel node biopsy if NAT was used.

Can we abandon staging the axilla in patients over 70 years with ER positive breast cancer? (Dr. Elaine McKevitt)

The primary objective of the study is to determine how many patients would have a change in management if we did not surgically stage the axilla in patients 70 and over with ER positive breast cancer. The secondary objective of the study is to identify a group of patients that would be low risk for axillary nodal metastasis and may be able to be spared surgical staging of the axilla.

Decreasing re-excisions after breast conserving surgery in higher volume surgeons: more accurate or just more? (Dr. Chris Baliski)

A recent report from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI), suggested there is wide variations in the provision of breast conserving surgery in Canada, with British Columbia having higher than average mastectomy rates.(1) This has led to questions as to the quality of surgery being provided in our province.

Surgical Management of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (Dr. Amy Bazzarelli)

The objective of this study two fold. First it is to determine oncologic outcomes of patients with extensive areas of DCIS and second it is to find determinants of increased risk of invasive disease and the long term benefits of SLNB.

PROs associated with large volume excisions and re-excisions during breast conserving surgery (Dr. C. Baliski)

The objective of this study is to determine if larger volume excisions of tissue and re-excision following BCS negatively influence patient satisfaction with breast appearance utilizing the BREAST-Q.