Surgical Oncology

Members of the Surgical Oncology Section have a special interest in cancer surgery. Membership is open to all Fellows and trainees of the College and International Medical Graduates on the pathway to Fellowship. The Surgical Oncology Section was formed in 1999 to represent the interests of an increasing number of surgeons treating cancer, in its myriad of forms. Surgical oncology embraces the surgical management of cancer and cancer care in a multidisciplinary framework - now internationally recognised as the standard of care for patients with cancer.

This relies on co-ordination of surgery with medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic specialties, such as pathology and radiology, together with input from cancer nurses and palliative care specialists. The Surgical Oncology Section embraces many sub-specialty disciplines and, importantly, supports those areas of cancer surgery that do not have a separate identifiable discipline.

One of the main aims of the Surgical Oncology Section is to work across discipline boundaries, not only amongst surgical sub-specialties, but also other areas of non-surgical medical practice.

Its Executive Committee meets to develop education, research trial opportunities and improvements in clinical practice for the surgical care of cancer patients. 

Activities

The main focus is on improved co-ordination of surgical cancer care, addressing common features across different disciplines. We run different 'cancer type' themes at each meeting, supplementing the stricter specialty interest programs and combining with these (eg. Breast, Colorectal, Upper GI, Hepato-biliary, Endocrine, Urology),  to enhance and improve surgical cancer care, with additional multi-disciplinary aspects.  Emphasis on cancer research and education that is applicable more widely to many cancer types is a major objective. Some areas not usually covered by other specialty Sections are supported by Surgical Oncology (e.g. melanoma and skin cancers, soft tissue tumours, rare and unusual cancers, cancers of unknown origin.) The section traverses boundaries with many other sections, to attempt to supplement these, and aims to support cancer surgeons. It also offers advice to government and industry, in a research and more general sense.

The Committee co-ordinates the Surgical Oncology Section Program and visiting speakers for the College's Annual Scientific Congress (ASC), working closely with the local organisers.

The Tom Reeve Memorial Invited Visiting Lectureship is a key feature of the ASC program in surgical oncology and is an honoured award given to a visitor of international stature selected and invited to lecture on some aspect of oncology at the annual surgical oncology program each year. In 2006, the inaugural Tom Reeve Visiting Lecturer was Professor Wally Temple, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Resources

Post Fellowship Education & Training Programs - further information

Membership enquiries

If you are interested in becoming a member, please forward your details to the Secretariat.

Governance

The Section is governed by an Executive Committee reporting to the College Fellowship Services Committee

Surgical Oncology Section Terms of Reference
Sections - Role and Membership  

Executive Committee Chair - Mr Jonathan Koea FRACS

Contact

Surgical Oncology Section Secretariat
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
College of Surgeons' Gardens
250-290 Spring Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9276 7446
Fax: +61 3 9276 7432
Email: sections@surgeons.org