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Fox Chase Cancer Center Surgeons Edit New Textbook For Surgical Oncology Trainees
PHILADELPHIA (August 4, 2025) — Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Anthony Villano, MD, FACS, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, and Jeffrey Farma, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery, are editors of a new textbook aimed at introducing surgical oncology trainees to important career concepts.
Surgical Oncology Clerkship: A Guide for Senior Medical Students contains 32 chapters covering a wide variety of topics spanning the field of surgical oncology. It is published by Springer, a leading publisher of scientific, technical, and medical books and journals. Written by renowned experts in the field, the book is designed to serve as a complete and easy-to-use resource for students preparing to enter the surgical oncology field professionally for the first time.
“To date, there has not been a comprehensive educational resource for medical students rotating through surgical oncology clerkships. This is the first textbook of its kind to provide this important resource for students,” said Villano.
Chapters offer valuable references that address care for various cancer types, including esophageal, melanoma, pancreatic, and many others. The book also includes chapters that cover the comprehensive examination of cancer patients, the surgeon’s role in palliative care, and preparation for the clinic and operating room.
“We designed the book to be an accessible yet comprehensive resource. Its chapters utilize a streamlined outline format, which allows for rapid assimilation of key oncology concepts and would be a valuable tool immediately before clinics or the operating room. We are extremely excited to disseminate this book to trainees across the country and beyond,” said Villano.
“Our hope is that this book will serve as a useful guide for those surgical oncologists beginning their career in this exciting field,” said Farma. “It is a privilege to have not only taken part in creating this text, but to contribute to the growing knowledge of the field for the next generation of surgical oncologists.”
Fox Chase Cancer Center (Fox Chase), which includes the Institute for Cancer Research and the American Oncologic Hospital and is a part of Temple Health, is one of the leading comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation’s first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Fox Chase is also one of just 10 members of the Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers. Fox Chase researchers have won the highest awards in their fields, including two Nobel Prizes. Fox Chase physicians are also routinely recognized in national rankings, and the Center’s nursing program has received the Magnet recognition for excellence six consecutive times. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. It is the policy of Fox Chase Cancer Center that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.
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