Title:   
Surgical Oncologist

Institute:
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Department:  
Surgery

Province:
Ontario

Training:
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States
Residency, General Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
MSc, Molecular Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,
MD, Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
BSc, Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Recognitions:
Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Research, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
American Society of Clinical Oncology Merit Award in Research

Research Projects

Project title:
The Role of Tissue Factor Following Surgery in the Development of Postoperative Metastatic Disease

Funding period:  
2010-2012

Program:
Operating Grant (Basic Research)

Summary:
Most solid tumours are treated with surgery before they spread to other organs. Dr. Auer,and others, have shown that surgery itself can increase the spread of cancer to distant sites (metastasis). Surgery triggers the formation of blood clots through the release of Tissue Factor. This is a protective mechanism designed to stop bleeding after tissue damage, such as surgery. Tissue Factor has also been shown to increase the spread of cancer to distant sites and agents that block its activity may prevent this from occurring. In this proposal Dr. Auer will find out if Tissue Factor is responsible for the increase in cancer spread that also occurs after surgery. Dr. Auer and her team will also be studying why this occurs and how to prevent it.