The Commission on Cancer (CoC) hosts an annual paper competition for physicians-in-training to foster the importance of oncologic research in support of its mission: The Commission on Cancer is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients through standard setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of quality care.


Abstracts were submitted by residents and fellows-in-training that cover topics specific to oncology and directly related to the CoC mission. Papers were submitted through several of the American College of Surgeons chapters and CoC State Chairs. After careful review and scoring by the CoC Liaison, we are pleased to announce our first-, second-, and third-place winners.


First Place:Neoadjuvant Radiation in Stage I Rectal Cancer: Worse Outcomes?


Kristina Go, MD | University of Florida, Gainesville


Second Place:Metabolomic Identification of Diagnostic Biomarkers for Malignant Melanoma


Andrew Bayci, MD | William Beaumont Hospital, Troy, MI


Third Place:Increased Survival after Extended Lymphadenectomy for Gastric Cancer: Removing Stage Migration from the Equation


Brooke Vuong, MD | John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA