Itzhak Avital, MD, FACS

St. Mary's

Oncology

Oncologic Surgery

Peritoneal Surface Malignancies

Surgery

Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery

Colorectal Surgery

Endocrine Surgery

Medical Degree

New York University School of Medicine

General Surgery Residency

Cedars Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine

Surgical Oncology Fellowship

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)

Hepatobiliary Fellowship

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)

Dr. Avital is the medical director of Bon Secours National Cancer Institute. He is listed among the top surgeons in the country in the Guide to America’s Top Surgeons, 2012. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Avital participated in the honors program in New York University School of Medicine and completed his medical training and surgical residency in Cedars Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine. He completed three postgraduate fellowships and a two-year fellowship in surgical research at the bio-artificial liver support laboratory. During this fellowship, Dr. Avital discovered a new class of bone marrow-derived adult liver stem cells. Subsequently, Dr. Avital completed a surgical oncology and a hepatobiliary fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York. Dr. Avital joined the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institute of Health (NIH), in 2006 in Bethesda, MD. In 2007, Dr. Avital was appointed assistant professor of surgery with the Uniformed University for the Health Sciences (USHUS) in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Avital was a co-founder of the National Institute of Health Cancer Stem Cells Consortium. Subsequently, Dr. Avital was appointed to the Head Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Malignancies Section, Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Avital is a clinician, trialist and basic scientist. His laboratory research investigates the role of cancer stem cells (adult stem cells only and not embryonic stem cells) in various gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Avital discovered a new form of very aggressive cancer stem cells and holds the patent for their isolation. He investigates the genomic changes that occur in cancer stem cells and uses small molecules such as siRNA and nanoparticles to target various cancers. In addition, Dr. Avital conducted multiple clinical trials addressing various aspects of metastatic cancers. Dr. Avital is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a nationally recognized expert in surgical oncology and hepatobiliary surgery. Dr. Avital recently discovered a new form of familial gastric cancer.

Dr. Avital’s clinical interests and expertise are in the management of malignancies of the liver, pancreas, stomach, rectum, retroperitoneal sarcoma, adrenal glands, GIST and gastrointestinal tract. He is an expert in management of complex-advanced cancers.