Ahsan Raza, M.D., a fifth-year general surgery resident at the University of Florida College of Medicine, has earned second place in a paper competition organized by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. Raza’s paper is titled, “Variability in Radiation Therapy for Rectal Cancer Between Academic and Community Centers.”
“Mortality rates for colorectal cancer have decreased over the past years but a lot of variability exists in the treatment of rectal cancer across the nation,” Raza said. “Radiation therapy is considered standard of care for stage 2 or higher rectal cancer but compliance with national guidelines is variable.”
Raza and his team aimed to evaluate appropriateness of stage-specific radiation therapy across various age groups nationally and locally. Their work suggests that a substantial number of patients nationally are potentially being over-treated (stage 1) or under-treated (stages 2 and 3) with radiation therapy.
Raza received a $500 award and an invitation to take part in a poster presentation at the annual Commission on Cancer’s meeting on Oct. 16 in Washington, D.C.