A research partnership and advancements in robotic surgery could improve gastric cancer care outcomes across the state.
The Division of Surgical Oncology in the University of Florida Department of Surgery continues to lead in gastric cancer care with advancements in robotic surgery and the launch of a statewide initiative to expand access to underserved communities.
Led by Ibrahim Nassour M.D., MSCS, an assistant professor in the UF Department of Surgery, and Steven Hochwald, M.D., M.B.A., of Mount Sinai Medical Center, the initiative focuses on a gastric and gastroesophageal junction research partnership.
“Our goal is to create comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for all patients with stomach cancer,” said Nassour, an oncologist who specializes in surgeries for cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver and bile duct.
Gastric cancer patients without financial and social support often lack the means to travel to leading facilities and afford specialized treatment, he said. Supported by $1.4 million in grant funding from the Florida Department of Health, the collaboration seeks to minimize these healthcare disparities by pairing patients with a nurse navigator.
The program guides patients through every facet of the cancer care process, including diagnostic evaluation, staging studies, oncology consultations, nutritional support, perioperative therapy coordination, survivorship planning and clinical trial consideration. It will be augmented by a prospective observational study measuring the time it takes for a patient to be diagnosed and evaluated, as well as quality-of-life outcomes following treatment.
In tandem with the research initiative, the Division of Surgical Oncology is rapidly expanding its robotic surgery program. Robotic surgery enables surgeons to perform technically demanding procedures through smaller incisions with enhanced precision, visualization and dexterity. These minimally invasive procedures allow patients to recover faster, said Nassour, who has spent his career developing the program and was recently appointed assistant chair for performance improvement and physician director of quality for the Department of Surgery.
Nassour operates the leading-edge Da Vinci 5 robotic surgery system during his procedures at UF Health Shands Hospital. The three-component platform consists of a computing tower, a patient cart and table and a console. Compared to previous models, the Da Vinci 5 is a more integrated system with “Force Feedback” technology, a feature that allows surgeons to sense the force being exerted on tissue. Nassour said this innovation reduces the physical strain of performing surgery while optimizing the flow and speed of operations.
“We use the tool to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients,” he said. “The better the tool is, the more effective you are.”
With the implementation of the Da Vinci 5 platform, the program has taken on hundreds of surgical cases, including increasingly complex oncologic operations; Nassour has completed about 700 surgeries in the past four years.
Nassour performed a successful robotic gastrectomy on a Tallahassee resident in March 2025, highlighting the positive impact of the program. The Da Vinci robot allowed him to finely dissect and suture in confined spaces while seeing a high-definition, 3D-magnified view of critical structures. The patient was initially told his cancer was terminal but recovered with no visible evidence of cancer.
“We were able to give him a new life,” Nassour said.