SSO 2019 Award Winners
 

The Charles M. Balch, MD, Distinguished Service Award

Presented for outstanding contributions to surgical oncology through service to SSO, research, or enhancing clinical care or health policy. This is the successor to the Society of Surgical Oncology Heritage Award and this year’s Annual Cancer Symposium marks the first year of this award with the new name “The Charles M. Balch, MD, Distinguished Service Award.” Charles M. Balch, MD has dedicated more than 30 years of service to the SSO, demonstrating leadership on multiple fronts and serving as SSO President in 1991. His passion for the Society and for the field of surgical oncology is evidenced by 25 years of service to the Annals of Surgical Oncology, in which his actions as Founding Editor-in-Chief has led to the worldwide growth and prominence of the journal. This award is funded by The SSO Foundation.

John L. Cameron, MD
Alfred Blalock Distinguished Service Professor of Surgery
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
In recognition of his contributions to pancreas surgery, and his dedication to the training of surgical oncologists throughout his career.
 

SSO 2019 Abstract Contest & Award Winners
 

Colorectal Cancer Research Scholar Award

The CCC Foundation and the SSO developed this award in 2011 to recognize excellence in translational research focused on the molecular biology of colorectal cancer. The award is made annually to a postdoctoral surgical oncology fellow whose work is being presented at the SSO Annual Cancer Symposium. 

Jenny Lazarus, MD
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
43: Spatial Characterization of the Metastatic Colon Cancer Immune Microenvironment Identifies Potential Candidates for Immunotherapy

Harvey Baker Traveling Fellow Award

Each year The SSO Foundation awards a $1,000 grant to assist in providing travel support for a postdoctoral oncology trainee whose paper is accepted for presentation at the SSO Annual Cancer Symposium.

Parisa Malekzadeh, MD
National Cancer Institute
Bethesda, MD
38: Identification of CD4+ and CD8+ T-Lymphocyte Responses Against TP53 Hotspot Mutations in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Poster Competition

Each year, SSO offers two Poster Contest Awards; one for the best Basic/Transitional Research Poster and one for the best Clinical Research Poster. At the event, contest finalist posters are prominently displayed and voted on by attendees. The winner of each category was announced during the meeting on Saturday, during The Great Debates II.

  • Best Clinical Research Poster
    Anita Mamtani, MD
    Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
    New York, NY
    P47: Impact of Age on Locoregional and Distant Recurrence After Mastectomy for DCIS With or Without Microinvasion
  • Best Basic/Translational Research Poster
    Annelies T. Hickerson, MD
    Brooke Army Medical Center
    San Antonio, TX
    P185: The Association of PD-L1 Expression with Infiltrating Lymphocyte Densities in the Colon Adenocarcinoma Tumor Microenvironment on Endoscopic Biopsy and Final Pathology

Resident/Fellow Essay Contest

SSO offers two Resident/Fellow Essay Awards; one for the best Clinical Research paper and one for the best Basic Science Research paper. Contest finalists submit their manuscript in advance of the event and the Society makes its selection following the presentation of all papers at the Annual Cancer Symposium. The year, all submissions were made towards the Best Clinical Research Category. The winner was announced during the event on Saturday, during the SSO Town Hall & Annual Business Meeting.

  • Best Clinical Research Paper
    Syed Nabeel Zafar, MD, MPH
    The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, TX
    Predicting Risk of Recurrence After Colorectal Cancer Surgery in the United States: An Analysis of a Special Commission on Cancer National Study