Research Focus

Oncology & Hematology

Area of Research

Surgical Oncology with a focus on breast cancer, as well as the prevention of surgical wound infections and onco-plastic breast surgery. In addition to oncological safety, very good cosmetic results are to be achieved with the corresponding satisfaction and quality of life of the patients. Furthermore, research in the field of armpit surgery to avoid overtreatment of breast cancer patients. 

Approved Research Projects

• Project lead of the SystemsX / Swiss National Science Foundation project “MetastasiX”: Systems biology of breast cancer.
• Sponsor Investigator of multicenter SSI RCT “Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Optimal Timing of Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis”; grants from Swiss National Science Foundation, Forschungsfonds Universität Basel, Hippocrate Stiftung, Gottfried und Julia.Bangerter-Rhyner Stiftung.
• Project lead of the retrospective OPBC-01 iTOP2 study “Impact of Large Volume Resections on Risk of Local Recurrence”.
• Sponsor Investigator of multicenter phase III RCT SSI: 580 patients were randomized in 2 Swiss
• sites. Publication in Lancet Infect Dis. 2017.
• Sponsor Investigator of multicenter phase III TachoSil RCT: 142 patients were randomized in 14 Swiss sites. Publication in Ann Surg Oncol. 2018.

Collaborations

National Collaborations

• Scientific committee St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference
• Vice-president, Swiss Society of Senology
• Advisory board and surgeon representative within the Swiss Society of Senology
• 2014 Co-founder of the Basel Breast Consortium: www.baselbc.org

International Collaborations

• 2017 Founder of the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium (OPBC): www.oncoplasticbc.org

Ongoing Research Projects

Sponsor-Investigator of the OPBC-02/PREPEC trial “Pre- versus sub-pectoral implant-based breast reconstruction after skin-sparing mastectomy or nipple-sparing mastectomy” (NCT04293146; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04293146) funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Investigator initiated clinical trials (IICT) call 2018, the propatient Forschungsstiftung, the Swiss Cancer League, and the Krebsliga beider Basel.

Coordinating PI of the SAKK/GBG/ABCSG/IBCSG TAXIS trial “Tailored axillary surgery with or without axillary lymph node dissection followed by radiotherapy in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer”(NCT03513614, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03513614)