Thank you Ellen and Steven for your unparalleled altruistic gift. Your incredible philanthropy has ensured us the ability to perpetuate investigation & education to improve patient outcomes throughout the world in the Ellen Leifer Shulman & Steven Shulman Digestive Disease Center

▶️ New on the #SurgicalReadings podcast: Researchers compared body composition changes after bariatric surgery and GLP-1 treatment. Hear what they found and why preserving fat-free mass matters. brnw.ch/21x3kq0

An intriguing concept from @BJSurgery. Could metabolic optimization become part of rectal cancer treatment? Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) has become the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer following landmark trials such as RAPIDO, PRODIGE 23, and OPRA, improving pathological complete response rates, treatment compliance, and disease-free survival. At the same time, GLP-1 receptor agonists have expanded far beyond diabetes and obesity, with emerging evidence suggesting potential anticancer effects. Against this backdrop, a recent BJS review explores the rationale for combining GLP-1 therapy (such as semaglutide) with TNT and highlights a planned phase II randomized trial (NCT07314528). Potential advantages include: • Reduced visceral adiposity • Improved insulin sensitivity • Lower systemic inflammation • Enhanced treatment tolerance Yet an important paradox remains: GLP-1-induced weight loss includes loss of lean muscle mass, and sarcopenia is independently associated with increased treatment toxicity and worse oncologic outcomes in rectal cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. The critical question is not whether patients lose weight, but what kind of weight they lose. Can the metabolic benefits of GLP-1 therapy outweigh the risks of skeletal muscle depletion during TNT? This study represents the emergence of “metabolic oncology,” the concept that modulating host metabolism may enhance cancer treatment beyond direct antineoplastic effects. The biological rationale is compelling, but prospective evidence is essential. Critical to the trial’s success will be careful body composition analysis, distinguishing potentially beneficial visceral fat loss from potentially harmful skeletal muscle loss. If positive, this trial could open an entirely new dimension in rectal cancer management. I’d be interested in hearing colleagues’ perspectives on the balance between metabolic optimization and sarcopenia risk during TNT. @SWexner @GaertnerWB @SeanLangenfeld @juliomayol #RectalCancer #ColorectalSurgery #GIOncology #GLP1 #Semaglutide #CancerResearch @ASCRS_1 @AmCollSurgeons @AmColSurgCancer @asgbi @BJSAcademy

Important study @BJSurgery showing discordance between restaging MRI and pathologic T stage in rectal cancer; only 36.8% of cases were correctly staged, consistent with our study in @ColorectalDis @SWexner academic.oup.com/bjs/article… pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3737…

Starting this Thursday June 18

'It cannot replace physician judgment': AMA calls for AI regulations in clinics, insurance healio.com/news/primary-care…

Looking forward @ehaasmd to welcoming you to @MedStarHealth @MedStarGUH @Georgetown @isfgs #AIRCDS26

AI has the potential to transform surgical care. But how do we ensure accountability, safety, and trust as autonomous systems become more common? A new ACS Bulletin Viewpoint explores the governance and safety challenges of AI integration in surgery. brnw.ch/21x3iwd

Congratulations

Best videos ever mate 😂😂

Transection Alone is not an Indication for Sentinel Node Biopsy in Melanoma 🔪 @herbchen @pferrada1 @PipeCabreraV @CiruAndes2 @SWexner @TomVargheseJr @sminaev2015 Link: americanjournalofsurgery.com…

The Growing High-Risk Population 🔪 @herbchen @pferrada1 @PipeCabreraV @CiruAndes2 @SWexner @TomVargheseJr @sminaev2015 Link: americanjournalofsurgery.com…

Robotic versus Traditional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG): A Dual-Phase Meta-Analysis Comparing Human and AI-Derived Evidence 🔪 @herbchen @pferrada1 @PipeCabreraV @CiruAndes2 @SWexner @TomVargheseJr @sminaev2015 Link: americanjournalofsurgery.com…

Experts: Measles is top infectious threat this summer, not Ebola or hantavirus healio.com/news/infectious-d…

Huge congratulations

The ACS offers several scholarships and fellowships for ACS members that provide funding for research, attendance at ACS events and conferences, and other professional development opportunities. Explore the current opportunities and apply by June 16. brnw.ch/21x3h2o

Next week! @MedStarHealth @MedStarGUH @Georgetown @isfgs #AICRDS26

We look forward to welcoming hundreds of participants from 34 countries including 🇦🇷 🇦🇺 🇧🇪 🇧🇴 🇧🇷 🇨🇦 🇨🇳 🇨🇷 🇪🇬 🇪🇹 🇩🇪 🇬🇷 🇬🇺 🇮🇳 🇮🇱 🇮🇹 🇯🇵 🇯🇴 🇰🇪 🇰🇷 🇲🇽 🇲🇳 🇲🇦 🇳🇦 🇳🇮 🇳🇬 🇳🇴 🇵🇰 🇵🇪 🇵🇭 🇪🇸 🇷🇺 🇹🇼 🇹🇭 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 to @MedStarHealth @MedStarGUH @Georgetown #AICRDS26 and @isfgs

Sugar-sweetened beverages associated with increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma healio.com/news/hematology-o…

Attendees of @MedStarHealth @MedStarGUH @MedStarFranklin @MedStarWHC @GUMedicine @Georgetown #AICRDS26 please RSVP to the Friday June 29 @NateraGenetics dinner

Looking forward to welcoming you @KnolJoep