Dr. John Lyons — Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute

I am a fellowship-trained surgical oncologist which means that I am a minimally invasive general surgeon; but in addition to my general surgery training, I spent an additional four years learning how to treat cancer and how to take care of cancer patients. My practice is completely focused on and limited to patients with known cancers or concerns for cancer development.

I care for people with benign and malignant (cancerous) diseases of the stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts in addition to patients with cancers that have spread to the liver from other organs. I also care for people who suffer from cancers of the skin (melanoma, merkel cell carcinoma, etc.) and soft tissues (sarcomas), and I am also trained in breast and endocrine surgery.

It is my belief that treating cancer is a team sport, and communication with my patients and other doctors is essential. Therefore, in most cases, prior to initiating treatment, my patient’s case is discussed at a multidisciplinary cancer conference that includes cancer physicians from other specialties (medical oncology, radiation oncology, gastroenterology, pathology, clinical trial specialists, and others) to ensure that the very best individualized treatment plan is being offered. Even if surgery is not warranted, I work with referring doctors and other cancer specialists locally, regionally, nationally (if needed) to quarterback the most appropriate cancer treatment strategy for my patient and his or her family.

I am able to perform many cancer surgeries through a minimally invasive approach, and I was the first surgeon in Louisiana to perform a major hepatectomy (liver resection) for cancer using a completely robotic surgical approach.

I currently chair the hepaticopancreaticobiliary (HPB) disease team at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute; and through this team, I started the first high-risk pancreas cancer screening program in the state of Louisiana. I am a clinical associate professor for the LSU Department of Surgery where I am very involved in instructing medical students and surgeons-in-training. I also hold several additional leadership roles at the cancer center, and I have recently been appointed Chairman of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer for the State of Louisiana.

I have authored or coauthored several peer reviewed journal articles and text book chapters; and I am a co-investigator on several cancer clinical trials both locally and nationally.

Dr. Lyons speaks about surgical oncology, sharing his expertise and insights into comprehensive care offered by Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute