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Spine Oncology Study Group
The Spine Oncology Study Group was formed in the Spring of 2006 by a group of the world's medical professionals of high renown and experience in the treatment of tumors of the spine, for the purpose of studying the behavioral patterns of these tumors and increasing the effectiveness of non-surgical as well surgical treatments. One of the founders, Peter Paul Varga, MD is the Director of this institution.
SOSG has named as one of its most important goals the standardization of surgical techniques and the creation of a common international data base. The group members communicate electronically and work according to a predetermined plan, coming together every six months for a two-day meeting in various locations around the world. These meetings are, partly, for discussion of results obtained during the previous six-month period and, partly, for planning the work for the following six months. An extended, high standard data base system was created with the help of one of the leading data base systems developers, the PhDx Systems, Inc. of Albuquerque, NM, USA.
One of the direct results of the Group's work will be the publication of the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Manual, the first international protocol system for the examination and treatment of tumors of the spine. The resulting data base will be the world's largest concentration of material concerning the surgical treatment of tumors of the spine.
Pictured: Members of the Spine Oncology Study GroupList of Members:
Sigurd Berven, M.D. San Fransisco, CA Orthopedics, Univ. of Cal. San Fransisco
Roberto Biagini, M.D. Rome, Italy Orthopedics, Instituto Regina Elena
Mark Bilsky, M.D. New York, NY Neurosurgery,Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Stefano Boriani, M.D. Bologna, Italy Orthopedics, Ospedale Maggiore
Dean Chou, M.D. San Fransisco, CA Neurosurgery, Univ. of Cal. San Fransisco
Mark Dekutoski, M.D. Rochester, MN Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic
Michael Fehlings, M.D., Ph.D. Toronto, ONT Neurosurgery, Toronto Western
Charles Fischer, M.D. Vancouver, BC Orthopedics, Vancouver General
Daryl Fourney, M.D. Saskatoon, SAS Neurosurgery, Univ. of Saskatchewan
Peter Gerszten, M.D. Pittsburgh, PA Neurosurgery, Univ. of Pittsburgh
Ziya Gokaslan, M.D. Baltimore, MD Neurosurgery, John Hopkins University
Michael Groff, M.D. Boston, MA Neurosurgery, Beh Israel Deaconess Med. Center
Jim Harrop, M.D. Philadelphia, PA Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University
Norbert Liebsch, M.D., Ph.D. Boston, MA Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General
Ehud Mendel, M.D. Columbus, OH Neurosurgery, Ohio State University
Scott Okuno, M.D. Rochester, MN Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic
Stephen Ondra, M.D. Chichago, IL Neurosurgery, Northwestern University
Shreyas Patel, M.D. Houston, TX Medical Oncology, UT, M.D. Anderson
David Polly, M.D. Minneapolis, MN Orthopedics, Univ. of Minnesota
Lurence Rhines, M.D. Houston, TX Neurosurgery, Univ. of Texas, M.D. Anderson
Timothy Ryken, M.D. Iowa City, IA Neurosurgery, University of Iowa
Meic Schmidt, M.D. Salt Lake City, UT Neurosurgery, Univ. of Utah
Chris Shaffrey, M.D. Charlottesville, VA Neurosurgery, University of Virginia
Narayan Sundaresan, M.D. New York, NY Neurosurgery, Central Park Neurosurgery
Katsuro Tomita, M.D. Takaramachi, Japan Orthopedics, Kanazawa University
Peter Paul Varga, M.D. Budapest, Hungary Orthopedics, National Center for Spinal Disorders
Luiz Vialle, M.D. Curitiba, Brazil Orthopedics, Catholic University
Frank Vrionis, M.D. MPH, Ph.D. Tampa, FL Neurosurgery, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center
Josh Yamada, M.D. New York, NY Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering
