Georgios Karagkounis, MD

I have expertise in performing cytoreductive surgery for people with peritoneal metastasis. We use this type of surgery to remove all of the cancer from the abdominal cavity. In appropriate cases, we give chemotherapy during the procedure (in the operating room) or during recovery; this treatment is called intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Cytoreductive surgery removes all visible cancer areas while the chemotherapy intends to kill any remaining microscopic ones that cannot be seen.

I also use minimally invasive surgical approaches whenever it is safe to do so. This includes laparoscopy and robotic surgery.

My decision to dedicate my life to cancer surgery, with an emphasis on colorectal cancer, comes from a family history of the disease. Seeing colorectal cancer affect my loved ones firsthand motivated me to make a difference in the lives of people with it. I was also inspired to focus on colorectal cancer because of how common it is. There is nothing more gratifying for me than being able to help people with cancer while trying to develop new and better ways to treat it.

Fortunately, colorectal cancer care is evolving rapidly and has changed tremendously in recent decades. We now have more treatment options than ever before, and in some cases, we can even activate a patient’s immune system to attack the cancer (immunotherapy). At the same time, the field of colorectal cancer is learning more about when we can safely spare patients other treatments that can be hard on the body, like radiation and surgery. These advancements hold promise for people with this disease.

Because colorectal cancer can require different types of treatments beyond surgery, I work closely with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and other experts at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). We listen to what each of our patients wants and needs out of their care. Then, we create treatment plans that honor these preferences while getting them the best possible results.

Most of the people I see are still working through the anxiety and fear of a new cancer diagnosis. We all want to know what the future holds, and it is natural to look for long-term answers in times of stress. When I meet with patients, I emphasize the importance of taking everything one step and one decision at a time.

I also encourage my patients to talk openly about their concerns. I understand and respect that everyone deals with cancer differently, and I recognize that some of the worry that patients and their loved ones may feel is not about the diagnosis itself, but rather about another related stressor. We may have an easy solution for some of these concerns.

My research focuses on understanding why some tumors spread in the abdominal cavity while others do not, and how to treat the ones that do. I have a lab at MSK that focuses on learning about these mechanisms in colon and appendix cancer and developing new treatments for these diseases.

When I am not working, I enjoy traveling with my wife and two daughters and cherish our trips to see their grandparents in Europe. I also love watching and playing soccer, cooking (particularly Greek cuisine), and reading non-fiction books on history or mystery fiction novels.