Dr. Thomas J. Polascik

I am a surgical oncologist and researcher whose primary areas of focus are cancers of the liver and pancreas. As a surgeon, I believe in using minimally-invasive techniques, when possible, to speed up a patient’s recovery and get them to other avenues of care faster. My research is focused on clinical practice and clinical outcomes. I became interested in surgical oncology, because I enjoy the opportunity to restore hope to patients who may feel despair after their initial cancer diagnosis. I aim to restore hope by connecting with patients individually and providing them with options for treatment when they might feel they have none. I also work closely with my radiology oncology and medical oncology colleagues in crafting a treatment and care plan. Working together as a team often allows us to come up with a much better treatment plan than any of us could by ourselves. Dr. Zani is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Pancreaticoduodenectomy. His top areas of expertise are Pancreatic Cancer, Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer), Neuroendocrine Tumor, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, and Pancreatectomy.

I’m a fellowship-trained surgical oncologist who specializes in the surgical management of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies—including soft tissue sarcomas and pancreas, colorectal and gastric cancers. Many of my patients have advanced malignancies and I am always amazed at their resilience. Their determination to fight inspires me to aggressively pursue every surgical option and to study novel techniques to improve surgical outcomes. One of the most important reasons for patients to be treated at Duke is the emphasis on a team-oriented approach to every patient. Nearly every surgical cancer patient is discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor conference in order to assure state of the art care. When I am not in the hospital, my wife and I can be found chasing our two young children or running with our dog. Dr. Blazer is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Pancreaticoduodenectomy. His top areas of expertise are Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, and Pancreatectomy.

Douglas Tyler is a General Surgeon and a Surgical Oncologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Tyler is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Pancreaticoduodenectomy. His top areas of expertise are Melanoma, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Liposarcoma, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, and Cystectomy. Dr. Tyler is currently accepting new patients.