Roberto Biffi

Director

Peritoneal Cancer Surgery Unit

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• CLINICAL ACTIVITIES

  Since 1994 Dr. Biffi performed more than 5000 major surgical procedures in the field of abdominal oncological surgery, treating esophageal, gastric, small bowel, colo-rectal, anal, liver and pancreatic cancers. His clinical focus has been on extensive application of minimally invasive surgical techniques (laparoscopy and robot-assisted surgery). He has also acquired substantial expertise in the multimodal treatment of abdominal sarcomas, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and primary / secondary tumors of kidneys and adrenal glands.

  A significant portion of his clinical activity is carried out in close cooperation with the Division of Gynecology Oncologic Surgery, in order to implement multidisciplinary surgical treatment of advanced ovarian cancers within the Ovarian Cancer Center at IEO. Cases are regularly discussed with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, endoscopists and interventional radiologists within multidisciplinary groups.

  He also developed unique expertise in the field of long-term central venous access for chemotherapy, palliation and nutrition. Since 1994 more than 7500 catheters were implanted by Dr. Biffi and his clinical team at IEO, with substantial research efforts in this field being underway.

   

• RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

  Area “Surgical Oncology of GI tract”:  “Principle investigator” of an International multi center randomized trial aimed at assessing the impact of a preoperative chemotherapy in locally advanced operable gastric cancer.

  Active participation to research programs of adjuvant and neo-adjuvant treatment of colorectal tumors and liver metastases.

  Active participation to the ROLARR international trial (Robotic vs Laparoscopic Rectal Cancer Resection).

  Area “Totally implantable central venous access devices”: he concluded a randomized trial comparing  2 different devices for long-term central venous access in oncology patients.  He carried out a randomized 3-arm trial for evaluation of the best approach to central veins for long-term chemotherapy.

  Area “Artificial nutrition in oncology”: he participated to a randomized multicenter trial comparing total parenteral versus enteral nutrition in oncology surgery of GI tract, whose results were published in The Lancet. He coordinated an observational multicenter national survey on more than  2 hundred advanced oncology patients submitted to oral integration of omega-3 fatty acids, with the aim to assess its impact on nutritional parameters and quality of life.

  He concluded a randomized Italian multicenter trial aimed at evaluation of possible effects of parenteral administration of glutamine on postoperative infectious morbidity in surgical oncology patients.

  He coordinated a national survey on the prevalence of calories and protein malnutrition in oncology Italian outpatients. Now he is running a trial on the impact of preoperatively administered malto-dextrins on postoperative resistance to insulin and infectious complications in surgical oncology patients.

  Area “ Venous thromboembolism in surgical oncology”: he concluded as Co-Investigator a national multicenter survey on more than 2 thousands patients, investigating prevalence of deep venous thrombosis in surgical oncology patients. Moreover, he participated to a multicenter International trial enrolling more than 2,500 patients receiving different anti-thrombotic drugs.

• EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

  He was for many years Adjunct Professor and Tutor of the postgraduate School of Specialization in Surgery at the University of Milan.

  Since December 2103, he is enabled - as a result of ASN (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) – to cover the position of Full Professor in General Surgery.

  He runs, with Professors A. Maggioni , P.C. Morrow and K. Podratz, the European School of Abdomino-Pelvic Surgery in Gynecologic Oncology (ESAGON).

  It annually holds a theoretical and practical course reserved for specialists on central venous access in oncology and teaches theory and practice on robotic surgery at IEO.

  He is responsible for the annual course PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters) reserved for nurses.

  He has carried out in collaboration with ECCO (European CanCer Organisation) the educational program "Oncovideos" - funded by the European Union - with a dedicated movie implementation and management of central venous ports in oncology.

  He teached in the Master Class on Familiar Hereditary Cancer in IEO - 2013 edition - directed by Dr. B. Bonanni.

  He is a teacher, since its activation, of the course on Nosocomial Infection promoted by the IOC (Committee of Hospital Infection) - IEO.