Ohio State surgical oncologist Jordan Cloyd, MD, believes in casting a wide net to improve outcomes for cancer patients. “What initially drew me to practice in surgical oncology is that it’s truly multidisciplinary in nature,” Cloyd says. “I have a pivotal role in caring for patients, but it also typically requires additional therapies from providers in medical oncology, radiation oncology and other services. It really is a great joy of mine to be part of a cancer team that works together to care for patients.” Cloyd’s focus on multidisciplinary treatment and research, along with his expertise in metastatic cancer surgery and care, make him a great partner for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary cancers — and our February Physician of the Month. No routine cancer surgery “Most of the surgeries that I do are fairly complex in nature. One of the things I love about my job is that no two cases are the same. A lot of times, we’re doing surgery in a minimally-invasive fashion, and other times, a traditional open surgical approach is best. It depends on the unique factors involved and figuring out the best approach for each individual patient.” Providing hope for metastatic cancer patients “Some of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer surgery over the last several decades have been identifying which patients with metastatic disease we can help with surgery. When I’m seeing those patients for the first time, the first thing I try to do is provide hope that, even though their cancer has spread, there are still treatment options.” Going beyond surgery “My research focuses on improving the multidisciplinary care of patients with gastrointestinal and hepatopancreatobiliary cancers. Many of these cancers are fairly aggressive and even with the perfect surgery have a high chance of recurring. I’m interested in finding the best treatment options for patients in addition to surgery and understanding the indications, safety, outcomes and patient-centeredness of non-surgical therapies that are given either before or after surgeries.” Comprehensive clinical care “New discoveries that can be translated to clinical applications are incredibly important. We review each patient and their eligibility for clinical trials at The James, which I think is the best way to continue to improve the quality of cancer care we can provide. All of us as a team are focused on learning which clinical trials are available and how we can best help current and future patients.” A shared vision “I love working at The James. There’s such a special group of people that work here — all of such high caliber with great expertise. That includes nurses, advanced practitioners, the leadership and the rest of the staff. It’s quite inspiring because everybody is focused on a singular goal: to help people with cancer.” Building relationships “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is being able to build relationships with patients and their families and see them regularly. Surgery is not just a one-time event — I see my work as helping patients through their entire cancer journeys.”