Overview
Background
Emeritus Professor Mark Smithers is a surgical oncologist who specialises in surgery for oesophago-gastric diseases, melanoma, advanced skin cancer and soft tissue sarcoma. He was the Director of the Upper GI and Soft Tissue Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Brisbane, Australia from 1998 - 2023. Commencing his academic career with the University of Queensland in 1987, he progressed to be the Mayne Chair in Surgery and head of the Academy of Surgery. He is the second University of Queensland Medical graduate to be appointed to this role. His research has been focussed on the development and assessment of outcomes from minimally invasive upper GI surgery, and trials assessing the role of perioperative multidisciplinary therapy for esophageal and gastric cancer. As well he has led, or been involved with, clinical trials from phase I to III, for all stages of melanoma through his role as the Chair of the Queensland Melanoma Project. More recently he has been involved with the assessment of access to, and outcomes from, surgery for cancer in Queensland, Australia.
He has overseen the administration and development of the surgery curriculum, and the teaching, in the Academy of Surgery, in the UQ Faculty of Medicine. He was on a number of committees relevant to the implementation of the UQ MD design course. He has held various leadership and committee roles with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, as well as leadership roles, including the Presidency, in the Australian and New Zealand Oesophago Gastric Surgeons Association. He has also been on the committees of international organisations related to oesophageal and gastric surgery. He has published 250 articles, eight book chapters, and has been on the editorial board of a number of surgical journals.
He has been recognised for his clinical and academic roles by the award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM). The citation reads, "for service to medicine in the fields of gastro-intestinal and melanoma surgery, to medical education and to professional organisations". The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons awarded him the Sir Hugh Devine medal, for services to surgery and the community. This is the College’s highest honour. Internationally, he has been awarded an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and recently, in the United States, he was elected as an Honarary Fellow of the American Surgical Association.
Availability
- Professor Mark Smithers is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Honorary Fellow, American Surgical Association, American Surgical Association
- Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
- Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Surgeons of England
Research interests
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Cutaneous Melanoma
epidemiology, public health issues and management of all stages
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Management of Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer
Investigation and management of benign and malignant diseases of the oesophagus and the stomach.
Works
Search Professor Mark Smithers’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Journal Article
Long–term oncologic outcomes after isolated limb infusion for locoregionally metastatic melanoma: an international multicenter analysis
Miura, John T., Kroon, Hidde M., Beasley, Georgia M., Mullen, Dean, Farrow, Norma E., Mosca, Paul J., Lowe, Michael C., Farley, Clara R., Kim, Youngchul, Naqvi, Syeda Mahrukh Hussnain, Potdar, Aishwarya, Daou, Hala, Sun, James, Farma, Jeffrey M., Henderson, Michael A., Speakman, David, Serpell, Jonathan, Delman, Keith A., Smithers, B. Mark , Coventry, Brendon J., Tyler, Douglas S., Thompson, John F. and Zager, Jonathan S. (2019). Long–term oncologic outcomes after isolated limb infusion for locoregionally metastatic melanoma: an international multicenter analysis. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 26 (8), 2486-2494. doi: 10.1245/s10434-019-07288-w
2019
Journal Article
Predictors of staging accuracy, pathologic nodal involvement, and overall survival for cT2N0 carcinoma of the esophagus
Atay, Scott M., Correa, Arlene, Hofstetter, Wayne L., Swisher, Stephen G., Ajani, Jaffer, Altorki, Nassar K., Blackmon, Shanda H., Blackstone, Eugene H., Rice, Thomas W., Crabtree, Traves D., D'Amico, Thomas A., Darling, Gail E., DeMeester, Steven R., DeMeester, Thomas R., Worrell, Stephanie G., Ferri, Lorenzo E., Gaissert, Henning A., Krasna, Mark J., Lerut, Antoon, Nafteux, Phillippe, Moons, Johnny, Little, Alex G., Low, Donald E., Carrott, Phillip W., Schmidt, Henner M., Miller, Daniel, Nason, Katie S., Luketich, James D., Orringer, Mark B. ... Yang, Stephen C. (2019). Predictors of staging accuracy, pathologic nodal involvement, and overall survival for cT2N0 carcinoma of the esophagus. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 157 (3), 1264-1272.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2018.10.057
2019
Journal Article
A systematic review and meta-analysis of locoregional treatments for in-transit melanoma
Read, Tavis, Lonne, Michael, Sparks, David S., David, Michael, Wagels, Michael, Schaider, Helmut, Soyer, H. Peter and Smithers, B. Mark (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of locoregional treatments for in-transit melanoma. Journal of Surgical Oncology, 119 (7) jso.25686, 887-896. doi: 10.1002/jso.25400
2019
Conference Publication
Obesity Paradox in Early Stage Melanoma: Long-Term Follow-up in MSLT-I
Rand, J. G., Kirchoff, D., Deutsch, G., Stern, S., Thompson, J., Cochran, A., Mozzillo, N., Nieweg, O., Roses, D., Hoekstra, H., Sondak, V., Coventry, B., Kashani-Sabet, M., Smithers, M., Paul, E., Kraybill, W., Elashoff, R., Lee, D. and Faries, M. B. (2019). Obesity Paradox in Early Stage Melanoma: Long-Term Follow-up in MSLT-I. 72nd Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society-of-Surgical-Oncology (SSO), San Diego Ca, Mar 27-30, 2019. NEW YORK: SPRINGER.
2019
Conference Publication
Patterns of response for combination of PV-10 oncolytic immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibition
Agarwala, Sanjiv S., Ross, Merrick I., Zager, Jonathan, Shirai, Keisuki, Essner, Richard, Smithers, Bernard M., Atkinson, Victoria, Sarson, David and Wachter, Eric A. (2019). Patterns of response for combination of PV-10 oncolytic immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibition. LONDON: BMC.
2019
Journal Article
Patients with in-transit melanoma metastases have comparable survival outcomes following isolated limb infusion or intralesional PV-10-A propensity score matched, single center study
Read, Tavis, Fayers, Warren, Thomas, Janine, Wagels, Michael, Barbour, Andrew and Smithers, B. Mark (2019). Patients with in-transit melanoma metastases have comparable survival outcomes following isolated limb infusion or intralesional PV-10-A propensity score matched, single center study. Journal of Surgical Oncology, 119 (6), 717-727. doi: 10.1002/jso.25373
2019
Book Chapter
Treatment of early oesophageal cancer
Smithers, B. Mark and Thomson, Iain (2019). Treatment of early oesophageal cancer. Oesophagogastric Surgery - A Companion to Specialist Surgical Practice. (pp. 89-99) edited by S. Michael Griffin. Edinburgh, Scotland: Elsevier.
2019
Conference Publication
Melanoma patient survival: Prognostic value of pSTAT5 as a biomarker
Chong, S., Rowe, C., Malt, M., Brown, S., Smithers, M. and Khosrotehrani, K. (2019). Melanoma patient survival: Prognostic value of pSTAT5 as a biomarker. Australasian College of Dermatologists, 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 18–21 May 2019. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.
2019
Conference Publication
Phase 1b study of PV-10 and anti-PD-1 in advanced cutaneous melanoma
Agarwala, Sanjiv S., Ross, Merrick I., Zager, Jonathan S., Shirai, Keisuke, Essner, Richard, Smithers, Bernard Mark, Atkinson, Victoria and Wachter, Eric Andrew (2019). Phase 1b study of PV-10 and anti-PD-1 in advanced cutaneous melanoma. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Chicago, Il, United States, May 31-June 4, 2019. Alexandria, VA, United States: American Society of Clinical Oncology. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.9559
2019
Journal Article
Sun protection behaviour after diagnosis of high-risk primary melanoma and risk of a subsequent primary
von Schuckmann, Lena A., Wilson, Louise F., Hughes, Maria Celia B., Beesley, Vanessa L., Janda, Monika, van der Pols, Jolieke C., Smithers, B. Mark, Khosrotehrani, Kiarash and Green, Adele C. (2019). Sun protection behaviour after diagnosis of high-risk primary melanoma and risk of a subsequent primary. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 80 (1), 139-148.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.06.068
2019
Conference Publication
IRF4 rs12203592*T/T genotype is associated with nodular melanoma
Rayner, Jenna E., McMeniman, Erin K., Duffy, David L., De'Ambrosis, Brian, Smithers, B Mark, Jagirdar, Kasturee, Lee, Katie J., Soyer, H. Peter and Sturm, Richard A. (2019). IRF4 rs12203592*T/T genotype is associated with nodular melanoma. ASDR Annual Scientific Meeting 2019, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 16-17 May 2019.
2019
Book Chapter
Ablation for patients with Barrett or Dysplasia
Smithers, B. Mark and Thomson, Iain (2019). Ablation for patients with Barrett or Dysplasia. Schakelford's Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. (pp. 350-361) edited by Charles J. Yeo, Steven R. DeMeester, David W. McFadden, Jeffrey B. Matthews and Fleshman James W.. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-40232-3.00034-0
2019
Conference Publication
SOX18 activation in primary melanoma tumours
Chong, S., Rowe, C., Malt, M., Smithers, M., Green, A. and Khosrotehrani, K. (2019). SOX18 activation in primary melanoma tumours. Australasian College of Dermatologists, 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting, Melbourne, VIC Australia, 18–21 May 2019. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.
2019
Conference Publication
Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for in-transit melanoma
Tie, Emilia Nan, Lai-Kwon, Julia Elizabeth, Na, Lumine, Rtshiladze, Michael Alexander, Bozzi, James, Read, Tavis, Atkinson, Victoria, Au-Yeung, George, Long, Georgina V., McArthur, Grant A., Sandhu, Shahneen Kaur, Saw, Robyn, Walpole, Euan Thomas, Menzies, Alexander M., Smithers, B. Mark and Gyorki, David E. (2019). Efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for in-transit melanoma. Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Chicago, IL United States, 31 May - 4 June 2019. Alexandria, VA United States: American Society of Clinical Oncology.
2019
Book Chapter
Esophageal Ulcers
Frankel, Adam J. and Smithers, B. Mark (2019). Esophageal Ulcers. Encyclopedia of Gastroenterology. (pp. 400-403) London, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-801238-3.65935-4
2019
Journal Article
Survival of patients with early invasive melanoma down-staged under the new 8 AJCC edition
von Schuckmann, Lena A., Hughes, Maria Celia B., Lee, Rebecca, Lorigan, Paul, Khosrotehrani, Kiarash, Smithers, B. Mark and Green, Adele C. (2019). Survival of patients with early invasive melanoma down-staged under the new 8 AJCC edition. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 80 (1), 272-274. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.04.017
2019
Conference Publication
Long-term oncologic outcomes following isolated limb infusion for locoregional metastatic melanoma: an international multi-center analysis
Miura, J. T., Kroon, H. M., Beasley, G., Farrow, N. E., Mosca, P. J., Lowe, M., Farley, C., Kim, Y., Naqvi, S., Potdar, A., Daou, H., Sun, J., Mullen, D., Farma, J., Henderson, M., Serpell, J., Delman, K. A., Smithers, M., Coventry, B., Tyler, D. S., Thompson, J. and Zager, J. (2019). Long-term oncologic outcomes following isolated limb infusion for locoregional metastatic melanoma: an international multi-center analysis. 72nd Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), San Diego, California, 27-30 March 2019 . New York, NY, United States: Springer.
2019
Conference Publication
Clinicopathological factors associated with death from thin (<= 1 mm) melanoma
Claeson, M., Baade, P., Brown, S., Soyer, P., Smithers, M., Green, A., Whiteman, D. and Khosrotehrani, K. (2019). Clinicopathological factors associated with death from thin (
2019
Conference Publication
FDG-PET response assessment in patients with locally advanced nodal melanoma undergoing high-dose neo-adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy
Trada, Y., Law, P. W., Bernard, A., Foote, M. C., Barbour, A., Lambie, D., Smithers, M., Burmeister, B. and Pinkham, M. B. (2019). FDG-PET response assessment in patients with locally advanced nodal melanoma undergoing high-dose neo-adjuvant or definitive radiotherapy. 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), Chicago, Illinois, 15-18 September 2019 . Philadelphia, PA, United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2019.06.2489
2019
Journal Article
Pancreaticoduodenectomy in a low-resection volume region: a population-level study examining the impact of hospital-volume on surgical quality and longer-term survival
Narendra, Aaditya, Baade, Peter D., Aitken, Joanne F., Fawcett, Jonathan and Smithers, Bernard Mark (2019). Pancreaticoduodenectomy in a low-resection volume region: a population-level study examining the impact of hospital-volume on surgical quality and longer-term survival. HPB, 22 (9), 1288-1294. doi: 10.1016/j.hpb.2019.11.015
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Mark Smithers is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Master Philosophy
Assessment of the impact of treating service characteristics on surgical and oncological outcomes for patients with Retroperitoneal and Inguinal Sarcomas in Queensland
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Barbour
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Master Philosophy
Factors Influencing Anastomotic Complications after Oesophagectomy
Associate Advisor
-
Doctor Philosophy
New tools for the multi-modal evaluation of pancreatic cancer and its precursor neoplasms.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr David Cavallucci
Completed supervision
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2020
Master Philosophy
An assessment of the impacts of centralising complex upper-gastrointestinal surgery in Queensland
Principal Advisor
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2024
Master Philosophy
In vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) with 2-Dimensional (2D) COrrelated Spectroscopy (COSY) applied to breast cancer
Associate Advisor
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Natural history of high-risk cutaneous primary melanoma and risk factors for disease progression
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
An evaluation of the role of locoregional treatments for the management of in-transit melanoma metastases
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Soyer, Associate Professor Helmut Schaider
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Mark Smithers directly for media enquiries about:
- Advanced endoscopic surgery
- Cancer surgery
- Endoscopic surgery
- General surgery
- Melanoma
- Surgery - cancer
- Surgery - oesophageal, gastric cancer
- Surgery - upper GI
- Upper GI surgery
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