Translating Innovative Science into Compassionate, Patient-Centric Care
Saint John’s Cancer Institute is renowned for advancing therapeutics, translational science, and establishing standards of care. We foster robust fellowship programs, implement and initiate clinical trials, and collaborate with academic and industry partners worldwide.
Read MoreInnovation Starts Here
Saint John’s Cancer Institute (SJCI) is a pioneer in drug discovery, therapeutics, clinical trials, and research. SJCI established the Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy under the late Dr. Donald L. Morton, which has become the standard of lymph node care for melanoma and breast cancer worldwide.
Today, our patients continue to have access to innovative treatments, therapeutics, and trials. We are at the forefront of understanding the biology of cancer as well as expanding treatment for under-served communities.
Learn MoreColon Cancer to Outpace Breast Cancer by 2040 as Leader in Cancer Cases
Dr. Anton Bilchik discusses the rise of colorectal cancer incidents; Recent data reveals an alarming trend.
“What we are seeing in colon cancer is unprecedented because colon cancer has become a disease of younger people…We now have FIT tests.”
– Anton Bilchik, MD, Ph.D., FACS
Listen to Dr. Anton Bilchik provide perspective and likely reasoning for colon cancer occurrence earlier in life.
BLOG, VIDEO (05:05): Colon Cancer to Outpace Breast Cancer by the Year 2040 as leader in Cancer Cases
SJCI Surgical Oncology Fellowship Spotlight
Adam Khader, MD, 2020 graduate of Saint John’s Cancer Institute’s surgical oncology program, receives prestigious Young Investigator Award!
“We are so proud of Dr. Khader’s accomplishment.
Well-deserved!”– Trevan Fischer, MD
Learn more about the 2024 award and the Donald L. Morton Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship.
NEWS: Saint John’s Cancer Institute’s CGSO Alumni Wins Society of Surgical Oncology, 2024 Young Investigator Award.
Expert Urologic Oncologist Gets a Colonoscopy then Interviews the Experts at the Digestive Health Institute
Dr. Wilson shares his experience; Doctors, Rudolph Bedford and Anton Bilchik explain screening, diagnosis, and the approach to care at Saint John’s.
“The people in Los Angeles and around the world just need to know how great it is and you guys are two of the guys that helped make that happen.”
– Timothy Wilson, MD
Learn more about the Digestive Health Institute and Dr. Wilson’s Cologuard® screening test.
Dr. Wilson shares his experience; Doctors, Rudolph Bedford and Anton Bilchik explain screening, diagnosis, and the approach to care at Saint John’s.
“The people in Los Angeles and around the world just need to know how great it is and you guys are two of the guys that helped make that happen.”
– Timothy Wilson, MD
Learn more about the Digestive Health Institute and Dr. Wilson’s Cologuard® screening test.
Blog, Video: 28:30: Expert Oncologist gets a Colonoscopy then Interviews the Experts at the Digestive Health Institute
7-month-old Baby Receives a Bilateral Cochlear Implant—a First for Saint John’s Health Center
Saint John’s continues to innovate, bringing academic-level care to patients in a community hospital setting; Dr. Courtney Voelker and her team make history.
“The earlier that a parent can get their child to a specialist for identification, as well as intervention, the better.”
– Courtney Voelker, MD, Ph.D.
Listen to Dr. Voelker recap Zara’s surgery.
NEWS, VIDEO (02:35): 7-month-old Baby Receives a Bilateral Cochlear Implant—a First for Saint John’s Health Center
Saint John’s is Changing Lives Through Innovative Care
Transformed, Stacy Lilien shares her experience treated by Deven Khosla, MD and Daniel Nagasawa, MD, neurosurgeons, as the first patient at Saint John’s to receive robot-assisted, spinal correction surgery.
“I chose Dr. Khosla out of all the doctors that I looked at because he promised me the best outcome. He knew that I could get better. I could go back to my normal activities…I could do whatever I wanted and I’m so glad that I did because I’ve had amazing results.”
– Stacy Lilien
Learn more about Stacy Lilien and the impact the doctors at Saint John’s are making.
Blog, Video: (7:50): 7 Weeks Later, Spinal Surgery Patient is back to Jumping her Mustang
Cancer Prevention
Dr. Anton Bilchik, Chief of General Surgery at Saint John’s Health Center, and Director of Gastrointestinal Research Program at Saint John’s Cancer Institute, reveals the connection between behavior, lifestyle, and the microbiome.
“Physical activity is enormously important. It is considered anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is an important part of cancer development.”
– Anton Bilchik, MD, Ph.D, FACS
Learn more about cancer prevention and the research that is helping to prevent it.
Blog, Videos: What is Cancer Prevention, according to Chief of General Surgery, Dr. Anton Bilchik?
Dr. Mehran Movassaghi Celebrates the 100th Aquablation Case at Saint John’s for BPH
Dr. Mehran Movassaghi continues to earn the trust of the community, providing expertise that results in faster recovery and fewer life-long side effects for men with BPH.
“Having access to this kind of leading-edge surgical capability is an exciting prospect that provides a non-invasive method of treatment for those suffering from BPH that can offer significant and long-lasting symptom relief with lower risk to sexual function or continence.”
– Mehran Movassaghi, MD
Learn more about this milestone and aquablation for BPH.
NEWS: Dr. Mehran Movassaghi Celebrates the 100th Aquablation Case at Saint John’s for Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)
Saint John’s: A Legacy of Care Excellence
Major Healthcare Awards for 2023 and 2024
“All of these achievements reflect the outstanding care our caregivers and physicians provide to our patients each and every day, …providing leading-edge, award-winning care in a compassionate, community hospital setting.”
– Michael Ricks, CEO, Saint John’s Health Cancer and Institute
Healthgrades – America’s 250 Best Hospitals for Clinical Excellence, including
America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery and Joint Replacement, and Five-star ratings in six specialties: Total Knee Replacement, Total Hip replacement, Hip Fracture, Pneumonia, Bowel Obstruction and Sepsis, U.S. News & World Report – Best Hospital for Maternity Care 2024, Top Six Hospitals in Los Angeles County and Orange County, Recognized among the top 15 “Best Hospitals” in California, and Newsweek – World’s Best Hospitals 2024
About Us, Awards: Saint John’s Health Center Awards
Dr. Hyo Park Brings Comfort to a Stage 3 Uterine Cancer Survivor
Relieved, Yvonne Kalman Reflects On Her Care, and as a Patient of Dr. Sean Fischer.
“Not all doctors are the same, but these are two outstanding doctors and I’m very grateful that they’re under the same roof at Saint John’s, and I’m very grateful that I’m a patient here.”
– Yvonne Kalman
Learn more about Dr. Park’s approach and how Yvonne felt about her surgery.
Blog, Video: (8:40): Treatment for Stage 3 Uterine Cancer at Saint John’s Health Center
Multi-cancer Early Detection (MCED) Testing
Providence is offering Multi-cancer Early Detection (MCED) testing to empower providers and the public with a blood test that can detect a shared cancer signal across 50+ types of cancer through a simple blood draw.
“Providence is committed to collaborations that provide individuals with the best evidence-based care including advancements like early cancer screenings that can improve patient outcomes.”
– Ora K. Gordon, MD, Regional Medical Director of Providence’s Clinical Genetics & Genomics Program
Providers are encouraged to request a test kit for eligible patients. See list of detectable cancers.
News: Providence Offers Multi-cancer Early Detection (MCED) Testing
Why Are Clinical Trials Important?
Doctors, Kim Margolin, Przemyslaw Twardowski, Leland Foshag, Parvin Peddi, Santosh Kesari, and Emma Chacon, RN, Discuss the Impact of Clinical Trials and Advancement of Medical Science.
“It goes without saying the importance of clinical trials in modern medicine and academics. This institute was founded on the basis of clinical trials back more than 30 years ago beginning with a variety of melanoma vaccine trials under the direction of Dr. Morton.”
– Leland Foshag, MD
Learn more and listen to some of the principal investigators at Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
Doctors, Kim Margolin, Przemyslaw Twardowski, Leland Foshag, Parvin Peddi, Santosh Kesari, and Emma Chacon, RN, Discuss the Impact of Clinical Trials and Advancement of Medical Science.
“It goes without saying the importance of clinical trials in modern medicine and academics. This institute was founded on the basis of clinical trials back more than 30 years ago beginning with a variety of melanoma vaccine trials under the direction of Dr. Morton.”
– Leland Foshag, MD
Learn more and listen to some of the principal investigators at Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
Blog, Video (16:45): International Clinical Trials Day: Hear from the experts in cutting-edge research
Breakthroughs in Cancer Research
Saint John’s Researchers Gather to Reveal the Future of Cancer: Doctors, Anton Bilchik, Jennifer Linehan, Ora Gordon, and Nicholas Schork, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty at Saint John’s and Distinguished Professor of Quantitative Medicine at The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), share critial insights
“We can set a precedent for the rest of the world on how clinical studies should be used to benefit patients in real-time and not 10 years after all the data has been aggregated in some way.”
– Nicholas Schork, Ph.D.
Learn more about how Saint John’s has become a remarkable contributor to global cancer science.
Blog & Videos (Preview 3:15, Full Program and Q&A 1:11:36): Breakthroughs in Cancer Research: An Educational Event
Open or Actively Recruiting Clinical Trials
Brain Cancer and Solid Tumors Clinical Trials
Principal Invenstigator: Dr. Akanksha Sharma: Learn more.
Breast Cancer: Precision Medicine
Principal Invenstigator: Dr. Parvin Peddi: Learn more.
Melanoma Cancer: Drug Trials:
Principal Investgator: Dr. Kim Margolin: Learn more.
Prostate Cancer: White Button Mushroom
Principal Invenstigator: Dr. Przemyslaw Twardowski: Learn more.
Current Trials
Search using key terms or filter by Centers of Excellence or by Lead Doctor. Learn more.
Research Provides Objective Understanding
2023 Research Publications: Collaboration continues to be the driver of critical findings
“This report shows the collaborative aspects of translational oncology research with cancer centers around the world, demonstrating our continual devotion to improving patient care and finding innovative approaches to curing cancer.”
– Dr. Dave S.B. Hoon, Director of SJCI Translational Research
Learn more and download the Saint John’s Cancer Institute Research Spotlight, 2023.
Blog, PDF: 2023 Research Publications: The Field of Oncology Moves Through Collaboration
The Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship Returns to Saint John’s in Full Swing
Dr. Nicketti Handy Shares Her Fellowship Experience at Saint John’s Cancer Institute.
“We just work really well with being able to accommodate requests from one another and having a really collaborative, close-knit environment. And so again, it ends up being good for patient care but also good from a learner’s perspective.”
– Dr. Nicketti Handy
Learn more about Dr. Handy’s journey as a Surgical Breast Fellow at Saint John’s.
Blog, Video: (17:58): Dr. Nicketti Handy Highlights the Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship
A Legacy of Research Excellence
Donald L. Morton, Surgical Oncologist best known for developing sentinel lymph node evaluation
“He was ahead of his peers in anticipating the genetics era of cancer research, for decades he carefully maintained archival specimen resource for correlative translational studies.”
– Laura Morton Rowe, Chief Human Resources Officer, Saint John’s Health Center