Chicago Cancer Surgery
The physicians in City of Hope® Cancer Care Chicago’s Department of Surgery play an integral role for many of our patients. If you receive treatment with us, our surgeons will work closely with you and your entire cancer care team – which may include medical and radiation oncologists, chemotherapy and hormone therapy experts, and supportive care staff – to determine the most effective, least invasive surgical options for you. With decades of combined experience, our cancer surgeons prioritize procedures that preserve quality of life whenever possible.
Leading-Edge Surgical Oncology Services in Chicago
Innovative surgical care is central to our approach at City of Hope Chicago. Some of the procedures we offer include those detailed below.
Minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgeries: These options use smaller incisions and can allow for a faster recovery. Robotic-assisted surgery uses advanced technology that helps surgeons perform highly precise, effective procedures.
Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC): This technique allows surgeons to deliver targeted chemotherapy to the abdomen during a surgical procedure to target cancer cells.
Our Advanced Surgical Recovery Program (ASURE): This program pairs each patient with a multidisciplinary team including surgeons, nurses, anesthetists and supportive care staff who help make recovery as smooth as possible.
Proactive management of a variety of side effects: These conditions include pain and lymphedema (a buildup of fluid in the body’s soft tissue).
Expertise in complex surgeries: Options include the Whipple procedure, which treats pancreatic cancer, and neurosurgery to treat tumors of the spine, brain and nervous system.
What Sets Our Chicago Cancer Surgeons Apart?
Our Chicago cancer surgery center is home to an experienced team of surgeons, all experts in their field. Below are some of the types of cancer surgery we offer at City of Hope Chicago.
Neurosurgery
Our neurosurgeons treat cancers of the brain, spine and nervous system using advanced techniques including minimally invasive surgery and, in some cases, intraoperative electrophysiology, or “brain mapping,” during surgery to make the process as safe as possible.
Breast Surgery
The surgeons at our Chicago Breast Cancer Center use breast- and nipple-sparing surgical options whenever possible, and work closely with our plastic surgery team for post-operative reconstruction.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
City of Hope Chicago’s plastic surgery team are experts in reconstructive surgeries for a wide range of cancer types. This includes breast reconstruction after cancer surgery and surgical treatments for lymphedema.
Head and Neck Surgery
Our otolaryngology, or ear, nose and throat (ENT) team, work with head and neck cancer patients to perform highly specialized procedures that treat ENT-related tumors.
Thoracic Surgery
Thoracic surgery, which can be used to diagnose and treat cancer types at all stages, is a frequent procedure for lung cancer patients. Our surgeons offer minimally invasive options for qualifying patients.
Ostomy Care
Our skin, wound and ostomy care specialists educate patients about the best ways to manage wounds related to cancer care and the stoma, which are openings created in the body after certain cancer treatments.
Our Chicago Surgical Oncology Team
The cancer surgery department at City of Hope Chicago, led by Hatem Halabi, M.D., F.A.C.S., is home to board-certified surgical oncologists who are experts in treating a wide range of conditions, including breast and gynecologic cancers, urologic cancers, brain tumors and head and neck cancers. Our surgeons work closely with your other cancer doctors to ensure that surgery goes hand in hand with your individualized cancer care plan. Meet our cancer surgeons:

Urologist Dr. Nejd Alsikafi serves patients who have prostate, bladder, kidney or testicle cancer. He consults with medical oncologists and patients on available treatment options, performs surgery and monitors patients who may need surgical intervention in the future.

A neurosurgeon at City of Hope Chicago, Dr. Juan Alzate serves patients who have brain or spinal cancer, as well as cancer that has spread to the brain or spine from other areas of the body.

Carolyn Bhakta, M.D., is an oncoplastic breast surgeon at City of Hope Chicago.

Dr. Buttin treats all gynecologic cancers and specializes in minimally invasive surgical techniques, including robotic surgery. She has performed over 1,500 robotic cases to date.

“I value the patient-empowered approach to care at City of Hope,” says Dr. Hatem Halabi, Chair of the Department of Surgery, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix and a Surgical Oncologist who serves as Medical Director of robotic surgery at City of Hope Chicago hospital. “Patients should be

At our Chicago hospital, urologist Dr. Raza Khan treats patients who have cancer of the prostate, bladder, kidneys or testicles.

Shen Li, M.D., is a surgical oncologist with City of Hope in Illinois. Learn about his background, education and experience treating cancer patients.

“The unique environment here facilitates a team approach to care,” says Daniel Liu, M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at City of Hope Chicago. “When everyone is united to achieve a common goal, the results can be extremely powerful.”

Dr. Sutchin Patel is a urologist at City of Hope Chicago. He completed his medical degree at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University before moving on to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine to complete his fellowship in Robotics, Laparoscopy and Endourology.

As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at City of Hope Chicago, Aaron Pelletier, M.D., performs complex procedures that help improve appearance, reduce scarring and disfigurement, as well as rebuild or replace removed or injured body parts that may occur as a result of cancer and its treatment. He
Make an Appointment With Our Cancer Surgeons
City of Hope Chicago
Cancer Surgery
2520 Elisha Ave.
Zion, IL 60099
New patients: (877) 524-4673
Existing patients: (847) 510-2822
