Education & Professional Highlights

Education and Training

  • Medical Degree – St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada
  • General Surgery Residency – Columbia University Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, NY
  • Cancer Surgery Fellowship – John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery

Research & Publications

Dr. Lavotshkin’s professional highlights include:

  • San Diego’s Top Doctors (General Surgery), San Diego Magazine. 2017, 2018, and 2019
  • C.O.R.E. Award – Pillars of Excellence award from Sharp Healthcare (for growth and leadership of the Robotic Surgery Program). 2018
  • Blakemore Research Award from Columbia University Department of General Surgery. 2012

Peer Reviewed Publications

    1. Fergus J, Nelson DW, Sung M, Lee D, Lavotshkin S, Difronzo LA, O’Connor V. Pancreatectomy in Stage I pancreas cancer: national underutilization of surgery persists. HPB (Oxford). April 2020.
    2. Lajin M, Catalano MF, Khan N, Lavotshkin S, El-Dika S.
      EDGE Procedure to allow EUS/FNB of an uncinate process pancreatic mass in a patient with gastric-bypass anatomy using a 20-mm lumen-apposing metal stent. VideoGIE. 2018 Oct 25;3(12):399-400. doi: 10.1016/j.vgie.2018.09.002. eCollection 2018 Dec. No abstract available.
    3. Peinado H, Alecˇković M, Lavotshkin S, Matei I, Costa-Silva B, Moreno-Bueno G, Hergueta-Redondo M, Williams C, García-Santos G, Ghajar CM, Nitadori-Hoshino A, Hoffman C, Badal K, Garcia BA, Callahan MK, Yuan J, Martins VR, Skog J, Kaplan RN, Brady MS, Wolchok JD, Chapman PB, Kang Y, Bromberg J, Lyden D. Corrigendum: Melanoma exosomes educate bone marrow progenitor cells toward a pro-metastatic phenotype through MET. Nat Med. 2016 Dec 6;22(12):1502. doi: 10.1038/nm1216-1502b. No abstract available.
    4. Flaherty DC, Lavotshkin S, Jalas JR, Torisu-Itakura H, Kirchoff DD, Sim MS, Lee DJ, Bilchik AJ. Prognostic Utility of Immunoprofiling in Colon Cancer: Results from a Prospective, Multicenter Nodal Ultrastaging Trial. J Am Coll Surg. 2016 Jul; 223(1):134-40. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.03.003. Epub 2016 Mar 18.
    5. Lavotshkin S, Jalas JR, Torisu-Itakura H, Ozao-Choy J, Lee JH, Sim MS, Stojadinovic A, Wainberg Z, Bifulco CB, Fox BA, Bilchik AJ. Immunoprofiling for prognostic assessment of colon cancer: a novel complement to ultrastaging. J Gastrointest Surg. 2015 Jun;19(6):999-1006. doi: 10.1007/s11605- 015-2759-6. Epub 2015 Mar 26.
    6. Peinado H, Aleckovic M, Lavotshkin S, Matei I, Costa-Silva B, Moreno-Bueno G, Hergueta-Redondo M, Williams C, Garcia-Santos G, Nitadori-Hoshino A, Hoffman C, Badal K, Garcia B, Callahan M, Yuan J, Martins V, Skog J, Kaplan R, Brady M, Wolchok J, Chapman P, Kang Y, Bromberg J, Lyden D. Melanoma exosomes educate bone marrow progenitor cells toward a pro- metastatic phenotype through MET. Nature Medicine. May 27, 2012
    7. Peinado H, Lavotshkin S, Lyden D. The Secreted factors responsible for pre-metastatic niche formation: Old Sayings & New Thoughts. Semin Cancer Biol Apr:21(2): 139-46. Epub. January 18th, 2011
    8. Savel R, Lavotshkin S, Shiloh AL, Carlese AJ, Gropper MA. Being a Successful Medically Trained Surgical Intensivist. ICU Director. 1,4: 214- 219. 2010
    9. Sherwinter DA, Lavotshkin S, Macura JM, Adler HL. Hernia Inguinal Repair, Open. Web MD. 2009
    10. Lavotshkin S. Is it Truly a spontaneous Duodenal Hematoma? Arch Surg. 144(1):94. 2009
    11. Lavotshkin S. In Bariatric Surgery, Less Might Be More: Let’s Let the Patient Decide. Am J Med. 122 (6) e9.2009
    12. Psaila B, Lavotshkin S, Podolsnczuk A, Lawrence J, Kaplan R, Granitto S, Bussel JB, Kikkeri N, et al. Interactions Between Megakaryoctes & Tumor Cells at the Bone Marrow Vascular Stem Cell Niche Promote Tumor Growth & Mets. American Society of Hematology. 114:194-194, 2009
    13. Ceydeli A, Lavotshkin S, Wise L. When should we order a CT scan and when should we rely on the results To diagnose an acute appendicitis? Curr Surg. Dec 2006

Locations