Surgeon-In-Chief
Chair, Department of Surgical Oncology
Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Dr. Cance joined the staff of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in 2009, as Surgeon-In-Chief and Chair of the Department of Surgical Oncology.

Dr. Cance earned his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, in 1982; completed residency training in surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, in 1988; and a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, in 1990. 

Dr. Cance came to RPCI from the University of Florida (Gainesville), where he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery.

Dr. Cance is licensed by New York State and Florida, certified in surgery by American Board of Surgery, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery.

Dr. Cance’s research interests focus on the biology of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which plays a key role in protecting cancer cells from programmed death (apoptosis). His research efforts are funded by the National Cancer Institute, and he holds one patent and has several pending. He is actively pursuing clinical trials with novel drugs that target the FAK pathway and other survival mechanisms specific to specific cancer cells.

Dr. Cance is President of the Society of Surgical Oncology and is a member of numerous professional organizations. 

Dr. Cance has authored or co-authored more than 170 abstracts, publications, and books.