Cancers Treated:
Specializing In:
- Thyroidectomy
- Parathyroidectomy
- Neck Dissection
- Minimally invasive adrenalectomy (laparoscopic and robotic)
- Radiofrequency ablation
Biography
I am a fellowship trained endocrine surgeon, who specializes in the surgical management of benign and malignant disorders of the thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands. I completed my General Surgery residency at Yale New Haven Health, where I served as Chief Resident of Quality in General Surgery, and pursued advanced fellowship training in Endocrine Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine.
My research focuses on clinical outcomes in endocrine surgery, quality improvement, and healthcare access and delivery, with a particular interest in the surgical management of medullary thyroid cancer. I am a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES), where I have served on the CESQIP committee and currently the Fellowship Accreditation Committee.
At Roswell Park, our goal is to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care as part of a multidisciplinary team committed to excellence in endocrine oncology.
Positions
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Assistant Professor of Oncology
- Department of Surgical Oncology
Background
Education and Training
- MD - American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Residency
- General Surgery Residency, Yale New Haven Health, New Haven, CT
- Chief Resident of Quality in General Surgery, Yale New Haven Health, New Haven, CT
Fellowship
- Endocrine Surgery Fellowship, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
Board Certification
- General Surgery - American Board of Surgery
Professional Memberships
- American College of Surgeons
- American Association of Endocrine Surgeons
Publications
Abou Azar S, Stratton L, Memeh K, Nordgren R, Kaplan E, Angelos P, Keutgen X. Clinical Significance of Pheochromocytoma Size on the Timing and Extent of Surgery. Journal of Surgical Research. 2024 June; doi:10.1016/j.jss.2024.03.005. PMID: 38593602
Abou Azar S, Tobias J, Applewhite M, Angelos P, Keutgen XM. Medullary Thyroid Cancer: Single Institute Experience over Three Decades and Risk Factors for Recurrence. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024 Apr 23. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgae279. PMID: 38651609
Tumati A, Marshall TE, Greenspun B, Chen Z, Abou Azar S, Keutgen XM, Laird AM, Beninato T, Zarnegar R, Fahey TJ 3rd, Finnerty BM. Evaluating the Clinical Performance of an Updated microRNA Classifier in Indeterminate and RAS-mutated Thyroid Nodule Management: A Multi-Institutional Study. Surgery. 2024. Oct 10:S0039-6060(24)00704-9. Doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2024.
07.076. PMID: 39394019
Abou Azar S, Tobias J, Nordgren R, Edwin KL, Angelos P, Keutgen XM, Applewhite M. Adolescent Hyperparathyroidism: An Updated Contemporary Surgical Experience at a Tertiary Center. J Surg Res. 2024 Dec 16:305:150-155. Doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2024.11.007. PMID: 39693848
Memeh KO, Abou Azar S, Murdock P, Vaghaiwalla T. Survival Impact of Treatment Utilization and Margin Status After Resection of Adrenocortical Carcinoma. Am J Surg. 2024 Oct 5:239:115999. Doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115999. PMID: 39427460
Abou Azar S, Tobias J, Feinberg N, Appelbaum D, Pu Y, Lee F, Schwarz JL, Williams J, Nordgren R, Millis JM, Liao CY, Keutgen XM. DOTATATE PET CT Tumor Volume as a Predictor of Surgical Outcome in Patients with Metastatic Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Surg Onc Insight. 2025 Apr 3. Doi.org/10.1016/j.soi.2025.100141
Brumfield A, Azar SA, Nordgren R, Cohen RN, Sarne D, Keutgen XM, Applewhite M, Angelos P, Cipriani NA. Prevalence and Clinical Impact of BRAF p.V600E Mutation in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Endocr Pathol 36, 13 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12022-025-09859-y