Renowned Russian Oncological Surgeon Eyes Deeper Cooperation With Int'l Colleagues

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) Moscow's Main Oncologist Igor Khatkov, who on Thursday became the first Russian to acquire honorary membership in the prestigious American Surgical Association, told Sputnik that Russia's medical community had plenty to share with international partners.

Khatkov is known for pioneering laparoscopic surgery in patients with advanced stages of cancer. He was the first in Russia to perform a highly complex surgery to treat pancreatic cancer, known as laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenal resection. He has authored nearly 300 scientific papers and is a recipient of the Russian Order of Merit for the Fatherland.

"Of course, the more people collaborate between different regions, in different countries, the better," Khatkov told Sputnik in a one-on-one. "We have absolutely the best practices, we have something to share and something that arouses interest and, accordingly, we learn and others learn from us; such a parity is mutually enriching cooperation.

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He went on to say that the international activity between luminaries in the oncological field is on the rise.

"There are now mutual invitations to give lectures, conduct master classes, participate in discussions. It has been developing and, I think, will continue to develop," Khatokov said.

Asked whether the political tensions in geopolitics affect the cooperation between the oncologists of different countries, Khatkov said, "Thank God, in our professional activities, we absolutely do not feel anything that would depend on any situations that arise in the political sphere."

Khatkov recounted numerous travels to European nations to give lectures about the Russian way of doing things in this field, in addition to a number of masterclasses and workshops hosted by Russia under the auspices of international associations.