Todd Demmy, FACS, MD

Since arriving in Buffalo in 2002 my promotion of less invasive treatment options for patients helped our team of oncologists make the lung cancer program the busiest in upstate New York State. By achieving a very high reliability in performing minimally invasive operations for even complex tumors and by communicating these enabling techniques to other surgeons by annotated video productions, I have been rewarded with national and international recognition.

Because Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) is minimally invasive and reduces pain and other stress related responses, there is a tendency for fewer complications, thus enabling faster recovery and expansion of surgical options for patients formerly too frail for traditional operations. Such techniques also allow patients to move on faster to other cancer treatments like chemotherapy.

My primary research interest, besides studying the outcome of advanced VATS techniques, focusses on the use of regional lung chemotherapeutics. Following completion of my medical degree from Jefferson Medical College, I completed a general surgery internship at Baylor College of Medicine followed by a residency and research fellowship in cardiothoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Allegheny General Hospital-West Campus, Medical College of Pennsylvania. I am the author or co-author of numerous articles in peer reviewed journals as well as book chapters and I present regularly at national and international professional meetings.

I have been named as a 'Top Doctor' in U.S. News and World Report, as well as one of 'Americas Top Doctors' in New York State. Supporting the Lung Cancer/Thoracic Oncology Program and working closely with experts across multi-disciplines, including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses and social workers, I provide patients with a comprehensive evaluation and help educate them about their disease so that they can make informed decisions about their treatment options.