James C. Wittig, M.D., orthopedic oncologist and sarcoma surgeon, has been appointed Vice Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery and Education & Research at Hackensack University Medical Center (UMC) and will begin full time in November 2013. Dr. Wittig will also continue to serve as chief of Orthopedic Oncology and director of the Skin and Sarcoma Division at the John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) in Hackensack.
James C. Wittig, M.D. Appointed Vice Chair at Hackensack
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Dr. Wittig says that he is looking forward to fulfilling his life’s work full time at Hackensack UMC and the JTCC in three very specific ways. First and foremost, an increased ability to generously share his time and the resources of Hackensack UMC with his patients; continue to collaborate with an exceptional group of orthopedic surgeons, medical oncologists and ancillary teams that support his dedication and vision of exemplary services; and, “pay it forward” with his experience and knowledge of orthopedic oncology as he expands the realm of clinical trials and educational endeavors for those seeking to expand their clinical base.
“I love teaching, ” Dr. Wittig said in the November 4, 2013 news release. “I had great mentors going through college, medical school and my residency. As a teacher, it’s great to see students develop new skills and progress—and it’s very rewarding to make a positive impact on their lives and careers.”
The difficulties of orthopedic oncology treatments are lessened by the advances that Dr. Wittig has achieved in his 12+ years handling an array of cases from the straightforward to the most complex ones in nature. “Although most would agree that oncology cases are the toughest, I am truly challenged by each and every diagnosis, confronting them with a customized plan as individual as each patient, ” notes Dr. Wittig, “leading a team that shares my commitment and personal devotion to provide an environment that fosters a continuum of extraordinary, multidisciplinary care makes the rewards of our work outstanding.”
In addition, Dr. Wittig has recently co-authored a book entitled “Operative Techniques in Orthopedic Surgical Oncology.” Dr. Wittig was recently recognized by his peers as one of the Top 13 Orthopedic Oncologists in the United Sates as reported in Orthopedics This Week.
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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