Surgical Oncology
Eric Jensen, MD, Professor & Chief, Division of Surgical Oncology
The primary mission for The Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Minnesota is to provide state-of-the-art care for cancer patients.
Our surgeons evaluate and treat patients with a variety of benign and malignant diseases. Our board-certified surgeons all have specialized fellowship training and work in a multidisciplinary setting with other specialists to provide the latest treatments and innovations in surgical cancer care.
Faculty
Professor & Chief:
Eric H. Jensen, MD
Professor:
Todd M. Tuttle, MD, MS
Jacob S. Ankeny, MD
Conditions We Treat
Our surgeons treat a variety of diseases including:
- Breast cancer
- Pancreas cancer
- Liver tumors
- Gallbladder/bile duct tumors
- Thyroid and parathyroid disease
- Adrenal tumors
- Melanoma
- Sarcomas
- Stomach cancer
- Appendix cancer
- Metastatic colorectal cancer
The faculty members not only perform advanced procedures, but they also create innovative treatments for cancer patients.
Specialized cancer treatments include laparoscopic pancreas and liver resections, sentinel lymph node biopsy, skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomy, isolated limb infusion, radiofrequency ablation, laparoscopic adrenalectomy, robotic thyroidectomy, hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and videoscopic femoral lymph node dissections.
In The News & Helpful Links
- Masonic Cancer Center
- U of MN Clinical Trials
- Dr. Schelomo Marmor interviewed on MPR - Doctor explains rising cancer rates, says survivor rates and data collection provide reasons for hope
- Kare 11 segment on Dr. Keith Wirth's patient - Nurse diagnosed with breast cancer completes nearly 500-mile solo hike weeks after surgery
Surgical Oncology Health Services Research Group
The Surgical Oncology Health Services Research Group encompasses a variety of research questions and interventions across a wide range of malignant and pre-malignant diagnoses.
The Division is at the forefront of new research and technology for cancer patients. Our patients are offered the opportunity to participate in clinical research trials through the only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Twin Cities.
The Twin Cities Breast Cancer Forum is a quarterly, in-person event that provides an excellent venue for continuous, in-depth discussions of the increasingly complex breast cancer patient.
These events are attended by medical professionals throughout the Twin Cities who diagnose, treat, and counsel breast cancer patients (surg onc, med onc, rad onc, genetics, plastic, PT, radiology, care coordinators, and more).
Join us at the next event to network with providers from all around the metro. Together we discuss the most current multidisciplinary treatment options, clinical trials, and new research.
Registration is required to attend. Email to learn more: [email protected]
2025 Event Schedule
Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer Seminar
February 25, 2025
Interesting Breast Cancer Cases Forum
June 26, 2025
Genetic Breast Cancer Seminar
August 5, 2025
Interesting Breast Cancer Cases Forum
November 18, 2025
Contact
Phone: 612-625-2991
Fax: 612-625-4406
Academic Administrative Specialist
Arin Johnson
[email protected]
Division Manager
Stephanie Woods
[email protected]
Mailing Address
University of Minnesota
Division of Surgical Oncology
420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 195
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Global Breast Cancer Fellowship
Dr. Todd Tuttle is the Vice-Chair of the Global Surgery & Disparities Program, and his team worked to established the Global Breast Cancer Fellowship. The primary objective of this fellowship is to train breast cancer experts in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We recruit physicians from LMIC who are interested in improving breast cancer outcomes in their home communities. To our knowledge, this is the only breast fellowship in the United States that is dedicated to training physicians in LMIC.
Annual Victor & Sigrid Gilbertson Lecture
Victor Gilbertson was born in 1925 in Winona, MN. After serving in the military he went to medical school at the University of Minnesota, and then joined the faculty under Dr. Owen Wangensteen. He published broadly on the fundamental topics of cancer care - defining the natural history of disease and working to improve early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
He became the Director of the Center for Cancer Detection and Surveillance and was a true academic surgeon. He was very interested in a number of cancer related topics, specifically colon and breast cancer. Dr. Gilbertson developed colon cancer himself and died in 1990 at the age of 65.
