MORGANTOWN, W.Va. –The WVU Cancer Institute recently celebrated a milestone, as the pancreatic cancer team performed its 250th robotic surgery.

Encompassing different techniques, these minimally invasive procedures increase physician precision while offering patients reduced, post-surgery inpatient stays and faster, more robust recoveries.

The team is headed by Carl Schmidt, M.D., director and chief of surgical oncology, and Brian Boone, M.D., but both attribute the program’s success to having a dedicated team.

“It is more than us,” Dr. Schmidt said. “This accomplishment is a testament to the important work of our entire team.”

That team has provided robotic surgery care for pancreatic cancer patients since 2018, when Dr. Boone performed the state’s first robot Whipple procedure, ensuring patients have access to the world-class care they need close to home.

“The WVU Cancer Institute is one of a limited number of institutions with a high-volume robotic pancreatic surgery program,” Boone said. “Dr. Schmidt and I are incredibly fortunate to have a great team in the operating room that ensures the highest quality care is delivered. It is a joy to work together to serve the patients of West Virginia and the region.”

For more information on the WVU Cancer Institute, visit WVUCancer.org.