BiliaryTractCancer near Statesville, NC

Biography: Dr. Kuykendal has spent many years in North Carolina but has called Charlotte home since 2013. He believes in bringing the latest evidence-based medicine to his patients and working with them to make the best treatment decisions. During his career he has worked in basic science, clinical trials and patient outcomes research to advance the oncology field for current and future patients. He treats patients with a variety of cancers and blood diseases but has a special focus on cancers of the GI tract including colon, rectum, pancreas and liver cancer as well as prostate, kidney and testicular cancer. He has three children who keep him quite busy, and during his free time enjoys sporting events, theater and trying new restaurants.

Biography: Dr. Shearer cares for hematology and oncology patients with all tumor types. She has a special interest in helping patients who have gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies including esophageal, colorectal and anal cancers, as well as hepatobiliary malignancies. She works closely with the GI multidisciplinary clinic at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. She has served as the primary investigator on many clinical trials for GI malignancies and regularly attends scholarly meetings. Dr. Shearer enjoys reading, cooking, traveling in her spare time and has run several half marathons. She enjoys spending time with her two daughters, her husband, a physician assistant in cardiothoracic surgery, and her golden retrievers.

Biography: I am a medical oncologist at Novant Health, specializing in lung cancer and thoracic malignancies. My father was my role model growing up and worked as an oral surgeon, which drew me towards a career in medicine from an early age. Like many families, my family was no stranger to cancer. \n Very quickly in my medical training, I identified oncology as my area of interest. I made it my goal to always be accessible to my patients, and to communicate the details of their illness, treatment, and prognosis in clear and concise language. I believe it is the patient's right to know all of the details regarding their case and that I should prioritize their input in making treatment decisions. \n I am passionate about identifying the latest cutting-edge research opportunities for my patients. That is why I am participating in Novant Health's effort to identify and overcome barriers to treatment for lung cancer patients in order to reduce the time from diagnosis to treatment and improve lung cancer outcomes. This is also why I co-chair the Thoracic Tumor Council and help lead the cancer physician team at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center.

Biography: Dr. Jepsen cares for hematology and oncology patients with all tumor types with a special focus on the treatment of breast cancer, as well as breast cancer prevention, genetics and survivorship. She also focuses on treating gastrointestinal malignancies. She has done research in molecular genetics and published translational research through Merck Inc. Her work has focused on DNA gene sequences for drug targets and sequencing of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for vaccine development. She worked on colon cancer tumor profile expression with microarray analysis at Princeton University. Dr. Jepsen enjoys spending free time with her husband, daughter and extended family. She also enjoys traveling, cooking and vacationing at the beach.

Biography: I am one of only a few Charlotte surgeons whose medical training includes a dual fellowship in hepatobiliary (liver, pancreas and bile duct) surgery and surgical oncology (cancer surgery). This means I focus on care for individuals with liver, pancreas, biliary, stomach, neuroendocrine, sarcomas, ovarian and peritoneal disease. These areas of medicine focus on less common tumors that can have a dramatic impact on a patient's quality of life and well-being. That is why I have dedicated my career to caring for patients who need a specialist with expertise in treating these diseases, and I truly enjoy being of service. \n At Novant Health, I lead more than a dozen physicians in the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary group as well as the hepatobiliary multidisciplinary conference, which promotes best practices for treating patients who have liver, pancreas and bile duct disorders. I also serve on a committee that selects novel therapies to study through Novant Health Cancer Institute clinical trials. All of this, combined with my membership in the American Board of Surgery and the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, keeps me connected to the latest treatments and research. \n I take a patient-centered, hands-on approach when caring for patients. You also will have access to the expertise of a team of other skilled and experienced providers who are well-versed in your medical history and will help manage your treatment. I am committed to developing techniques that help patients recover faster and see better outcomes. This can include minimally invasive laparoscopic and/or robotic surgery, as well as help with food choices, pain control and therapy before, during and after surgery. \n Communication, both to my patients and their loved ones, is important to me. I want my patients to be informed and empowered to make decisions about their care. \n In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and traveling. I am married and have two children.