Dr. Giorgos Karakousis is a fellowship trained surgical oncologist. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale University and his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency training and a research fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and went on to complete a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. His clinical interests include melanoma, sarcoma and GI malignancies.

Resident Coordinator for Medical Students
Department of Surgery
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1. Karakousis G, Ye N, Li Z, Chiu S, Reddy G, Radding C. The beta protein of phage lambda binds preferentially to an intermediate in DNA renaturation. Journal of Molecular Biology 276(4): 721-731, Mar. 6, 1998.
2. Li Z, Karakousis G, Chiu S, Reddy G, Radding C. The beta protein of phage lambda promotes strand exchange. Journal of Molecular Biology 276(4):733-744, Mar. 6, 1998.
3. Szeto W, Kreisel D, Karakousis G, Pochettino A, Sterman D, Kotloff R, Aracasoy S, Zisman D, Blumenthal N, Gallop R, Kaiser L, Bavaria J, Rosengard B. Cardiopulmonary bypass for bilateral sequential lung transplantation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without adverse effect on lung function or clinical outcome. Journal of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery 124(2):241-249, Aug. 2002.
4. Hendren S, Prabakaran I, Buerk D, Karakousis G, Feldman M, Spitz F, Menon C, Fraker D. Interferon-beta gene therapy improves survival in an immunocompetent mouse model of carcinomatosis. Surgery 135(4):427-436, Apr. 2004.
5. Kesmodel S, Karakousis G, Botbyl J, Canter R, Lewis R, Wahl P, Alavi A, Elder D, Ming M, Guerry D, Gimotty P, Fraker D, Czerniecki B, Spitz F. Mitotic rate as a predictor of sentinel lymph node positivity in patients with thin melanomas. Annals of Surgical Oncology 12(6):449-458, June 2005.
6. Karakousis G, Gimotty P, Botbyl J, Kesmodel S, Elder D, Ming M, Guerry D, Fraker D, Czerniecki B, Spitz F. Predictors of regional nodal disease in patients with thin melanomas. Annals of Surgical Oncology 13(4): 533-541, Apr. 2006.
7. Karakousis G, Gimotty P, Elder D, Ming M, Guerry D, Fraker D, Czerniecki B, Spitz F. Regional nodal disease is strongest predictor of survival in patients with thin vertical growth phase melanomas: A case for SLN staging biopsy in these patients. Annals of Surgical Oncology 14(5):1596-1603, May 2007.
8. Karakousis G, Han D, Rapaport Kelz R, Neemani D, Karamacharya J, Roses R, Fraker D. Interpretation of intra-operative PTH changes in patients with multi-glandular primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Surgery 142(6):845-850, Dec. 2007.
9. Xu X, Gimotty PA, Guerry D, Karakousis G, Van Belle P, Liang H, Montone K, Pasha T, Ming ME, Acs G, Feldman M, Barth S, Hammond R, Elenitsas R, Zhang PJ, Elder DE. Lymphatic invasion revealed by multispectral imaging is common in primary melanomas and associates with prognosis. Human Pathology 39(6): 901-909, June 2008.
10. Huang JH, Lee FS, Pasha TL, Sammel MD, Karakousis G, Xu G, Fraker D, Zhang PJ. Analysis of HIF-1alpha and its regulator, PHD2, in retroperitoneal sarcomas: Clinico-patho-logic implications. Cancer Biology & Therapy 9(4):303-311, Feb. 2010 (epub ahead of print).

1. Kingham P, Karakousis G, Ariyan C. Randomized clinical trials in melanoma. [Review] Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America 19(1):13-31, Jan. 2010.

1. Reinke CE, Karakousis GC, Hadler RA, Drebin JA, Fraker DL, Kelz RR. Incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing surgical treatment for malignancy by type of neoplasm: An analysis of ACS-NSQIP data from 2005 to 2010. Surgery. 2012 Aug;152(2):186-92.
2. Yang RL, Freeman K, Reinke CE, Fraker DL, Karakousis GC, Kelz RR, Doyle AM. Tertiary hyperparathyroidism in kidney transplant recipients: characteristics of patients selected for different treatment strategies. Transplantation 2012 Jul 15;94(1):70-6.
3. Reinke CE, Hadler RA, Karakousis GC, Fraker DL, Kelz RR.  Does the presence of thyroid cancer increase the risk of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing thyroidectomy? Surgery 2011 Dec; 150(6):1275-85.
4. Shah PK; Shah KK; Karakousis GC; Reinke CE; Kelz RR; Fraker DL. Regional Recurrence after lymphadenectomy for clinically evident lymph node metastases from papillary thyroid cancer: a cohort study : Bulky nodal metastases in papillary thyroid cancer. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2011 Sep 13 (epub ahead of print).
5. Katz, SC; Baldwin, K.; Karakousis, G.; Moraco, N,; Buglino, A.; Singer, S.; Brennan, MF. Soft tissue sarcoma diagnosed subsequent to lymphoma is associated with prior radiotherapy and decreased survival. Cancer 2011 April 4 (epub ahead of print).
6. Karakousis, G.; Singer, S.; Zheng, J.; Gonen, M.; Coit, D.; DeMatteo, R.; Strong, V. Laparoscopic versus open gastric resections for primary gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs): a size-matched comparison. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2011 Jun 18(6): 1599-605.
7. Huang JH, Lee FS, Pasha TL, Sammel MD, Karakousis G, Xu G, Fraker D, Zhang PJ. Analysis of HIF-1alpha and its regulator, PHD2, in retroperitoneal sarcomas: Clinico-pathologic implications. Cancer Biology & Therapy 2010 Feb; 9(4):303-311.
8. Karakousis, G., Fong Y. The Case for Selective Use of Pre-operative Chemotherapy for Hepatic Colorectal Metastases: More is not always Better. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2009 Aug 16(8): 2086-8.
9. Xu, X.; Gimotty, P.A.; Guerry, D.; Karakousis, G.; Van Belle, P.; Liang, H.; Montone, K.; Pasha, T.; Ming, M.E.; Acs, G.; Feldman, M.; Barth, S.; Hammond, R.; Elenitsas, R.; Zhang, P.J.; Elder, D.E. Lymphatic invasion revealed by multispectral imaging is common in primary melanomas and associates with prognosis. Human Pathology 2008 Jun; 39(6): 901-9.
10. Karakousis, G.; Han, D.; Rapaport Kelz, R.; Neemani, D.; Karamacharya, J.; Roses, R.; Fraker, D.  Interpretation of Intra-Operative PTH Changes in Patients with Multi-Glandular Primary Hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Surgery 2007 Dec; 142(6): 845-50.
11. Karakousis, G.; Gimotty, P.; Elder, D.; Ming, M.; Guerry, D.; Fraker, D.; Czerniecki, B.; Spitz, F. Regional Nodal Disease is Strongest Predictor of Survival in Patients with Thin Vertical Growth Phase Melanomas: A Case for SLN Staging Biopsy in these Patients. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2007 May; 14(5): 1596-603.
12. Karakousis, G.; Gimotty, P.; Botbyl, J.; Kesmodel, S.; Elder, D.; Ming, M.; Guerry, D.; Fraker, D.; Czerniecki, B.; Spitz, F. Predictors of Regional Nodal Disease in Patients with Thin Melanomas. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2006 Apr; 13(4): 533-41.
13. Kesmodel, S.; Karakousis, G.; Botbyl, J.; Canter, R.; Lewis, R.; Wahl, P.; Alavi, A.; Elder, D.; Ming, M.; Guerry, D.; Gimotty, P.; Fraker, D.; Czerniecki, B.; Spitz, F. Mitotic Rate as a Predictor of Sentinel Lymph Node Positivity in Patients with Thin Melanomas. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2005 Jun; 12(6): 449-58.
14. Hendren, S.; Prabakaran, I.; Buerk, D.; Karakousis, G.; Feldman, M.; Spitz, F.; Menon, C.; Fraker, D. Interferon-beta Gene Therapy Improves Survival in an Immunocompetent Mouse Model of Carcinomatosis. 2004 Surgery Apr; 135(4): 427-36.
15. Szeto, W.; Kreisel, D.; Karakousis, G.; Pochettino, A.; Sterman, D.; Kotloff, R.; Aracasoy, S.; Zisman, D.; Blumenthal, N.; Gallop, R.; Kaiser, L.; Bavaria, J.; Rosengard, B. Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Bilateral Sequential Lung Transplantation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease without Adverse Effect on Lung Function or Clinical Outcome. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002 Aug; 124: 241-9.
16. Karakousis, G.; Ye, N.; Li, Z.; Chiu, S.; Reddy, G.; Radding, C.  The Beta Protein of Phage Lambda Binds Preferentially to an Intermediate in DNA Renaturation. Journal of Molecular Biology 1998 Mar; 276(4): 721-731.
17. Li, Z.; Karakousis, G.; Chiu, S.; Reddy, G.; Radding, C.  The Beta Protein of Phage Lambda Promotes Strand Exchange. Journal of Molecular Biology 1998 Mar; 276(4): 733-44.

1. Karakousis, G. Fraker, DL. Isolated limb perfusion (ILP) and isolated limb infusion (ILI) for locally advanced melanoma.  Regional Therapeutics for Advanced Malignancies.  Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, 2012.
2. Karakousis, G.; DeMatteo, R. Gastrointestinal tumors. Current Surgical Therapy, Cameron, J.L. et al (eds.). Elsevier Health Sciences, 2011.
3. Karakousis, G.; Czerniecki, B. Diagnosis of Melanoma. PET Imaging in Melanoma; PET Clinics, Fuster, D., Rubello, R. (eds.) W.B. Saunders, 2011.
4. Kingham, T.; Karakousis, G.; Ariyan, C. Randomized clinical trials in melanoma. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2010 Jan;19(1):13-31. Review.
5. Karakousis, G.; Kelz, R.; Fraker, D. Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Glands in The
   Surgical Review (3rd ed.) Porrett, P. et al (eds.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009.
6. Karakousis, G, Fraker, D. Thyroidectomy and Parathyroidectomy in Gowned and Gloved Surgery: Introduction to Common Procedures ch. 20. Roses, R. et al (eds.) Elsevier Health Sciences, 2009.
7. Karakousis, G.; Kelz, R.; Fraker, D. Thyroid, Parathyroid and Adrenal Glands in The Surgical Review (2nd ed.) Atluri, P.; Karakousis, G.; Porrett, P.; Kaiser, L. (eds.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.
8. Karakousis, G.; Spitz, F. Surgical Approach to Gastric and Gastroesophageal Neoplasms in The Clinician's Guide to Gastrointestinal Oncology, ch. 4. Kochman, M. (ed.). Slack Incorporated, 2005.
9. Karakousis, G.; Spitz, F. Surgical Approaches to Pancreatic Cancer in The Clinician's Guide to Pancreaticobiliary Diosrders, ch. 13.Ginsberg, G.; Amad, N. (eds.). Slack Incorporated, 2005.

1. Atluri P, Karakousis G, Porrett P, Kaiser L, editors. The Surgical Review, Second Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.