Jason Sicklick, MD, FACS

Jason Sicklick, MD, is an internationally recognized surgical oncologist who specializes in treating gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), abdominal/retroperitoneal sarcomas, and liver tumors (primary and metastatic).

Dr. Sicklick is a champion of innovation and collaboration to improve outcomes for cancer patients. He is co-leader of the Sarcoma Disease Team at UC San Diego Health and a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Committee and GIST Subcommittee, which develops best practices for treating these rare and often challenging-to-treat cancers.

A professor of surgery and pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, Dr. Sicklick conducts clinical research to improve our understanding of complex cancers such as GIST and retroperitoneal sarcomas, as well as enhance precision medicine approaches for treating metastatic cancers. His laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms of GIST development and drug resistance in advanced GIST.

Dr. Sicklick, who joined UC San Diego Health in 2010, has co-authored over 130 peer-reviewed articles. His research findings have appeared in prestigious journals such as Nature Medicine, Nature, Gastroenterology, Oncogene, Clinical Cancer Research, Annals of Surgery, JAMA Surgery, and Annals of Surgical Oncology. He is on the editorial boards of Cancer and Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.

Dr. Sicklick has received many awards and honors for his contributions to advancing GIST treatments. In 2021, he earned a Rare Impact Award from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). He is also a 2018 recipient of the RARE Champion of Hope in Medical Care and Treatment Award from the Global Genes Allies in Rare Disease, the largest global advocacy organization for those fighting rare, genetic diseases. In 2016, he was named the GIST Clinician of the Year by The Life Raft Group, the largest GIST patient advocacy group in the world. He is an elected member of the American Surgical Association, the nation's oldest and most prestigious honorary surgical society.

Dr. Sicklick completed a surgical oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He completed general surgery residency training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and translational research training at Duke University Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is board certified in general surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).

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For more information, see Liver Cancer Care, Moores Cancer Center, Surgical Services or Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST).