Odette Cancer Program

Dr. Law is a surgical oncologist at the Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Following training in General Surgery at McMaster University in Hamilton, he completed a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Toronto and a Masters of Public Health at Harvard University. He has been faculty staff at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre since 2001, and is now Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto, with cross-appointment to the Institute of Health, Policy, Management and Evaluation.

Dr. Law’s clinical practice is devoted to hepato-biliary, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal malignancies. He also has a sub-specialized practice in neuroendocrine tumors. As the co-founder of the Susan Leslie Multidisciplinary Neuroendocrine Tumours Clinic, he takes an active part in the treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumours.

Dr. Law has also served in numerous leadership roles, and most recently served as the Chief of the Odette Cancer Centre and Vice President for Regional Cancer Services at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre from 2013 – 2024.

Education:

• B.Sc., 1990, biology, University of Ottawa, Canada
• MD, 1994, University of Toronto, Canada
• Master of public health, 2002, Harvard University, U.S.

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Chief, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Surgical oncologist, Sunnybrook
• Professor, department of surgery and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, U of T
• Regional vice-president, Cancer Care Ontario
• Adjunct scientist, Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences

Research Foci:

• Health services research
• Population outcomes
• Image-guided cancer surgery
• Neuroendocrine cancer

Research Summary:

Dr. Law holds the rank of full professor at U of T in the department of surgery, and is cross-appointed to the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. He also serves as an adjunct scientist at the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences. His broader academic work includes being a graduate student supervisor within the surgeon scientist training program at U of T.

Dr. Law was the inaugural holder of the Sherif and Mary-Lou Hanna Research Chair in Surgical Oncology at U of T. He has also completed a term as a career scientist for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

His research is focused on health services and population studies, especially in the delivery of care and outcomes in patients with surgically treatable cancer.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Strickland M, Tremaine J, Brigley G, Law CHL. Using a depth-sensing camera system to access and manipulate medical imaging from within the sterile operating field. Can J Surg. 2013 Jun;56(3):E1–6.
2. Milot L, Ma K, Efford E, Sela G, Coburn N, Haider M, Piron C, Plewes D, Law C. Evaluation of a multimodality MR/US coregistration system for investigation of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2013 Mar;24(3):357–62.
3. Milot L, Haider M, Foster L, McGregor C, Law C. Gadofosveset trisodium in the investigation of focal liver lesions in noncirrhotic liver: Early experience. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2012 Sep 5;36(3):738–42.
4. Yang S, Hongjinda S, Hanna SS, Gallinger S, Wei AC, Kiss A, Law CHL. Utility of preoperative imaging in evaluating colorectal liver metastases declines over time. HPB. 2010 Nov;12(9):605–9.
5. Govindarajan A, Tan JCC, Baxter NN, Coburn NG, Law CHL. Variations in surgical treatment and outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer: a population-based study. Ann Surg Oncol. 2008 Jan;15(1):175–85.

Related News and Stories:

• Stomach, pancreatic and other upper GI cancers: new findings are providing much-needed treatment guidance: Upper gastrointestinal cancers are under-studied in Canada. Given their grim outlook—at best, intrusive; at worst, fatal—it’s a void begging to be filled (from SRI Magazine, 2016)
• My mom has colon cancer. How long will she have to wait for surgery? (Globe and Mail, April 20, 2016)
• Planting the seeds for the future of cancer care (Globe and Mail, Dec. 14, 2015)
• A new high-tech arsenal to beat brain cancer, (Globe and Mail, Dec. 3, 2015)
• A better, kinder chemo: Dr. Calvin Law’s team aims to reinvent the front-line weapon against cancer (Sunnybrook Magazine, Fall 2013)
• Bridging the distance: Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre uses e-health technologies to support colorectal cancer patients in the community, (Hospital News, April 17, 2013)
• Diagnosed with a rare cancer, a patient needs a plan (Healthy Debate, March 5, 2013)
• Surgeons use Xbox to keep hands sterile before surgery (The Toronto Star, Dec. 27, 2012)
• A team approach to reducing wait times, Sunnybrook Foundation (Nov. 21, 2012)
• MyChart: One Toronto hospital’s e-health triumph (Globe and Mail, Sep. 20, 2012)
• Doctors use Xbox in operating rooms: How? (CBS News, July 14, 2011)

Related Links:

• U of T profile, department of surgery