• Our Specialized Team

  Right here in the Mid-Hudson Valley, you’ll find a team with expertise in diagnosing, treating and managing liver and pancreas disease. The team at the Dyson Center for Cancer Care at Vassar Brothers Medical Center provides personalized care to each patient.

  Our surgical team, led by Ryan Swan, MD, provides treatment for patients with benign and malignant liver and pancreas tumors or disease. As one of the only fellowship-trained hepatobiliary surgeon in the Mid-Hudson Valley, Dr. Swan offers both traditional and minimally invasive surgical approaches for patients affected by liver and pancreatic disease. The team includes Caitlin O’Shaughnessy, NP, who is also specially trained in treating complex liver and pancreas disease. Dr. Swan often collaborates with other surgical oncologists for complex cases.

  Rounding out the team is a group of compassionate and highly-qualified nurses, navigators and therapists whose goal is to make your experience as comfortable and seamless as possible.

  Meet the Doctor

• Make an Appointment

  To schedule a surgical consultation, please call (845) 483-6920.

  TTY/Accessibility: (800) 421-1220

Ryan Swan, MD
Surgical Oncology
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Cancer Care Clinical Trials

If you are an interested patient, researcher or sponsor, please feel free to call us at (845) 483-6825 or email research@health-quest.org.

Our cancer care specialists in medical, radiation and surgical oncology bring an optimal level of clinical knowledge and skill to patients in the mid-Hudson valley. This attracts innovation to our area through industry sponsored, federally supported and investigator-initiated clinical trials. Health Quest offers programs and modalities which harness the power of genetic technology to create a personalized approach to cancer therapeutics, yielding the utmost potential for influencing disease progression and quality of life in the face of the most challenging illnesses of our generation.

View a list of our pancreatic cancer clinical trials.

Conditions Treated

The team is able to treat complex liver, bile duct, and pancreas cancer, as well as many benign conditions. Dr. Swan is one of the only surgeons in the Mid-Hudson Valley to perform advanced liver resections. Through the Dyson Center for Cancer Care, you’ll find treatment for conditions such as:

• Pancreatic, liver, gallbladder and bile duct cancer
• Metastatic colorectal cancer
• Neuroendocrine tumor
• Pancreatic cysts
• Chronic and acute pancreatitis
• Complex liver abscess
• Symptomatic benign liver lesions
• Bile duct stricture or injury

Diagnostics

The team uses advanced diagnostics to diagnose and stage liver and pancreatic disease and plan treatment.

These include:

• PET/ CT scan, MRI, staging laparoscopy
• Liver volumetrics to calculate liver volume and safely plan liver resection surgery

Radiation and other Targeted Therapy

Chemoembolization – Delivers chemotherapy drugs directly to a tumor. A specially trained interventional radiologist can perform this procedure.

Ablation therapies – Ablation is a type of treatment which destroy tumors without removing them. This procedure is performed for lesions percutaneously using ultrasound or CT guidance.  For some lesions, this procedure is better done in the operating room to reach the lesion safely. We provide laparoscopic approaches using intra-operative ultrasound. 

Surgical Approaches

The team uses a minimally invasive approach whenever feasible to reduce pain and discomfort and decrease recovery time. HQMP physician Ryan Swan, MD, is fellowship trained in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery and is specially trained to perform laparoscopic surgeries including:

• Laparoscopic microwave ablation of liver tumors
• Laparoscopic drainage of complex liver abscesses
• Laparoscopic minor and major liver resection
• Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy
• Laparoscopic drainage and debridement of pancreatic necrosis after acute pancreatitis
• Laparoscopic bile duct exploration and bypass

Liver and Pancreas Center

The Liver and Pancreas Center at Vassar offers leading-edge diagnostic and treatment options for patients, close to home. Our state-of-the-art technology coupled with the hands of highly capable, specialized liver and pancreas physicians means that you and your family have access to everything you need right here in our patient-friendly environment. Our compassionate care team includes nurses, many of whom are specially trained. Learn more about the Liver and Pancreas Center.

Cancer Support Groups

• Vassar Brothers Medical Center Cancer Support Groups