Ibrahim Nassour, M.D., MSCS, FSSO, FACS, has earned the 2026 Cancer Liaison Physician Outstanding Performance Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). This award program recognizes outstanding performance by Cancer Liaison Physicians in their role as physician quality leaders of their cancer programs.
Nassour is among one of the selected few Cancer Liaison Physicians who demonstrated an exceptional understanding of the CoC Standards and the National Cancer Database reporting tools; identified and brought forward specific issues to the hospital’s cancer committee to improve patient care; fostered a strong relationship with the American Cancer Society; and much more. To receive this award, a Cancer Liaison Physician must be nominated by a member of their cancer care team, cancer committee members, CoC state chairs or an American Cancer Society regional staff member.
A Cancer Liaison Physician is an integral and required member of a CoC-accredited cancer program’s cancer committee. The UF Health Cancer Institute is an accredited Academic Comprehensive Cancer Program, recognizing its commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centered cancer care. It also holds accreditation for two disease-specific cancer programs in breast and rectal cancer.
“In my opinion, the Cancer Liaison Physician has the greatest impact on patient care by ensuring that every patient benefits from high-quality, evidence-based, multidisciplinary cancer care,” said Nassour, an assistant professor in the UF Department of Surgery.
The physician uses data from the National Cancer Database and other quality metrics to identify opportunities for improvement, engages physicians and hospital leadership to implement changes, and helps ensure compliance with CoC standards.
Nassour specializes in surgeries for cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, liver and bile duct. He has a special interest in robotic pancreato-biliary surgery, including robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (the Whipple procedure) and regional therapies for metastatic disease.
At UF Health, Nassour leads a variety of funded research initiatives, including a Florida Department of Health-supported project to improve gastric cancer care through patient navigation systems. He serves as the local principal investigator on multiple national clinical trials within the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network.
Earlier this year, he was named vice chair of NRG Oncology’s Surgical Oncology Committee, which is focused on providing expertise on NRG trials that require surgical components in treatment.
At the UF Health Cancer Institute, Nassour is a member of the Cancer Targeting and Therapeutics research program and the Scientific Review and Monitoring Committee. He is also director of robotic surgery and regional cancer therapies and co-chair of the Robotic Steering Committee at UF Health.
Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving patient outcomes and quality of life for cancer patients through standard-setting, prevention, research, education and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care. Its membership includes Fellows of the American College of Surgeons.
Congratulations, Dr. Nassour!
