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Mount Sinai Hospital
600 University Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1X5
Tel.: 416-586-4800
► Web of Science Researcher ID
J-2335-2016
Dr. Richard Kirsch
SENIOR CLINICIAN SCIENTIST
Dr. Richard Kirsch is Section Head of Surgical Pathology at Mount Sinai Hospital and an Associate Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto.
He obtained his medical degree and PhD from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where he also undertook his specialty training in Anatomic Pathology. After a Fellowship in Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology at the University of Toronto, he was appointed as a Staff Pathologist at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Dr. Kirsch’s primary research interest is in the field of colorectal cancer, in particular prognostic factors such as venous invasion, tumor budding, tumor grade, peritoneal invasion and the host immune-response. Other interests include inflammatory bowel disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and diagnostic challenges in gastrointestinal pathology.
Dr. Kirsch has drawn attention to the widespread underreporting of venous invasion in colorectal cancer. Venous invasion is a powerful predictor of haematogenous spread and mortality, and its presence may influence adjuvant treatment decisions. His group demonstrated the utility of elastin stains in enhancing the detection of venous invasion.
Dr. Kirsch has also drawn attention to the importance of tumor budding, an emerging and powerful prognostic factor tumor in colorectal cancer. He led a study showing tumor budding to be an independent predictor of disease recurrence and mortality in a large cohort stage II colorectal cancer patients from the QUASAR trial.
He was a member of the Steering Committee of the International Consensus Conference on Tumor Budding (ITBCC) held in Bern, Switzerland (April 2016) which produced the first internationally recognized, evidence-based definition and method for the assessment of tumor budding. This paves the way for incorporation of tumor budding into standard pathology reporting guidelines and protocols.
Dr. Kirsch serves as a member of a number of expert panels for Cancer Care Ontario and the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.
At a Glance
Section Head of Surgical Pathology, Mount Sinai Hospital
Focus on gastrointestinal pathology
His work has drawn attention to widespread underreporting of venous invasion in colorectal cancer—a powerful predictor of haematogenous spread and mortality
Major Research Activities
Dr. Kirsch’s research focus is colorectal cancer, and in particular prognostic factors. Other interests include inflammatory bowel disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and diagnostic challenges in gastrointestinal pathology.
