Dr. Badgwell has a cancer-directed practice in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer at MD Anderson that incorporates recent progress in advanced laparoscopic surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with gastric cancer. He has worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for the most common site of metastatic disease and site of recurrence in gastric cancer – the peritoneum – through clinical trials of hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion with chemotherapy (HIPEC). Dr. Badgwell performed the first laparoscopic HIPEC at MD Anderson and now serves as a national and international referral source for the surgical treatment of gastric cancer metastatic to the peritoneum. His multidisciplinary group is aggressively investigating many aspects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and Dr. Badgwell has performed over 100 HIPEC procedures for gastric cancer, which is the largest single surgeon experience for this disease in the United States. He was the principal investigator for the first three completed trials of HIPEC for gastric cancer in the United States, and performed all surgeries for the patients on these trials. Dr. Badgwell is continuously exploring new options of intraperitoneal therapy, which has kept MD Anderson at the forefront of surgical options for patients with metastases to the peritoneum

It is also remarkable to find a surgical oncologist dedicated to the important clinical problem of palliative care for patients with advanced malignancy requiring surgical evaluation for problems related to their cancer. Dr. Badgwell has established a palliative surgery research program at MD Anderson and, with funding through the American Cancer Society, has developed the first validated symptom assessment questionnaire for patients with malignant bowel obstruction. As a recognized expert in surgery to improve the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer, Dr. Badgwell takes a leadership role in the teaching and mentoring of trainees. As a Professor of Surgery at MD Anderson, Dr. Badgwell has published over 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and also leads the gastric cancer surgical research program at MD Anderson. He is consistently recognized for his excellent clinical care and high patient satisfaction scores.