Kevin Billingsley, MD, MBA, FACS
Professor of Surgery (Oncology)Cards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Quality of gastrointestinal surgical oncology care according to insurance status
Butensky S, Kerekes D, Bakkila B, Billingsley K, Ahuja N, Johnson C, Khan S. Quality of gastrointestinal surgical oncology care according to insurance status. Journal Of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2025, 29: 101961. PMID: 39800081, DOI: 10.1016/j.gassur.2025.101961.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedicare-insured patientsNational Cancer DatabaseAdequate lymphadenectomyNegative marginsCancer DatabaseRetrospective study of adult patientsStudy of adult patientsSurvival analysisInsurance statusReceipt of lymphadenectomyCurative-intent resectionGastrointestinal (GI) cancersIncreased risk of deathMultivariate survival analysisAdequacy of lymphadenectomyCox proportional hazards modelsRisk of deathProportional hazards modelResection marginsSurgical oncology careAdjuvant therapyRetrospective studyAdult patientsBiliary organismsLymphadenectomy
2024
Perioperative Modified FOLFIRINOX for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
Cecchini M, Salem R, Robert M, Czerniak S, Blaha O, Zelterman D, Rajaei M, Townsend J, Cai G, Chowdhury S, Yugawa D, Tseng R, Arbelaez C, Jiao J, Shroyer K, Thumar J, Kortmansky J, Zaheer W, Fischbach N, Persico J, Stein S, Khan S, Cha C, Billingsley K, Kunstman J, Johung K, Wiess C, Muzumdar M, Spickard E, Aushev V, Laliotis G, Jurdi A, Liu M, Escobar-Hoyos L, Lacy J. Perioperative Modified FOLFIRINOX for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer. JAMA Oncology 2024, 10: 1027-1035. PMID: 38900452, PMCID: PMC11190830, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.1575.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchProgression-free survivalPancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaOverall survivalCtDNA levelsPhase 2 nonrandomized controlled trialAnalysis of circulating tumor DNAMedian progression-free survivalResectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaControlled trialsAssess surgical candidacyBaseline ctDNA levelModified 5-fluorouracilResectable pancreatic cancerPancreatic protocol computed tomographyAssociated with recurrenceTumor molecular featuresAggressive malignant tumorKaplan-Meier estimatesRandomized clinical trialsStandard of careCtDNA-positivePreoperative cyclesNonrandomized controlled trialsUnresectable diseaseModified FOLFIRINOXAdjuvant imatinib in high‐risk resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Merely delaying the inevitable?
Sutton T, Billingsley K, Johnson A, Corless C, Blanke C, Heinrich M, Mayo S. Adjuvant imatinib in high‐risk resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Merely delaying the inevitable? Journal Of Surgical Oncology 2024, 130: 40-46. PMID: 38924626, DOI: 10.1002/jso.27654.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHigh-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumorsRecurrence-free survivalGastrointestinal stromal tumorsResected gastrointestinal stromal tumorsAdjuvant imatinibOverall survivalStromal tumorsAdjuvant therapyDuration of adjuvant imatinibBenefit of adjuvant therapyMonths of postsurgical follow-upMultivariate Cox proportional hazards modelPostsurgical follow-upKaplan-Meier analysisCox proportional hazards modelsProportional hazards modelRadiographic recurrenceImatinib resistanceReviewed patientsFollow-upImatinibOncological treatmentCytocidal effectCancer CenterPatientsReasonable expansion of surgical candidates for HCC treatment
Butensky S, Billingsley K, Khan S. Reasonable expansion of surgical candidates for HCC treatment. Clinical Liver Disease 2024, 23: e0153. PMID: 38720794, PMCID: PMC11078523, DOI: 10.1097/cld.0000000000000153.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMo1492 EFFECTS OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE ON GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER SURGERY OUTCOMES
Butensky S, Kerekes D, Bakkila B, Kurbatov V, Kunstman J, Billingsley K, Khan S. Mo1492 EFFECTS OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE ON GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER SURGERY OUTCOMES. Gastroenterology 2024, 166: s-1891. DOI: 10.1016/s0016-5085(24)04833-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchProlonged length of stay and omission of adjuvant therapy are associated with early mortality after pancreatic adenocarcinoma resection
Ying L, Ilagan-Ying Y, Kunstman J, Peters N, Almeida M, Blackburn H, Ferrucci L, Billingsley K, Khan S, Chhoda A, John N, Salem R, Sharma A, Ahuja N. Prolonged length of stay and omission of adjuvant therapy are associated with early mortality after pancreatic adenocarcinoma resection. Surgical Oncology Insight 2024, 1: 100007. DOI: 10.1016/j.soi.2024.100007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFactors associated with early mortalityCases of pancreatic adenocarcinomaPancreatic adenocarcinoma resectionRisk of early mortalityLength of stayEarly mortalityAdjuvant chemotherapyPancreatic adenocarcinomaChemotherapy utilizationAdenocarcinoma resectionRisk factors associated with early mortalityOmission of adjuvant therapyNon-metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinomaMultivariate Cox regression modelAssociated with early mortalityPost-resection survivalIncreased risk of early mortalityParticipant Use FileProlonged hospital stayProlonged length of stayAdjuvant chemotherapy utilizationDecrease perioperative complicationsCox regression modelsNon-academic centersHospital risk factors
2023
Impact of COVID-19 on the gastrointestinal surgical oncology patient population
Bakkila B, Marks V, Kerekes D, Kunstman J, Salem R, Billingsley K, Ahuja N, Laurans M, Olino K, Khan S. Impact of COVID-19 on the gastrointestinal surgical oncology patient population. Heliyon 2023, 9: e18459. PMID: 37534012, PMCID: PMC10391949, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18459.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGI cancer surgeryPreoperative chemotherapyCancer surgerySurgical careCOVID-19 pandemicCOVID-19Tertiary referral centerOncology patient populationFirst COVID-19 waveGI cancer casesCOVID-19 burdenHigh COVID-19 burdenEmergency surgeryReferral centerCOVID-19 waveOncology visitsGastrointestinal cancerGI cancersPatient populationStudy criteriaCancer careTreatment characteristicsCancer casesCase volumePatientsPhase 2 study of preoperative chemotherapy with nab‐paclitaxel and gemcitabine followed by chemoradiation for borderline resectable or node‐positive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Chen E, Kardosh A, Nabavizadeh N, Foster B, Mayo S, Billingsley K, Gilbert E, Lanciault C, Grossberg A, Bensch K, Maynard E, Anderson E, Sheppard B, Thomas C, Lopez C, Vaccaro G, Group O. Phase 2 study of preoperative chemotherapy with nab‐paclitaxel and gemcitabine followed by chemoradiation for borderline resectable or node‐positive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Medicine 2023, 12: 12986-12995. PMID: 37132281, PMCID: PMC10315770, DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5971.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNab-paclitaxelNeoadjuvant treatmentDefinitive resectionResection rateAdverse eventsPancreatic adenocarcinomaOpen-label phase 2 trialNode-positive pancreatic cancerLong-course chemoradiationNab-paclitaxel 125Neoadjuvant treatment strategiesOperable pancreatic adenocarcinomaRadiographic response rateCommon adverse eventsR0 resection ratePhase 2 studyPhase 2 trialProgression-free survivalProspective interventional trialNegative surgical marginsTreatment completion ratesPancreatic ductal adenocarcinomaIntensity-modulated radiationGemcitabine 1000Positive nodesHepatopancreatobiliary malignancies: time to treatment matters
Kerekes D, Frey A, Bakkila B, Johnson C, Becher R, Billingsley K, Khan S. Hepatopancreatobiliary malignancies: time to treatment matters. Journal Of Gastrointestinal Oncology 2023, 0: 0-0. PMID: 37201090, PMCID: PMC10186552, DOI: 10.21037/jgo-22-1067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTreatment initiationStage IHPB cancersStage I pancreatic cancerExtrahepatic bile duct cancerKaplan-Meier survival analysisHPB cancer patientsNational Cancer DatabaseRetrospective cohort studyBile duct cancerMedian treatment initiationHepatopancreatobiliary cancersMedian survivalCohort studyDuct cancerOverall survivalHispanic patientsEHBD cancerOncologic careBile ductCox regressionBlack raceCancer patientsDefinitive carePancreatic cancerOutcomes on an inpatient oncology service after the introduction of hospitalist comanagement
Morris J, Rothberg BE, Prsic E, Parker N, Weber U, Gombos E, Kottarathara M, Billingsley K, Adelson K. Outcomes on an inpatient oncology service after the introduction of hospitalist comanagement. Journal Of Hospital Medicine 2023, 18: 391-397. PMID: 36891947, DOI: 10.1002/jhm.13071.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLength of stayInpatient oncology serviceSmilow Cancer HospitalSeverity of illnessOncology servicesOncologists' experiencesReadmission ratesEarly dischargeHospitalist comanagementAverage LOSTime of dischargeMean discharge timeEarly discharge ratesImpact of hospitalistsRace/ethnicityDischarge dispositionMultiple admissionsCancer HospitalMAIN OUTCOMEStudy durationPatient volumeCancer typesStudy periodHospitalistsOutcomes
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Kevin G. Billingsley, MD, MBA, is a surgical oncologist who specializes in the surgical treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. He treats tumors of the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and bile ducts, including cholangiocarcinoma. Dr. Billingsley also has expertise in metastatic tumors in the liver.
Dr. Billingsley says he considers caring for cancer patients a privilege and a calling. He works closely with medical oncologists, gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists, and other specialists to coordinate care for his patients. He most values the relationships he develops with patients and their families through the course of the cancer care journey.
Dr. Billingsley serves as the chief medical officer for the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital and Care Centers, where he oversees quality and patient safety initiatives across the cancer care enterprise. He leads the improvement of multidisciplinary team structures, assists with facilities and space planning, and works closely with Yale New Haven Health System’s clinical leaders.
Dr. Billingsley’s research interests include gastrointestinal cancers with a particular emphasis on developing new multidisciplinary treatment strategies for metastatic colorectal cancer, and improving clinical outcomes following complex liver and pancreas operations. In his leadership role, his interests include the development of integrated academic health care systems, patient communication, and strategies to support clinician resilience.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Learn More on Yale MedicineCancer
Learn More on Yale MedicineHyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC)
Learn More on Yale MedicineSmall Intestine Adenocarcinoma
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Surgery General
- Certification Organization
- AB of Surgery
- Original Certification Date
- 1997
Yale Medicine News
News & Links
News
- April 01, 2025
Yale Research Presented at 2025 Society of Surgical Oncology Annual Meeting
- January 22, 2025Source: Cure
With Cancer in Remission, What is the New Normal for Princess Kate?
- January 14, 2025
The Hepatic Arterial Infusion Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital
- June 20, 2024
Chemotherapy Before Surgery Benefits Some Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
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Events
- EveryoneEric Winer, MD - Lori Pickens, MHA - Kevin Billingsley, MD, MBA, FACS - Tracy Carafeno, RN, CNMLA Zoom link will be posted.