Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group

Team members at SSORG Gothenburg

The core activities of the secretariat are managed by our research nurses, who maintain contact with participating centers, reach out to study participants during enrollment and follow-up, and request medical record copies:

Carina Rosander, contacts patients with a stoma due to colon or rectal cancer participating in the StomaFUNQ study.

Anette Wedin, manages medical record reviews and contacts patients with anal cancer involved in the ANCA II study. She also reaches out to patients in the StomaFUNQ study. Outside of SSORG, she works in a surgical acute care ward.

Elisabeth González, contacts patients diagnosed with rectal cancer who may participate in the LIMERICK study or are part of the WoW study. She also communicates with the clinics involved in these studies. Outside of SSORG, she works in a surgical ward for patients with colon and rectal diseases..

Administrative staff and statisticians:

Carolina Ehrencrona, research administrator
Manages the unit’s databases and oversees data management tasks.

Rebecka Levenskog, research administrator (on parental leave)
Handles most administrative tasks for the unit, including biobank agreements and ethical applications.

Erik Samuelsson, assistant
Manages daily administration, builds data entry databases and eCRFs, and enters survey responses.

Ying Li, Associate Professor, statistician
Public Health and Community Medicine.

Rode Grönkvist, statistician
Public Health and Community Medicine.

Senior researchers and their research areas:

Eva Angenete, Professor, Senior Consultant
The Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Conducts studies aimed at improving survival and quality of life for patients with rectal and anal cancer. Current studies examine quality of life, functional, and oncological outcomes. Her research also explores the need for surgery in rectal cancer concerning pre-treatment with radiation and chemotherapy, as well as lateral lymph node dissection to prevent recurrence. The research program also includes translational studies to identify potential markers predicting tumor response to oncological treatment.

Eva Haglind, Professor Emerita, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Focuses on minimally invasive procedures and recovery following surgery for colon and rectal cancer and prostate cancer. Her studies examine clinical and functional outcomes, patient-related aspects, and health economics. The research also investigates peritoneal lavage treatment for diverticulitis with peritonitis, including both clinical outcomes and involved translational mechanisms.

Jennifer Park, Associate Professor, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Studies the importance of radiological examinations in patients with newly diagnosed rectal cancer. Research includes comparing two radiological methods and assessing whether preoperative radiological factors can predict postoperative complications and recurrence.

Charlotta Larsson, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Conducts research on colon and rectal cancer as well as pelvic floor disorders.

Adiela Correa Marinez, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Studies how the type of colostomy construction during cancer treatment for colon and rectum affects the risk of complications, both related to the stoma and subsequent surgeries.

Kevin Afsari, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Researches functional outcomes and experiences of emergency versus planned colostomy in cases of colon and rectal cancer.

Martin Rutegård, Associate Professor, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Adjunct Professor, Umeå University
Conducts research on the incidence, causes, prevention, and consequences of anastomotic leakage following surgery for colorectal cancer. Clinical studies, databases, and biobank materials are utilized to reduce the overall risk of anastomotic leakage and, in particular, to identify clinically useful biomarkers.

Current doctoral students and their projects:

Erik Sinclair, Specialist Physician
Surgery, Norra Älvsborg County Hospital
His thesis investigates the significance of microbiota and immunology as well as mechanisms of minimally invasive treatment for complicated diverticular disease.

Maria Reinwalds, Nurse Practitioner
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Her thesis focuses on patients’ experiences of health and quality of life during the diagnosis and treatment of colon and rectal cancer.

Nina Fanni, Specialist Physician
Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Her thesis aims to explore patients’ perceptions of cure and its possible correlation to quality of life in patients with potentially curable anal cancer or colon cancer receiving surgical as well as oncological therapy. By studying perceptions of cure and identifying influencing factors, the research aims to assess whether discussions about this should be integrated into follow-up care to improve support for cancer survivors.

Carolina Ehrencrona, Cognitive Scientist
The Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy
The thesis explores factors influencing the choice of surgical treatments and their effects on patients’ daily lives post-surgery. Both factors actively considered during assessment and those unconsciously influencing decisions will be studied.

Lidija Mijaljevic, Senior Consultant
Surgery Östra, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
The thesis examines non-operative treatment of rectal cancer.

Graduated doctoral students and their theses

• Daniel Rydbeck The importance of time in colorectal cancer treatment (2025)
• Sophia Waldenstedt Local recurrence of rectal cancer: risk factors, diagnosis and quality of life (2024)
• Andreas Samuelsson Laparoscopic lavage in Swedish routine care 2016-2018. The LapLav study (2024)
• Sofia Sandberg Long-term Bowel and Stoma Function Following Colorectal Cancer Surgery (2024)
• Anna Axelsson Quality of Life and long-term side effects after anal cancer treatment (2024)
• Josefin Petersson Incidence of Colorectal Cancer and Comparison of Outcomes after Minimally Invasive and Open Surgery (2024)
• Jenny Heiman Breast cancer surgery, aspects of patient-reported outcomes and physical activity (2021)
• Sofie Walming Rectal Cancer and Quality of Life Aspects on communication and patient education (2021)
• Aron Onerup The role of physical activity for recovery after surgical procedures (2021)
• Sofia Erestam Aspects of teamwork and intraoperative factors in the operating room (2020)
• Adiela Adriana Correa Marinez Aspects on colostomy construction, complications and stoma function (2019)
• Jennifer Park Early closure of a temporary ileostomy after rectal resection for cancer  (2019)
• Jacob Gehrman Health economic aspects of minimally invasive surgical techniques (2018)
• Dan Asplund Quality of life and morbidity in patients with rectal cancer (2016)
• Mattias Prytz Abdominoperineal excision for distal rectal carcinoma. Oncological outcome and aspects of self-assessed quality of life (2016)
• Anders Thornell Laparoscopic Lavage - A paradigm shift for the treatment of perforated Diverticulitis with purulent peritonitis? (2015)
• John Andersson Laparoscopic Surgery as Treatment for rectal Cancer (2015)