Summary
Chris is a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. He qualified from Imperial College and completed his surgical training in London, becoming a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2020. He has completed fellowships at St Thomas' Hospital, St Mark's Hospital and a Royal College of Surgeons Senior Clinical Fellowship in minimally invasive surgery at Frimley Park Hospital.
He completed a Wellcome Trust funded PhD in stem cell biology and tissue engineering at Imperial College in 2014. He was awarded a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded Academic Clinical Fellowship and Honorary Clinical Research Fellowship at Imperial College London.
His research focuses on the evaluation of novel surgical technology and practice. He has co-authored over 80 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Bennett H, Rao C, Batten L, et al., 2024, Low energy contact X-ray brachytherapy for treatment of rectal cancer: a health technology appraisal by Health Technology Wales, Colorectal Disease, ISSN:1462-8910, Pages:1-6
Sun Myint A, Rao C, Barbet N, et al., 2023, The safety and efficacy of total mesorectal excision (TME) surgery following dose‐escalation: Surgical outcomes from the organ preservation in early rectal adenocarcinoma (OPERA) trial, a European multicentre phase 3 randomised trial (NCT02505750), Colorectal Disease, ISSN:1462-8910
Bibi S, Edilbe MW, Rao C, 2023, The Cost-effectiveness of Watch and Wait for Rectal Cancer, Clinical Oncology, Vol:35, ISSN:0936-6555, Pages:132-137
Hunt N, Rao C, Logan R, et al., 2022, A cohort study of duplicate faecal immunochemical testing in patients at risk of colorectal cancer from North-West England, Bmj Open, Vol:12, ISSN:2044-6055, Pages:1-7
Kaul S, Rao C, Mane R, et al., 2022, Is the Management of Rectal Cancer Using a Watch and Wait Approach Feasible, Safe and Effective in a Publicly Funded General Hospital?, Clinical Oncology, Vol:34, ISSN:0936-6555, Pages:E25-E34
Deputy M, Rao C, Worley G, et al., 2021, Effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on mortality related to high-risk emergency and major elective surgery, British Journal of Surgery, Vol:108, ISSN:0007-1323, Pages:754-759
Rao C, Stewartz A, Martin AP, et al., 2018, Contact X-ray Brachytherapy as an Adjunct to a Watch and Wait Approach is an Affordable Alternative to Standard Surgical Management of Rectal Cancer for Patients with a Partial Clinical Response to Chemoradiotherapy, Clinical Oncology, Vol:30, ISSN:0936-6555, Pages:625-633
Rao C, Smith FM, Martin AP, et al., 2018, A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Contact X-ray Brachytherapy for the Treatment of Patients with Rectal Cancer Following a Partial Response to Chemoradiotherapy, Clinical Oncology, Vol:30, ISSN:0936-6555, Pages:166-177
Sun Myint A, Smith FM, Gollins SW, et al., 2017, Dose escalation using contact x-ray brachytherapy (Papillon) for rectal cancer. Does it improve the chance of organ preservation?, British Journal of Radiology, Vol:90, ISSN:0007-1285, Pages:1-11
Sun Myint A, Smith FM, Gollins S, et al., 2017, Dose escalation using contact X-ray brachytherapy (CXB) after external beam radiotherapy as a non-surgical treatment option for rectal cancer: outcomes from a single-centre experience, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, ISSN:0360-3016
Rao C, Myint AS, Athanasiou T, et al., 2017, Avoiding Radical Surgery in Elderly Patients With Rectal Cancer Is Cost-Effective, Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, Vol:60, ISSN:0012-3706, Pages:30-42
Smith FM, Rao C, Perez RO, et al., 2015, Avoiding Radical Surgery Improves Early Survival in Elderly Patients With Rectal Cancer, Demonstrating Complete Clinical Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy: Results of a Decision-Analytic Model, Diseases of the Colon & Rectum, Vol:58, ISSN:0012-3706, Pages:159-171