At the 62nd Annual STS Meeting, innovation will take center stage—not just in data and outcomes, but in the stories of the surgeons and scientists who dare to challenge convention. Among the presenters unveiling new research this year, each brings a distinct voice and vision to the evolving landscape of cardiothoracic surgery. Together, they represent a collective momentum toward discovery and reimagined patient care.
This preview highlights three of those voices—Grace Ha, MD, of Montefiore Surgery and Einstein College of Medicine; Konmal Ali, MD, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; and Pey-Jen Yu, MD, of Northwell Health—each of whose work captures the spirit of inquiry and innovation defining this year’s meeting. Their studies ask difficult questions, reframe what’s possible, and remind us that teaching for tomorrow means questioning today.
Redefining the “Unresectable”: A New Chapter in Lung Cancer Surgery
For Dr. Grace Ha, questioning assumptions about non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) began with one provocative thought: What if “inoperable” isn’t absolute?
Her study examined treatment patterns and outcomes for more than 15,000 patients with clinical N3 NSCLC, a population historically treated with definitive chemoradiation (dCRT). Using nearly two decades of data from the National Cancer Database, her team found that, although surgery remains underutilized, it was associated with improved long-term survival in carefully selected patients.
“The exceptional results achieved in recent trials using neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for stage IIIA/B disease motivated us to look deeper,” Dr. Ha explained. “Could similar strategies extend to patients with stage IIIB, cN3 disease—and could surgery play a role?”
Her presentation will challenge attendees to revisit what “unresectable” truly means. “We hope surgeons will reconsider the potential role of surgery within modern multimodality care,” she said, “Treatment paradigms are evolving rapidly, and so should our thinking.”
A striking image that will be included in her talk, the survival curve separating surgical and non-surgical cohorts, illustrated her central message. “That visual tells a story of possibility,” Dr. Ha said. “While there’s selection bias, it reminds us to re-evaluate our long-held treatment biases. Careful selection is key.”
As systemic therapies advance, the timing of this discussion feels urgent. “Our work highlights the need for prospective studies comparing surgery and dCRT in the chemoimmunotherapy era,” she added. “This is about re-examining guidelines through a modern lens. The science has changed—our approach should, too.”
The Hidden Variable: How Timing Shapes Surgical Outcomes
While Dr. Ha explored who benefits most from surgery, Dr. Konmal Ali’s research asked a different kind of “why”: Why should the day a patient is admitted affect their chance of survival?
Her team’s study investigated the “weekend effect” in cardiac surgery, examining whether patients admitted on weekends face worse outcomes than those admitted during the week. Using a national dataset of over 850,000 patients, her team found that weekend admissions were independently associated with higher mortality, more postoperative complications, and greater resource utilization. Yet, intriguingly, this risk diminished at high-volume centers.
“The weekend effect is really a reflection of our systems,” Dr. Ali explained. “Staffing models, workflows, and access to specialized personnel fluctuate over weekends—and those invisible factors can shape outcomes as much as surgical technique.”
Her message to colleagues is clear: improving outcomes requires looking beyond the operating room. “We hope this study sparks a larger discussion about when and how care is delivered—not just what care is delivered,” she said. “By understanding these structural inequities, we can move toward a system that offers consistent, safe care every day of the week.”
Attendees of her presentation will see a vivid national map from her data—showing regional variations in outcomes—and will drive the point home. “Every region has room for improvement,” Dr. Ali noted. “Recognizing those gaps is the first step toward closing them.”
In an era of staffing shortages and increasing patient loads, her findings carry timely weight. “Factors that go unseen can affect outcomes the most,” she said. “By addressing what we can control—organization, policy, and equity—we can build systems that deliver excellence, whether it’s a Tuesday morning or a Saturday night.”
Rethinking Valve Strategy: Personalizing Decisions in Moderate Aortic Stenosis
While Dr. Ha examined who might benefit from surgery and Dr. Ali explored when systems shape outcomes, Dr. Pey-Jen Yu’s work turns to a question many surgeons face in the OR: Should a moderately stenotic aortic valve be replaced during coronary artery bypass grafting?
In her presentation, “Optimal Management for Moderate Aortic Stenosis at the Time of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting,” Dr. Yu will share findings from a large STS ACSD analysis comparing outcomes for patients undergoing CABG with and without concomitant aortic valve replacement. With the rapid rise of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as a preferred future option, her team sought to understand whether these shifts in practice should influence decisions made during open-heart surgery today.
“We hope attendees continue to reflect on the complexities of managing moderate aortic stenosis during CABG,” Dr. Yu explained. “This decision should always be tailored to the individual patient.”
One key takeaway from her research is striking: most patients with moderate aortic stenosis at the time of isolated CABG did not require valve intervention even eight years later. It’s a data point he believes will stay with attendees long after the meeting.
Dr Yu’s message encourages surgeons to think longitudinally. “A thorough evaluation—considering both current and future options for valve intervention—is essential,” she said. “As transcatheter therapies continue to advance, a collaborative heart team approach becomes even more important in determining the best path forward.”
At a time when TAVR is reshaping the therapeutic landscape, Dr. Yu’s work offers timely guidance: embrace the nuances, examine the long arc of patient care, and make decisions that align with both present needs and future possibilities.
Stories That Move the Field Forward
Together, Dr. Ha, Dr. Ali and Dr. Yu illustrate the heart of the STS Meeting: science guided by insight, data shaped by story. Their research invites attendees not just to learn, but to question, re-examine, and lead with purpose.
Their message to the next generation of surgeons is simple yet powerful: keep asking why —and why now. That’s where breakthroughs begin.