Christopher joins GI, Liver and Bile Duct cancer care teams

Published on Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Welcome Dr. Wade Christopher, an oncologic surgeon, to the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he will provide care for patients with several types of cancer.

Christopher, an assistant professor of surgery, is on the CCRI Interdisciplinary Liver and Bile Duct Cancer Care team and the Gastrointestinal Cancer Care team. He’ll also work with patients with sarcoma, thyroid and melanoma cancers.

A Birmingham, Ala., native, Christopher played football for and graduated from Auburn University, later completing medical school at the University of South Alabama, a surgical internship and residency at UMMC and a surgical oncology fellowship at Providence St. John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, Calif.

He returned to Mississippi this year, where his wife, Dr. Laura Christopher, who specializes in neurotology, is in private practice and because he likes the interdisciplinary approach CCRI takes to treating complex cancers.

 “Dr. Christopher is an excellent addition to our interdisciplinary team, said Dr. Shannon Orr, who heads UMMC’s surgical oncology program.

“He will provide outstanding surgical care to the cancer patients of Mississippi.  With his addition, we will be able to continue to expand our cancer program,” said Orr, an associate professor of surgery who leads the GI Cancer Care team.

Christopher is also interested in research on disparities and clinical outcomes and on quality improvement. 

“I believe the collaboration between specialty providers offers the best patient outcomes and satisfaction,” he said. 

“Being at the university allows me to do the most complex cases that require significant support from multiple facets of patient care,” he said.