Benjamin D. Kozower, MD, MPH
Dr. Benjamin D. Kozower is a thoracic and cardiothoracic surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis, Missouri. His practice focuses on offering high-quality, innovative surgery using the latest robotic surgical techniques for patients with lung cancer, esophageal cancer, and other thoracic malignancies, including pleural mesothelioma.
Education and Career
Dr. Kozower earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and his medical degree from the University of Rochester.
He then completed a General Surgery internship and residency at the University of Connecticut. He completed a Thoracic Surgery Residency in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine.[1]
Dr. Kozower is board-certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.
Following completion of his medical education and training, he also earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Virginia and a Quality Improvement Science Certificate from the James Anderson Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.[1]
Dr. Kowozer is now a professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at WashU Medicine. He also serves as the Vice Chair for Patient Safety and Quality Improvement. Dr. Kowozer sees patients at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in Creve Coeur, Missouri.
Dr. Kozower is skilled in a wide range of surgical procedures, including lung cancer resection, robotic-assisted esophagectomy, thymectomy, and Heller myotomy. He specializes in treating lung cancer, chest wall conditions, esophageal cancer, and benign esophageal conditions.
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Kozower is an active member of numerous professional medical associations and organizations, including:[1]
- 2022 Chair – Society of Thoracic Surgeons Workforce on Research
- 2021 Chair – Admissions Committee – Society of Clinical Surgery
- Member – Southern Surgical Association
- Member – Commission on Cancer, Lung Cancer Accreditation Committee
- Member – American Surgical Association
- Member – Society of Clinical Surgery
- Member – General Thoracic Surgery Club
- 2016, Advisory Council – Lung Cancer Alliance/COPD Foundation Patient Powered Research Network
- Member – International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement
- Member – American Association for Thoracic Surgery
- Member – Surgical Outcomes Club
- Fellow – American College of Chest Physicians
- Member – Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- Chair, General Thoracic Surgery Database Taskforce (2014-2022)
- Chair, Public Reporting Taskforce (2019-2022)
- Member – Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
- Fellow – American College of Surgeons
Research
Dr. Kozower’s research targets the management of lung cancer, understanding patient-reported results before and after thoracic surgery, and predictive model development to facilitate improved outcomes.
He is actively involved in clinical trials and has authored and co-authored hundreds of articles in peer-reviewed medical journals.
He is an innovator whose robotic-assisted thoracic surgery quality composite measures for lung and esophageal cancer resection, which he developed using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ database, has made a real difference for patients with thoracic malignancies.[1]
His current clinical trial investigation is:[1]
National Cancer Institute: R01 CA258681 Comparative Effectiveness of Surgery versus Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Stage I Lung Cancer Role: Principal Investigator 2/01/22-1/31/27.
His publications include:[2]
Keeping a Safe Distance From Surgical Volume Standards. Heiden BT, Kozower BD.J Clin Oncol. 2022 Apr 1;40(10):1033-1035. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02875. Epub 2022 Jan 24.PMID: 35073172 No abstract available.
Assessment of Preoperative Opioid Use Prevalence and Clinical Outcomes in Pulmonary Resection. Subramanian MP, Sahrmann JM, Nickel KB, Olsen MA, Bottros M, Heiden B, Semenkovich TR, Meyers BF, Kozower BD, Patterson GA, Nava RG, Kreisel D, Puri V.Ann Thorac Surg. 2021 Jun;111(6):1849-1857. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.07.043. Epub 2020 Oct 1.PMID: 33011165
Striking a balance: Surveillance of non-small cell lung cancer after resection. Heiden BT, Subramanian MP, Puri V, Kozower BD.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021 Sep;162(3):680-684. doi 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2020.10.166. Epub 2020 Dec 10.PMID: 33485663 No abstract available.
Guide to Enhanced Recovery for Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery. Heiden BT, Semenkovich TR, Kozower BD.Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Nov;28(12):6939-6942. doi: 10.1245/s10434-021-09882-3. Epub 2021 Mar 27.PMID: 33774770 No abstract available.
Analysis of Delayed Surgical Treatment and Oncologic Outcomes in Clinical Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Heiden BT, Eaton DB Jr, Engelhardt KE, Chang SH, Yan Y, Patel MR, Kreisel D, Nava RG, Meyers BF, Kozower BD, Puri V.JAMA Netw Open. 2021 May 3;4(5):e2111613. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.11613.PMID: 34042991
