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Frank FrizelleProfessor of Surgery

MB ChB MMedSc(Otago) FACS FRACS FNZMA FASCRS FRCSI(Hon) FASA(Hon) FRCSEd(Hon)

Email frank.frizelle@otago.ac.nz

Frank Frizelle graduated in Medicine from the University of Otago in 1985, completing his FRACS in 1992 before undertaking colorectal fellowships at the Mayo Clinic (USA) and with Sir Alfred Cuschieri in Dundee, Scotland. He returned to New Zealand in 1996 as Senior Lecturer and Surgeon at the University of Otago, Christchurch, was appointed to a Personal Chair in Colorectal Surgery in 2000. He was head of the Academic Department of Surgery from 2005 to 2019. He later served as Director of Surgery for Canterbury–West Coast until 2024.

He is a member of the International Surgical Group, and chairs or advises multiple national cancer registries and foundations. He has also contributed extensively to governance in health, served as Director of MAS for 12 years, presently chairing clinical governance for Mobile Health and Southern Cross Hospital Christchurch, Prostate Cancer Outcome Register (PCOR) ANZ, and deputy Chair of the Bowel Cancer Outcomes Register (BCOR) he is also on the board of Southland Charity Hospital.

He has held numerous leadership roles, and recently was President of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ), Chair of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, RACS; Chair of the ANZ Training Board in Colorectal Surgery; Chair of the Guidelines Development Team for the New Zealand Colorectal Cancer Management Guidelines; and Chair of the National Bowel Tumour Standards Working Group. He was also a member of the NZ Cancer Control Council and served as an examiner for both the Medical Council of New Zealand and the RACS Fellowship Examination.

He is Editor-in-Chief of the New Zealand Medical Journal since 2002 and of the Pacific Health Dialogue since 2024, he has published over 550 peer-reviewed papers, supervised numerous postgraduate students, and delivered lectures internationally. In recognition of his contributions, he was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2022.

Frank has published over 570 publications in peer-reviewed journals and over 50 book chapters, and given more than 350 presentations at national and international meetings, resulting in over 25,000 citations, and has a H index>73

Research interests

  • Colorectal cancer
  • Early onset colorectal cancer
  • Anal cancer
  • Diverticular disease
  • Microbiome and cancer

Publications

Huo, B., Al Khaldi, M., Shehata, D., Calabrese, E. C., Reinke, C., Carrano, F., … Frizelle, F., … Boutros, M. (2026). EAES-SAGES clinical practice guideline update: Multi-society recommendations on key controversies in the management of diverticular disease. Surgical Endoscopy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s00464-026-13296-1 Journal - Research Other

Huo, B., Dourado, J., Al Khaldi, M., Ntago, I., Broderick, J., Shehata, D., … Frizelle, F., … Boutros, M. (2026). Systematic review and meta-analysis on key controversies in the management of diverticular disease: A multi-society collaboration. Surgical Endoscopy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s00464-026-13297-0 Journal - Research Article

Phang, R., McCombie, A., Zeps, N., Heriot, A., & Frizelle, F. (2026). From measurement to impact: Cancer registries and the illusion of improvement. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/ajco.70160 Journal - Research Other

Thompson, N., Pearson, J., Frizelle, F., Koea, J., & Glyn, T. (2026). Exploring the holistic impact of cancer: A pilot study. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 96(Suppl. 1), IH004. doi: 10.1111/ans.70592 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Waddell, O., Palmer, J., Keenan, J., McCombie, A., Frizelle, F., Pearson, J., Glyn, T., Simcock, B., & Purcell, R. (2026). Sexual function in early-onset colorectal cancer survivors: A population-based case-control study. ANZ Journal of Surgery, 96(Suppl. 1), CR002. doi: 10.1111/ans.70592 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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