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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@cdhb.health.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, and 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 President of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ), 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.

Editor-in-Chief of the New Zealand Medical Journal since 2002 and of the Pacific Health Dialogue, 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 300 presentations at national and international meetings, resulting in about 16,000 citations, and an H index>64

Research interests

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

Publications

Purcell, R. V., Hegoburu, A., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2026). Spatial immune architecture as a predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy in rectal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 44(16, Suppl.), e15739. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.16_suppl.e15739 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Turner, G., Glyn, T., Wakeman, C., Frizelle, F., the Christchurch Pelvic Exenteration Group (CPEG). (2026). Three decades of pelvic exenteration at Christchurch Hospital: The evolution of an exenteration service. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 139(1636), 66-75. doi: 10.26635/6965.7435 Journal - Research Article

Purcell, R. V., Waddell, O., Sulit, A., & Frizelle, F. (2026). A distinct immune-microbiome axis in early-onset colorectal cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 44(16, Suppl.), e15736. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2026.44.16_suppl.e15736 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Perry, W. R. G., Brown, K. G. M., Burns, E., Denost, Q., Frizelle, F., Glover, T. E., Glyn, T., … Turner, G. A., … Dozois, E. (2026). Presacral tumours: An international consensus on diagnosis and management. British Journal of Surgery, 113(5). doi: 10.1093/bjs/znag053 Journal - Research Article

Dawson, K. L., Waddell, O., Frizelle, F., & Keenan, J. I. (2026). Dietary sugar intake as a risk factor for early-onset colorectal cancer in young New Zealanders. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 139(1633), 100-103. doi: 10.26635/6965.e1633 Journal - Research Other

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