Dr. Rod L. Flynn

About Rod L. Flynn

Accolades

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  Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

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  Peritoneal Mesothelioma

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  Team Leader

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  Minimally Invasive Surgery

Flynn handles a variety of abdominal malignancies — including peritoneal mesothelioma — that can be treated effectively with a combination of cytoreductive surgery and the HIPEC procedure.

“Aggressive tumors warrant even-more-aggressive treatment measures,” he said.

The HIPEC, which has extended survival significantly for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma, is available only at select specialty centers.

It delivers a high-dose, heated chemotherapy solution directly into the abdomen, minimizing exposure to the rest of the body while hitting microscopic tumor cells that may have evaded the surgeon.

HIPEC has been proven to stop — or at least significantly delay — abdominal tumor recurrence while minimizing the often-troublesome side effects of traditional systemic chemotherapy.

Working Where He Was Born

Flynn was born at The Christ Hospital. He returned in 2017 after helping develop a HIPEC program at the Cancer Centers of America facility in Philadelphia.

“My areas of interest include taking care of advanced cancers,” he said. “It’s a challenging field, but a field where you need the right temperament, the right experience and the right education. It’s right in my wheelhouse.”

Flynn also treats pancreatic, liver, bile duct, and small and large intestinal cancers. He does laparoscopic surgery and laparoscopic staging of intra-abdominal malignancies.

He is trained in the complex Whipple procedure, which is used for certain pancreatic cancers.

Flynn talks often about a holistic approach to treatment that goes beyond the tumor itself, taking care of the mind, body and spirit of his patients.

A Multidisciplinary Approach

Flynn is a big believer in multidisciplinary management and utilizing the expertise of his peers.

“I tell patients, have faith, take a deep breath, and we’ll take care of you,” he said.

He earned his degree from the University of Maryland Medical School. He finished a fellowship in surgical oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Flynn worked for hospitals in Maryland and Virginia before joining Cancer Centers of America in Philadelphia.

The Christ Hospital is part of a larger health network that includes 1,200 physicians and 5,800 employees. It has been providing clinical services to the area for more than 100 years.

National Consumer Research has ranked The Christ Hospital as the most preferred hospital in the region for the last 20 years.

It also ranks the hospital among the top 5% in the country for patient satisfaction.