Dr. Rani Kanthan MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRCPSC, FCAP, M.Ed

Clinical & Academic Interests

I am a tenured faculty at the University of Saskatchewan, who continues to practice and pursue clinical work in anatomical pathology buttressed by academic and scholarly activities in many medical disciplines including pathology and medical education. In my medical journey through many different countries, I have had to pursue many disciplines (general practice, general surgeon, plastic surgeon, researcher, anatomical pathologist, and educator) resulting in a diverse academic portfolio. Upon reflection, I celebrate the opportunity that this has provided in making me a wholesome well rounded integrated physician. I strongly believe in integration, integrative thinking and integrated knowledge which are the vital tools for the future of medicine which can no longer survive in isolation. Completing my self integrated physician model of career diversity, as a wife and mother of two teenage lads I strongly believe, advocate and strive for maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

My main academic and clinical interests are in diagnostic surgical pathology and medical education. My research endeavors in these fields range from surgical oncology projects related to the understanding of male/female breast carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma to designing digital educational games and exploring multiple innovative teaching strategies. As a teacher I continue to explore, facilitate and participate in the student learning environment and am deeply committed in understanding how students learn.

I strive to travel this relatively unique, diverse, multifaceted, academic path as both an educator and a learner with grace and humility. Attached herewith is a link to my publication that is freely available on PubMed. Please feel free to explore if so inclined. Also provided is my contact information for your perusal.

What are your research interests?

My research interests are broad and cover many interesting clinico-pathological problems in anatomical pathology with special interest in topics related to gastrointestinal, surgical oncology and breast pathology. As a clinician teacher, I have an avid interest in the pursuit of medical education related issues and controversies.

What are your current projects?

My current funded project is related to understanding the “Stromal-Epithelial Cross talk in Male breast carcinoma’

My current Ethics approved unfunded projects are

• Implementation and Evaluation of Teaching and Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Medical Education
• Male Breast Carcinoma - A Saskatchewan Profile Clinicopathologic Analysis; Cellular Proliferation, Regulation, Survival; Hormone Receptor Status; and Biological End Points
• Many case series/ reports/reviews etc are exempt from formal ethics approval which is obtained on a case by case basis.

What are possible projects that you are interested in pursuing?

As demonstrated by the breadth of my publications, my interests remain broad and I can be persuaded to pursue any relevant projects related to anatomical pathology and/or medical education.

How should/can a trainee contact you to inquire regarding research?

My recommendation for general pathology residents who I have wholeheartedly supported in the past in relation to Anatomical Pathology is to at least pursue an interesting case/case series report for either poster or oral presentation at local, national and/or international speciality related conference and follow this up with publication in a related pathology journal.

• Senger JL, Adams SJ, Kanthan R. (2017). Invasive lobular carcinoma of the male breast – a systematic review with an illustrative case study. Breast Cancer- Targets and Therapy 2017:9 337-345  
• Rectal Cancer Alliance of Canada (RCAC). “QuickSilver: A Phase II Study Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Criteria to Identify ‘Good Prognosis’ Rectal Cancer Patients Eligible for Primary Surgery.” JMIR Research Protocols 4.2 (2015): Apr 14:4(2): e41. PMC. Web. 12 July 2017.
• Humphries MP, Sundara Rajan S, Honarpisheh H, Cserni G, Dent J, Fulford L, Jordan LB, Jones JL, Kanthan R, Litwiniuk M, Di Benedetto A, Mottolese M, Provenzano E, Shousha S, Stephens M, Kulka J, Ellis IO, Titloye AN, Hanby AM, Shaaban AM, Speirs V (2017). Characterisation of male breast cancer: a descriptive biomarker study from a large patient series Sci Rep. 2017 Mar 28;7:45293. doi: 10.1038/srep45293
• Senger JL, Kanthan R. (2017). Nerve hamartomas – Fact or Fiction? Surgical Oncology & Clinical Practice Journal. Editorial Vol1 issue 1 Article 1004.
•  Priyathersini N, Sundaram S, Jenna-Lynn Senger, Rajendiran S, Balamurugan TD, Kanthan R (2017) Malignant transformation in Gastric Pancreatic heterotopia.(2017) A Case report and Review of the Literature. Journal of Pancreas Jan 25; 18(1):73-77
• Baniak N, Podberezin M, Kanthan SC, Kanthan R (2017). Primary pulmonary/pleural melanoma in a 13 year-old presenting as pleural effusion. Pathology –Research and Practice 2017 Feb 213(2):161-164 doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2016.11.013
• Senger JL, Kanthan R. (2016) Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the Breast: A focused review. JSM Surgical Oncology Research 1 (2) :1008
• Humphries MP, Sundara Rajan S, Droop A, Suleman C, Carbone C, Nilsson C, Honarpisheh H, Cserni G, Dent J, Fulford L, Jordan LB, Jones JL, Kanthan R, Litwiniuk M, Di Benedetto A, Mottolese M, Provenzano E, Shousha S, Stephens M, Walker RA, Kulka J, Ellis IO, Jeffery M, Thygesen HH, Cappelletti V, Daidone MG, Hedenfalk IA, Fjällskog ML, Melisi D, Stead L, Shaaban A, Speirs VA (2016) Case Matched Gender Comparison Transcriptomic Screen Identifies eIF4E and eIF5 as Potential Prognostic and Tractable Biomarkers in Male Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Dec 16. pii: clincanres.1952.2016. [Epub ahead of print]
• Senger Jl, Kanthan SC, Kanthan R (2016) Sinonasal Malignant Triton Tumor: A Case report with Historical and Surgical Review. Head and Neck Cancer Research Vol1 No2:12 pages 1-6
• Baniak N, Senger JL, Ahmed S, Kanthan SC, Kanthan R (2016) Gastric Biomarkers: A global review. World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2016) Aug 11;14(1):212 DOI 10.1186/s12957-016-0969-3. Review
• Paul JM, Toosi B, Vizeacoumar FS, Kalyanasundaram B, Li Yue, Gerger C, Zawily AE, Freywald T, Anderson DH, Mousseau D, Kanthan R, Zhang Z, Vizeacoumar FJ, Freywald A (2016) Targeting synthetic lethality between the SRC kinase and the EPHB6 receptor may benefit cancer treatment. Oncotarget  2016 Aug 2:7 (31): 50027-50042  doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.10569.
• Baniak N, Kanthan R (2016) Cytomegalovirus colitis.  An uncommon mimicker of common colitides. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2016; 140:854–858; doi: 10.5858/ arpa.2015-0176-RS
• Adams SJ, Kanthan R (2016) Pagets disease of the male breast in the 21^st century: A systematic review.  The Breast 2016 Oct 29:14-23 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.breast.2016.06.015
• Basnayaka U, Chapman D, Adams G, Wysokinski T, Belev G, Kanthan R, Chibbar R, Lewis R,Yagi N, Uesugi K, Hoshino M and Baerwald A-(2016) Synchrotron Imaging of Ovaries Ex Vivo-Journal of Fertilization: In Vitro - IVF-Worldwide, Reproductive Medicine, Genetics & Stem Cell Biology Vol 4:169 doi:10.4172/2375-4508.1000169
• Baniak NM, Wilde B, Kanthan R (2016) Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH)—An uncommon precursor of a common cancer? Pathology – Research and Practice 212 pages 125-129
• Baniak NM, Kanthan R (2016) AutoImmune like Hepatitis: A “Hepatitic” manifestation of Chronic Graft versus Host Disease in Post Stem-Cell Transplant. International Journal of Surgical Pathology Vol 24(2) 146-152
• Kanthan R, Senger JL, Ahmed S, Kanthan SC (2015) Gallbladder Cancer in the 21st Century, Journal of Oncology, vol. 2015, Article ID 967472, 26 pages, 2015. doi:10.1155/2015/967472.