Doctor's Bio
Dr. Maria C. Russell is an Associate Professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology. She earned her Medical Doctor Degree from East Carolina University. She returned home to Atlanta to complete her General Surgery Residency at Emory, as well as a two-year research sabbatical in Transplant Immunology. Dr. Russell completed her Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was thrilled to return to Emory/Grady as an attending surgeon.
Dr. Russell’s passion is working with a multidisciplinary team to provide excellent outcomes for her patients. Her clinical practice focuses on tumors of the liver, bile duct, pancreas, stomach, small intestine, colon and rectum, melanoma and sarcoma. She serves as Chair of Tumor Boards at Emory Midtown and Grady. She also serves on the Cancer Committee and as the Cancer Liaison Physician for the Commission on Cancer at Grady.
Dr. Russell’s research interests include disparities research on the presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary malignancies. She has extensive publications and presentations on a national level. She is the primary investigator in a multi-institutional collaboration for Safety Net Hospitals focusing on the underserved population and is the Co-Chair for the Patient Experience Project as part of the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. Additionally, she serves on the editorial boards for both the Annals of Surgical Oncology and the Journal of Surgical Oncology.
Special Clinical Interests:
• Appendix Cancer
• Gastric Cancer
• Esophageal Cancer
• Hepatocellular Cancer
• Cholangiocarcinoma
• Gallbladder Cancer
• Pancreas Cancer
• Colorectal Cancer
• Neuroendocrine Cancer
• Melanoma
• Sarcoma
Board Certifications
American Board of Surgery
Affiliations
Emory
Education & Training
- Medical School: The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
- Residency: Emory University School of Medicine
Fellowships
MS Anderson Cancer Center
Locations and Directions
Grady Memorial Hospital
Phone: (404) 616-1000
Location:
80 Jesse Hill Jr Drive SE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Publications
- Decreasing Complications After Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy: Is a Totally Minimally Invasive Approach the Solution?
Mavani PT, Sok C, Ajay PS, Cao Y, Bonanno AM, Cardona K, Fernandez FG, Force SD, Khullar OV, Russell MC, Staley CA, Shah MM, Kooby DA, Sancheti MS
Journal of surgical oncology. 2025;
PMID: 40530950 - Multi-Institutional Analysis of Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Nonfamilial Periampullary Adenoma: A Novel Risk Score to Guide Shared Decision-Making.
Mavani PT, Sok C, Eng N, Marra A, Foroutani L, Alseidi A, Hariri H, Wilson G, Ahmad SA, Scoggins C, Hester C, Datta J, Merchant N, LeCompte M, Kim HJ, Sigler G, Zafar N, Weber S, Prela O, Carpizo D, Kasting C, Fields R, Sarmiento JM, Russell MC, Shah MM, Maithel SK, Kooby DA
Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2025;240(4):392-402.
PMID: 39831703 - Effect of Minimally Invasive Gastrectomy on Return to Intended Oncologic Therapy for Gastric Cancer.
Koo A, Mavani PT, Sok C, Goyal S, Concors S, Mason MC, Winer JH, Russell MC, Cardona K, Lin E, Maithel SK, Kooby DA, Staley CA, Shah MM
Annals of surgical oncology. 2025;32(1):230-239.
PMID: 39516415 - Significance of Specimen Extraction Site in Minimizing Hernia Risk After Distal Pancreatectomy.
Ajay PS, Shah HU, Sandhu S, Sok CP, Mavani PT, Goyal S, Russell MC, Cardona K, Maegawa FB, Maithel SK, Sarmiento JM, Kooby DA, Shah MM
Annals of surgical oncology. 2024;31(13):8688-8698.
PMID: 39192012 - Comparing barriers to early stage diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma between safety net hospitals and academic medical centers: An analysis from the United States Safety-Net Collaborative.
Stylianos SL, Goel CR, Lee RM, Yopp A, Kronenfeld J, Goel N, Datta J, Lee A, Silberfein E, Russell MC,
Journal of surgical oncology. 2024;130(3):493-503.
PMID: 39087490 - Simple Preoperative Imaging Measurements Predict Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreatoduodenectomy.
Sok C, Sandhu S, Shah H, Ajay PS, Russell MC, Cardona K, Maegawa F, Maithel SK, Sarmiento J, Goyal S, Kooby DA, Shah MM
Annals of surgical oncology. 2024;31(3):1898-1905.
PMID: 37968411 - Perceptions of Readiness for Practice After Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship: A Survey Study.
Behrens S, Lillemoe HA, Dineen SP, Russell MC, Visser B, Berman RS, Farma JM, Grubbs E, Davis JL
Annals of surgical oncology. 2024;31(1):31-41.
PMID: 37936022 - Is Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Effective?
Lee RM, Russell MC
Advances in surgery. 2023;57(1):73-86.
PMID: 37536863 - Early experience with robotic central pancreatectomy with patient-reported outcomes and comparison with open central pancreatectomy.
Ajay PS, Eng NL, Sok CP, Mustin DE, Cardona K, Sarmiento JM, Shah MM, Russell MC, Maithel SK, Kooby DA
Journal of surgical oncology. 2023;128(1):51-57.
PMID: 37021327 - Recovery of Patient-reported Quality of Life After Esophagectomy.
Bonanno A, Dixon M, Binongo J, Force SD, Sancheti MS, Pickens A, Kooby DA, Staley CA, Russell MC, Cardona K, Shah MM, Gillespie TW, Fernandez F, Khullar O
The Annals of thoracic surgery. 2023;115(4):854-861.
PMID: 36526007
PLANNING
PREPARING FOR YOUR VISIT
Whether you’re a patient or you’re visiting one, a little planning beforehand can make your visit to Grady easier and more comfortable. Here, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for your visit, including an appointment checklist, admissions information, dining options, and much more.