SACRAMENTO, CA, November 11, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Scott A. Hundahl, MD, FACS, has been recognized for achievement in surgical oncology and medical education.

Dr. Hundahl's distinguished career in medicine spans more than three decades, marked by significant contributions to surgical oncology, cancer data management and home health care. Retiring in December 2019, he most recently served as professor of clinical surgery at the University of California, Davis, from 2002 to 2019, where he also held the position of chief of surgery for the VA Northern California Health Care System during the same period. His tenure at these institutions was characterized by the development of successful clinical collaborations between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Defense, advancing patient care and operational efficiency.

Prior to his roles in California, Dr. Hundahl was associate clinical professor of surgery at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1996 to 2002. He was also an assistant research professor and research staff member at the Cancer Research Center Hawaii in Honolulu between 1993 and 2002, focusing on cancer research and clinical trials. Between 1988 and 2002, Dr. Hundahl maintained a private practice in surgical oncology in Honolulu, furthering his expertise in gastric cancer and cancer registration.

At The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Dr. Hundahl served as chief of surgery from 1994 to 2000 after holding the role of associate chief of surgery between 1993 and 1995. Earlier, he contributed as an assistant professor of surgery from 1988 to 1993. In addition, he was a medical director for Queen's Cancer Institute from 2000 to 2002.

A highlight of Dr. Hundahl's career is his leadership in building and developing systems that enhance patient care. As co-founder and lifetime director of Comprehensive Home Services Hawaii — now CareResource Hawaii — since 1986, he guided its growth into the largest nonprofit home health care agency in Hawaii, employing more than 230 staff members and significantly improving access and quality for patients statewide.

Nationally, Dr. Hundahl played a pivotal role in shaping cancer care policy and data management. As chair of the Commission on Cancer for the American College of Surgeons from 1998 to 2000, he led a consortium representing approximately 55 organizations across the United States, uniting diverse stakeholders to establish standards for cancer treatment and data collection.

Dr. Hundahl previously served as vice chair for both the Commission on Cancer from 1996 to 1998 and the National Cancer Data Committee between 1994 and 1996. His involvement extended to membership on the governing council for the National Cancer Database from 1995 to 1999 and participation with the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer's International Cancer Data Base Committee between 1995 and 1998.

On the clinical front, Dr. Hundahl's groundbreaking research includes pioneering computer-guided surgery for gastric cancer, establishing the Maruyama Index as a surgical quality metric and advancing adjuvant chemo-radiation protocols that have improved survival rates for gastric cancer patients worldwide. His expertise encompasses surgical oncology, gastric cancer, cancer registration, clinical trials and home health care.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hundahl has been recognized for his commitment to professional excellence through numerous memberships and leadership roles within industry organizations. With the Pan-Pacific Surgical Association, he served as trustee and chair-elect, chaired the general surgery program and sat on the Congress Planning Committee. His work with the American College of Surgeons spanned board membership on its Board of Governors, executive committee service with its Hawaii Chapter and roles on its Committee on Applicants and Governor's Committee on Fiscal Affairs, as well as State Cancer Liaison Chairman for Hawaii.

Additionally, Dr. Hundahl's affiliations include fellowships with the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, American Head and Neck Society and Pacific Coast Surgical Association as well as membership in the International Gastric Cancer Association and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Hundahl's academic foundation began with a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry, magna cum laude, from Harvard University in Cambridge in 1977. He earned a Doctor of Medicine, cum laude, from Yale School of Medicine in New Haven in 1981, where he received the Hobart Keese Award, before completing a residency in general surgery at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1986.

Following these pursuits, Dr. Hundahl completed a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, graduating in 1988. Dr. Hundahl's professional credentials include board certification by the American Board of Surgery from 1987 to 2019 and certification by the National Board of Medical Examiners since 1982.

Reflecting on his career, Dr. Hundahl attributes his success to excellent training, unwavering dedication and encouragement from inspirational mentors such as Charles Judd, MD, FACS — a Yale-trained missionary surgeon who practiced in Hawaii — as well as many fine surgeons encountered throughout his education in Hawaii and New York. He credits kind role models with inspiring him to pursue medicine and has learned that mission and service must always take precedence over ego.

Beyond his professional appointments, Dr. Hundahl has demonstrated civic engagement through extensive service on boards such as Comprehensive Home Services Hawaii — now CareResource Hawaii — where he remains a lifetime board member since its founding in 1986.

Dr. Hundahl's leadership extended to vice chairmanship of the Hi-Tex Division Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society from 2001 to 2002, presidency of its Honolulu Unit from 1999 to 2001, and vice presidency of its Hawaii-Pacific Division between 1993 and 1996. He also contributed to the Ad Hoc National Task Force on Privacy of Medical Records from 1998 to 2000 and served on the American Cancer Society's Clinical Trials Working Group between 1995 and 2000.

Notably, Dr. Hundahl's achievements have been recognized with numerous honors. He was named to Best Doctors in America from 1995 to 2020, and served as Honorary Commander with the Sixtieth Medical Group at Travis Air Force Base from 2014 to 2016. In 2009, he received the Joan Oettinger Memorial Award from UC Davis School of Medicine, following his receipt of the Nishi Award for best paper in gastric cancer from the International Gastric Cancer Association in 2008.

In addition, Dr. Hundahl earned the Distinguished Service Award from the American College of Surgeons in 2000 and, in 1994, was honored with both the Best Presentation Award by the World Health Organization and State Chairman of the Year. He has also received multiple awards from the Commission on Cancer, along with recognition as one of America's Top Surgeons by the Consumers' Research Council.

Outside his clinical work, Dr. Hundahl has contributed scholarly knowledge as medical editor for Journal of Registry Management between 2000 and 2008, authoring over 60 journal articles and more than 20 book chapters while serving as a reviewer for multiple professional journals. He is also past president of the Sacramento Surgical Society and a member of the Pacific Club, St. Botolph Club and Nantucket Yacht Club. In his free time, Dr. Hundahl enjoys sailing.

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