Background
I am a thoracic surgeon and clinical–translational researcher specializing in lung cancer, metastatic thoracic tumors, and mediastinal tumors including thymoma. My clinical expertise includes the surgical management of primary lung cancer, metastatic lung tumors, and mediastinal tumors, as well as perioperative strategies for lung cancer patients with significant comorbidities. My research focuses on the tumor microenvironment—particularly cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)—and their roles in metastasis, immune modulation, and treatment resistance. I have published first- or corresponding-author original articles and reviews in leading journals such as the International Journal of Cancer, Cancer Science, Lung Cancer, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. I collaborate actively with Osaka University (Suita, Japan), the Osaka International Cancer Institute (Osaka, Japan), and Lund University (Lund, Sweden) on translational oncology projects. I am currently based at the National Hospital Organization Kinki-Chuo Chest Medical Center, one of Japan’s leading centers for respiratory infections and diffuse lung diseases with a long and distinguished history in thoracic surgery, where I serve in my responsible role as an attending surgeon and am engaged in clinical practice and clinical research on locally advanced lung cancer, lung cancer with interstitial lung disease, and thoracic infectious diseases.
Research
Featured works
FHL2 expression by cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes metastasis and angiogenesis in lung adenocarcinoma
International Journal of Cancer
2025 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35174
EID: 2-s2.0-85203283973
Part of ISSN: 00207136 10970215
Contributors: Kanzaki, R.; Reid, S.; Bolivar, P.; Sjölund, J.; Staaf, J.; Larsson, S.; Shintani, Y.; Pietras, K.
Occult mediastinal lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients diagnosed as clinical N0-1 by preoperative integrated FDG-PET/CT and CT: Risk factors, pattern, and histopathological study
Lung Cancer
2011 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2010.06.008
EID: 2-s2.0-79851516526
Part of ISSN: 01695002
Contributors: Kanzaki, R.; Higashiyama, M.; Fujiwara, A.; Tokunaga, T.; Maeda, J.; Okami, J.; Kozuka, T.; Hosoki, T.; Hasegawa, Y.; Takami, M. et al.
Lung Cancer Surgery for Patients on Hemodialysis: A Decade of Experience at Multicenter Institutions
Annals of Thoracic Surgery
2020 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2019.11.044
EID: 2-s2.0-85081223507
Part of ISSN: 00034975 15526259
Contributors: Yamamoto, Y.; Kanzaki, R.; Ose, N.; Funakoshi, Y.; Ikeda, N.; Takami, K.; Iwasaki, T.; Iwazawa, T.; Yokouchi, H.; Shiono, H. et al.
Risk factors for non-cancer death after surgery in patients with stage i non-small-cell lung cancer
European Journal of Cardio Thoracic Surgery
2021 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1093/ejcts/ezaa333
EID: 2-s2.0-85104356433
Part of ISSN: 10107940 1873734X
Contributors: Kanzaki, R.; Nagoya, A.; Kanou, T.; Ose, N.; Funaki, S.; Minami, M.; Okamoto, Y.; Tabuchi, H.; Hoshino, T.; Tajima, T. et al.
Pathological Pleural Invasion is a Risk Factor for Late Recurrence in Long-Term Survivors of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer after Complete Resection
Annals of Surgical Oncology
2024 | Journal article
DOI: 10.1245/s10434-024-15279-9
EID: 2-s2.0-85191042707
Part of ISSN: 10689265 15344681
Contributors: Kanzaki, R.; Fukuda, H.; Kobayashi, M.; Horiguchi, J.; Kawagishi, S.; Maniwa, T.; Fujii, M.; Okami, J.