Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, Launches Colorectal Surgery Program and Welcomes Expert Surgeons

Huntington Health, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai, recently launched a Colorectal Surgery Program, offering surgical treatment of colorectal cancer, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, and other conditions affecting the lower digestive tract. Expert surgeons Juliane Y. Golan, MD, Adam Truong, MD, and Gabriel Akopian, MD, have joined the program, expanding access to care to patients in the San Gabriel Valley.

“One of the many benefits of our affiliation with Cedars-Sinai is the ability to create dedicated programs and services for patients within the San Gabriel Valley,” said Lori J.  Morgan, president and CEO, Huntington Health. “I am thrilled to announce the growth of our Colorectal Surgery Program, which will continue to expand treatment options available locally and will greatly advance the health and well-being of our community.”

The director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, Dan Theodorescu, MD, PhD, said it is gratifying to see the growth of the surgical and oncology programs at Huntington Health.

“We welcome the addition of Drs. Golan, Truong and Akopian,” said Theodorescu, the PHASE ONE Distinguished Chair at Cedars-Sinai. “Working more closely with our colleagues at Huntington Health will provide more clinical care and clinical trial options—closer to home—to our patients with colorectal cancer.”

The specialists who have recently joined the Huntington Health Colorectal Surgery Program are:

Juliane Y. Golan, MD, FACS, is board certified in general surgery and colon and rectal surgery. She has been providing care at Huntington Health since 2020 and mentors Huntington’s general surgery residents. Golan earned her medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine, in 2013. She completed her general surgery residency at Huntington Hospital in 2019, followed by a Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Conn., in 2020. Dr. Golan is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and member of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons.

Adam Truong, MD, MS, is a board-certified general surgeon who specializes in colorectal surgery and has extensive training in laparoscopic, endoscopic and advanced robotic surgery. He is a member of several medical societies, including the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons and American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. Dr. Truong earned his medical degree at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine in 2016 and completed his general surgery residency at Cedars-Sinai in 2022. Dr. Truong recently completed his Colorectal Surgery Fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

Gabriel Akopian, MD, is a board-certified general surgeon who specializes in colorectal surgery and has extensive experience in colon cancer, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, anal fistulas, pilonidal cysts, inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias and gallbladder disease. Dr. Akopian earned his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 2000 and completed general surgery residency at Huntington Hospital and a fellowship in Minimally Invasive Surgery at USC. He is the program director for the Huntington Hospital Surgery Residency Program.

“Huntington Health has been steadily growing its surgical and oncology programs over the past year,” said Howard Kaufman, MD, medical director, surgery services growth, Huntington Health and regional medical director of Huntington Cancer Center, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Cancer. “We are truly fortunate that Drs. Golan, Truong and Akopian have chosen Huntington as their home to provide their expert colorectal surgical care to our community.”

For more information about the Colorectal Surgery Program at Huntington Health, visit: Meet Your Colorectal Surgery Team | Huntington Hospital (huntingtonhealth.org)