Doctors with experience in Colon cancer in the Southern suburbs of Athens

Dr. Ioannis Virlos is a General Surgeon who maintains a private practice in Glyfada. He graduated from the Medical School of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, obtaining his medical degree in 1990. In 2000, he earned a Master’s degree in Surgical Sciences (MSc in Surgical Sciences) as well as a Diploma from Imperial College London (Diploma Imperial College), United Kingdom. In 2009, he was awarded a Doctorate (Medical Doctorate) from the University of Manchester, UK.He has been a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd.) since 1998 and of the Intercollegiate Board in Surgery of the United Kingdom (FRCS (Gen Surg)) since 2008. Since 2011, he has been a Fellow of the European Board of Surgery in the field of Colorectal Surgery (FEBS (Coloproctology)).Dr Ioannis Virlos is a specialized colorectal and bariatric surgeon, also trained in minimally invasive surgery — both laparoscopic and robotic. He has received training not only in Greece but also in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Belgium.After completing his military service in 1992, he trained in General Surgery in hospitals in Athens and the United Kingdom between 1992 and 1999, obtaining his specialty title in General Surgery in 1999. From 2002 to 2012, he served as a surgical consultant in hospitals in the UK, Australia, Belgium, and Greece. Specifically, he worked at the following hospitals in the UK: North Middlesex, Arrowe Park, Derriford, Torbay, Exeter, Cheltenham, and North Bristol, as well as at Sir Charles Gairdner University Hospital in Perth, Australia, and Sotiria Hospital in Athens (as Senior Consultant).During the same period, he received advanced training in laparoscopic colorectal surgery and laparoscopic bariatric surgery at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, UK, and Heilighart Ziekenhuis in Roeselare, Belgium.From 2012 to 2021, he worked as a Consultant Surgeon at the following hospitals in the UK: Ealing Hospital, Homerton University Hospital, John Radcliffe & Churchill Hospitals in Oxford, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Northampton General Hospital, and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton. He returned to Greece in 2021.Since 2023, Mr. Virlos has been the Director of Surgery at Metropolitan General Hospital in Athens. He also serves as the General Secretary of the Hellenic Society of Coloproctology. Finally, for the period 2025–2028, he will represent Greece at the European Society of Coloproctology.

Dr. Ioannis Zouridakis, MD, MSc, is a General Surgeon and Breast Specialist who has maintained a private practice in Korydallos since 1994 and recently within REA Hospital. He is a Scientific Collaborator and a PhD candidate at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He earned his medical degree in 1986 from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” with a doctoral thesis completed during his studies. He specialized in General Surgery at the General Hospital of Athens "Evangelismos" and further specialized in Laparoscopic Surgery at the University of Montpellier in France. He attended the European Advanced Level Course in Breast Disease Management for Surgeons in Athens and specialized in the treatment of breast diseases at the 6th Oncology Hospital "G. Gennimatas." Subsequently, he specialized in hernia surgery using dual mesh PHS & Prolene 3D Patch at Umberto I Hospital in Italy and also specialized in Minimally Invasive Operating Techniques in Colorectal Surgery. He has worked in numerous hospitals and clinics and has served for many years as the Director of the Surgical Clinic at Metropolitan Hospital. Currently, he works daily as a Surgeon – Laparoscopist – Breast Specialist (Consultant Surgeon) at the General and Maternity Hospital REA, one of the most modern hospitals in Greece. Finally, he has attended and participated in over 100 medical conferences in Greece and abroad.

Ο Θανόπουλος Αριστομένης είναι έμπειρος Γενικός Χειρουργός με ιδιωτικό ιατρείο στη Γλυφάδα και δευτερεύον ιατρείο στο Περιστέρι. Είναι πτυχιούχος της Ιατρικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Κρήτης και κάτοχος Μεταπτυχιακού Διπλώματος στη Χειρουργική Ογκολογία από το Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών. Κατά την ειδίκευσή του στη Γενική Χειρουργική στα Νοσοκομεία «Ο Άγιος Ανδρέας» στην Πάτρα και «Γ. Γεννηματάς» στην Αθήνα απέκτησε ισχυρές χειρουργικες βάσεις, καλυπτοντας ολοκληρο το φασμα της χειρουργικης παθολογιας. Στη συνέχεια, υπηρέτησε ως Επιμελητής στο Ογκολογικό Νοσοκομείο Κηφισιάς «Οι Άγιοι Ανάργυροι», όπου εκτέθηκε σε όλο το φάσμα της χειρουργικής ογκολογίας, αποκτώντας εμπειρία σε πολύπλοκες ογκολογικές επεμβάσεις. Η εξειδίκευσή του επεκτάθηκε διεθνώς, αφου ακολουθως μετεβη στο Royal Free Hospital του Λονδίνου, ως Senior Clinical Fellow,οπου υπο την επίβλεψη του πρωτοπόρου Άγγλου χειρουργού Colin Elton στη HAL RAR, εξειδικεύτηκε στην colorectal χειρουργική ( παχεος εντερου και ορθου), στις καλοήθεις παθήσεις των χοληφόρων, ιδιαίτερα στις οξείες χολοκυστίτιδες, καθώς και στην επειγουσα χειρουργική, συμπεριλαμβανομένων οξέων κοιλιών και τραυματικών περιστατικών. Σε όλη του την καριέρα, ο κ. Θανόπουλος έχει συμμετάσχει σε πάνω από 5.000 χειρουργικές επεμβάσεις, με ιδιαίτερη έμφαση στη λαπαροσκοπική χειρουργική, αποκτώντας εξαιρετική εμπειρία σε ελάχιστα επεμβατικές και ογκολογικές τεχνικές. Σήμερα, υπηρετεί ως Επιμελητής Χειρουργός στην Κλινική Ελάχιστα Επεμβατικής Χειρουργικής, Χειρουργικής Ογκολογίας και Βαριατρικής του Mediterraneo Hospital και συνεργάζεται ως εξωτερικός συνεργάτης με τον Όμιλο Ιατρικού Αθηνών και το Ευγενίδειο Θεραπευτήριο. Αναλαμβανει όλο το φάσμα της γενικής και λαπαροσκοπικής χειρουργικής, της χειρουργικής ογκολογίας, καθώς και των επειγόντων επεμβάσεων, εφαρμόζοντας τεχνικές 3D λαπαροσκοπικής απεικόνισης για ελαχιστοποίηση του κινδύνου χειρουργικών λαθών. Διαθέτει εμπειρία στη χρήση laser σε ελάχιστα επεμβατικές επεμβάσεις, όπως αιμορροϊδοπάθεια και κύστη κόκκυγος, ενώ στο ιατρείο του πραγματοποιούνται και μικροεπεμβάσεις με τοπική αναισθησία (αφαίρεση σπίλων, λιπωμάτων, κύστεων, συρραφή τραυμάτων). Εφαρμόζει επίσης σύγχρονες τεχνικές βιολογικής ενίσχυσης της επούλωσης, όπως PRP (πλάσμα πλούσιο σε αιμοπετάλια), που επιταχύνουν την ανάπλαση των ιστών και μειώνουν τον χρόνο αποκατάστασης μετά από επεμβάσεις. Επιπλέον, έχει ενεργή συμμετοχή σε διεθνή, ευρωπαϊκά και πανελλήνια συνέδρια, με παρουσιάσεις και δημοσιεύσεις σε εργασίες σχετικές με τη χειρουργική ογκολογία και λαπαροσκοπική χειρουργική. Ο κ. Θανόπουλος ασκεί την ιατρική με γνώμονα την ασφάλεια, την ακρίβεια και την εξατομίκευση της θεραπείας, υιοθετώντας καινοτόμες τεχνικές και ακολουθώντας διεθνείς κατευθυντήριες οδηγίες, εξασφαλίζοντας στους ασθενείς του το καλύτερο δυνατό αποτέλεσμα.

Ioanna Papadopoulou is a General Surgeon and maintains private practices in Cholargos and Glyfada. She performs exclusively laparoscopic surgery for benign and malignant conditions of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder and bile ducts, as well as all types of abdominal wall hernias. She received her Medical Degree from the “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi in 2012. She completed her rural service at the General Hospital of Messinia – Kyparissia Nursing Unit in 2013–2014. In 2021, she obtained her surgical specialty certification.

During her specialty training, she served at the 417 Army Fund Nursing Institution (N.I.M.T.S), where she specialized in advanced laparoscopic surgery for malignant colon diseases, obesity, reflux, and hernias, as well as thyroid malignancies. Additionally, at the Sismanogleio General Hospital of Athens, she participated in a large volume of colon and thyroid cancer surgeries. Considering that the present of surgery lies in laparoscopic and robotic techniques, she attended advanced laparoscopic seminars organized by ELPEN under the auspices of the Hellenic Surgical Society from 2016 to 2018.

In 2021, she completed further training in Surgical Oncology, earning a Master of Science (MSc) degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Finally, in 2023, she received additional training in the latest methods for managing complex diaphragmatic hernias and reflux at the Symposium on Innovation in Surgery in Malta.

Gkavra Ntorin is a General Surgeon practicing privately in Varkiza and Glyfada. He holds a Medical Degree from the University of Timisoara in Romania. He completed his General Surgery Specialty at the 2nd Surgical Clinic of Tzaneio Hospital. The physician has served as a Scientific Collaborator in the Surgical Departments of Palaiou Faliro Medical Center, Mediterraneo Hospital, as well as Metropolitan Hospital. Utilizing his extensive experience and scientific expertise, he handles a wide range of cases primarily involving: Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery, Breast Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Treatment of Hemorrhoids, Fistula Management, Pilonidal Cyst Excision, and Condyloma Therapy.

Ntourakis Dimitrios MD, PhD, FACS is a General Surgeon maintaining a private practice in Paleo Faliro. He is a Professor of Surgery at the European University of Cyprus and the Director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Clinic at Iatriko Paleo Faliro. He holds a PhD from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and is a graduate of the same institution’s Medical School. Additionally, he holds diplomas in Laparoscopic Surgery, Ultrasound, and Ultrasonographic Techniques from the University of Strasbourg, a diploma in Hepato-Biliary and Pancreatic Surgery from Paris XI University, and a diploma in Colorectal and Anal Surgery from Paris Diderot - Paris VII University. It is also noteworthy that he graduated from the Surgical Leadership Program at the Harvard Medical School. He initially specialized at Korgialeneio - Benakeio Hospital of the Hellenic Red Cross and subsequently continued his training at the University of Strasbourg, France, where he later served as Chef de Clinique des Universités. Finally, he has participated in numerous conferences and courses and has an extensive number of publications in international scientific journals. He is a member of scientific associations and societies in Greece and abroad.

Meropouli Antonia MD, PhDC is a General Surgeon with a private practice in Nea Smyrni. She is a PhD candidate at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Consultant Surgeon at Metropolitan Hospital, and a scientific associate at various other private hospitals. She graduated from the Medical School of the University of Patras. She specialized in General Surgery, specifically in diseases of the colon and small intestine, esophagus, stomach, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, obesity, thyroid disorders, as well as in the treatment of abdominal wall hernias both laparoscopically and via open surgery, at the 1st Surgical Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University at the General Hospital of Athens "Laiko". Dr. Meropouli has participated in numerous seminars, conferences, and courses in Greece and abroad and has several publications to her name.

Dr Liagkos Th Georgios, MD, PhD, is a General Surgeon - Proctologist, graduate of the Medical School of Patras, and has been awarded the distinction of Outstanding Doctorate from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He is the Director of the 2nd Surgical Clinic for Anorectal Diseases at the Lumedica group and a Scientific Collaborating Surgeon - Proctologist at Metropolitan Hospital in Neo Faliro and Therapis in Athens. He maintains private practices in Aigaleo and Lamia. He is a certified member of the American College of Surgeons (ATLS - ACS Committee on Trauma) and an active member of the Hellenic Surgical Society, the Hellenic Society of Endoscopic Surgery & Other Minimally Invasive Techniques, the Hellenic Society of Coloproctology, and the Hellenic Phlebology Society. He has specialized in Surgical Treatment of Anorectal Diseases and Intestinal Surgery at the General State Hospital of Nikaia, and has undergone additional training in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery of Abdominal Wall Hernias. Additionally, he is certified in the use of modern optical fiber Laser, radiofrequency (RF), and ultrasound (HAL) techniques in the surgical management of anorectal diseases (coccygeal cyst, hemorrhoids, perianal fistula-abscess, anal fissure, condylomas). Annually, he is a speaker and contributor of presentations at numerous postgraduate seminars and conferences both abroad and in Greece, staying informed primarily on current advances in Proctology and Minimally Invasive Surgery. Since 2017, he has served as a reviewer for the American Surgical Journal & Trauma Cases and Reviews, and in 2023, he announced the first worldwide publication presenting new data on the modern treatment of coccygeal cyst using Laser with the new Infinate Ring fiber.