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Brian T. Cain
( out of 91 reviews )

Brian T. Cain, MD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

Huntsman Cancer Institute - Cancer Hospital North

Surgical Oncology
1950 Circle of Hope
Salt Lake City , UT 84112

South Jordan Health Center

Surgical Oncology
5126 West Daybreak Parkway
South Jordan , UT 84009

University of Utah Hospital

General Surgery, Area E
50 N Medical Dr
Salt Lake City , UT 84132

Brian T. Cain, MD, is a colorectal surgeon with specialized expertise in the treatment of patients with complex colorectal conditions. He provides comprehensive surgical care for both benign and malignant diseases of the colon, rectum, and small bowel, with advanced training in minimally invasive, robotic, and transanal surgical techniques.

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Cain’s clinical practice includes a wide range of colorectal treatments and surgical care, including:

  • Surgical management of cancers of the small bowel, colon, and rectum
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
  • Diverticulitis and complex fistulas
  • Colonoscopy and advanced endoscopic interventions
  • Minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic approaches
  • Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS)
  • Pelvic floor disorders
  • Revisional colorectal surgery
  • Pre- and post-surgical management for complex colorectal conditions

Education and Training

Dr. Cain earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Utah, where he received the Department of Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award for excellence in surgical education. He then pursued fellowship training in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Utah, gaining extensive experience in the surgical and non-surgical management of benign and malignant anorectal diseases, complex fistula repair, advanced endoscopy, and minimally invasive techniques.

Research and Academic Interests

Dr. Cain’s research focuses on improving outcomes and patient experiences in colorectal surgery. His current areas of interest include:

  • Socioeconomic effects on surgical outcomes
  • Patient-centered and shared decision-making in surgery

Patient-Centered Care

Dr. Cain partners closely with patients and families to develop individualized treatment plans. He is committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care that improves surgical outcomes, quality of life, and long-term colorectal health.

Personal Interests

Outside of his clinical practice, Dr. Cain enjoys skiing, hockey, running, hiking, and camping with his wife and two children.

Board Certification

American Board of Surgery

Patient Rating

Patients consistently praise Dr. Cain for his surgical skill and calm, professional manner. Reviewers highlight clear, thorough explanations of procedures and treatment options, and say he listens to concerns and answers questions with compassion and respect. Overall feedback emphasizes confidence in his care and strong patient-family communication throughout treatment.

Generated via Patient Reviews

4.6 /5
( out of 91 reviews )

The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers. The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.


Jul 11, 2026
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Great doctor

May 12, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

I am very happy with the care I receive from Dr. Cain and his team. He makes you comfortable enough to ask any question. He explains procedures to you so you can understand what is going to happen while you are being treated. He offers options for your care.

Apr 22, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Knowledgeable, thorough, kind, and excellent patient and family interactions. Answers questions and concerns with a lot of respect and consideration for patient and family. Fosters great confidence in his care and treatment. Highly recommended.

Mar 04, 2026
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Dr. Cain examined me carefully and with a quiet professionalism. He discussed my situation with others who were on his team, and he arrived at a workable solution to proceed further with my care in a logical and compassionate manner!

Feb 26, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Very professional and informative. Treatment seems to be working.

Feb 22, 2026
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

I was very happy about my care

Feb 12, 2026
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

DR. CAIN very Informative on my Issues and needs.an what next is planned. Thank you DR.

Jan 16, 2026
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Dr. Cain is very skilled and able to do the surgery. I trusted him and we did well together. He was disappointed things didn't work out the way I wanted, but they worked out the way it was best for my life. I'm very appreciative of the decisions he made.

Dec 15, 2025
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Dr. Cain. I love his calm, thorough and kind delivery for the answer for any question I've asked. He helped me understand why I needed this surgery I so badly wanted to avoid, and I'm grateful for his clarity. I hope I don't need to see him again as a patient, but if I do, I won't hesitate to reach out.

Nov 28, 2025
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

Dr Cain was great. I feel very confident in his ability to take care of me.

Nov 28, 2025
HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

He is an excellent surgeon, very confident in his treatments, who understood our doubts and fears and kept us informed step by step throughout the process [TRANSLATED]


Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety. For the convenience of our visitors, some patient comments have been translated from their original language into English while preserving their original meaning as accurately as possible. Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

Brian T. Cain, MD, is a colorectal surgeon with specialized expertise in the treatment of patients with complex colorectal conditions. He provides comprehensive surgical care for both benign and malignant diseases of the colon, rectum, and small bowel, with advanced training in minimally invasive, robotic, and transanal surgical techniques.

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Cain’s clinical practice includes a wide range of colorectal treatments and surgical care, including:

  • Surgical management of cancers of the small bowel, colon, and rectum
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
  • Diverticulitis and complex fistulas
  • Colonoscopy and advanced endoscopic interventions
  • Minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic approaches
  • Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS)
  • Pelvic floor disorders
  • Revisional colorectal surgery
  • Pre- and post-surgical management for complex colorectal conditions

Education and Training

Dr. Cain earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed his General Surgery residency at the University of Utah, where he received the Department of Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award for excellence in surgical education. He then pursued fellowship training in Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of Utah, gaining extensive experience in the surgical and non-surgical management of benign and malignant anorectal diseases, complex fistula repair, advanced endoscopy, and minimally invasive techniques.

Research and Academic Interests

Dr. Cain’s research focuses on improving outcomes and patient experiences in colorectal surgery. His current areas of interest include:

  • Socioeconomic effects on surgical outcomes
  • Patient-centered and shared decision-making in surgery

Patient-Centered Care

Dr. Cain partners closely with patients and families to develop individualized treatment plans. He is committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care that improves surgical outcomes, quality of life, and long-term colorectal health.

Personal Interests

Outside of his clinical practice, Dr. Cain enjoys skiing, hockey, running, hiking, and camping with his wife and two children.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Surgery -Assistant Professor (Clinical)
Academic Divisions Surgical Oncology
Board Certification
American Board of Surgery

Education history

Fellowship Colon and Rectal Surgery - University of Utah Health Fellow
Residency General Surgery - University of Utah Health Resident
Professional Medical Medicine - University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health M.D.
Undergraduate Biology and Zoology - University of Wisconsin-Madison B.S.

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Williamson AJH, Cain BT, Hoggan TJ, Larsen MW, Kimball ER, Bloomquist K, Galyean PO, Zickmund S, Cohan JN (2023). Challenges and Opportunities in the Elective Management of Diverticulitis: Perspectives From a National Sample of Colorectal Surgeons. Dis Colon Rectum, 67(2), 264-272.
  2. Bleicher J, Johnson JE, Cain BT, Shaw RD, Acher AA, Gleason L, Barth RJ, Chu DI, Jung S, Melnick D, Kaphingst KA, Smith BK, Huang LC (2023). Surgical Trainee Perspectives on the Opioid Crisis: The Influence of Explicit and Hidden Curricula. J Surg Educ, 80(6), 786-796.
  3. Johnson JE, Bleicher J, Blumling AN, Cain BT, Cohan JN, Savarise M, Harris AHS, Kaphingst KA, Huang LC (2022). The Influence of Rural Healthcare Systems and Communities on Surgery and Recovery: A Qualitative Study. J Surg Res, 281, 155-163.
  4. Bleicher J, Fender Z, Johnson JE, Cain BT, Phan K, Powers D, Wei G, Presson AP, Kwok A, Pickron TB, Scaife CL, Huang LC (2021). Use of post-discharge opioid consumption patterns as a tool for evaluating opioid prescribing guidelines. Am J Surg, 224(1 Pt A), 58-63.
  5. Cain BT, Horns JJ, Huang LC, McCrum ML (2022). Socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with greater mortality after high-risk emergency general surgery. J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 92(4), 691-700.
  6. Cain BT, Huang LC (2021). Benign Colonic Strictures. Dis Colon Rectum, 64(9), 1041-1044.
  7. Mohns MS, Greene JM, Cain BT, Pham NH, Gostick E, Price DA, OConnor DH (2015). Expansion of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)-Specific CD8 T Cell Lines from SIV-Naive Mauritian Cynomolgus Macaques for Adoptive Transfer. J Virol, 89(19), 9748-57.
  8. Ericsen AJ, Starrett GJ, Greene JM, Lauck M, Raveendran M, Deiros DR, Mohns MS, Vince N, Cain BT, Pham NH, Weinfurter JT, Bailey AL, Budde ML, Wiseman RW, Gibbs R, Muzny D, Friedrich TC, Rogers J, OConnor DH (2014). Whole genome sequencing of SIV-infected macaques identifies candidate loci that may contribute to host control of virus replication. Genome Biol, 15(11), 478.
  9. Greene JM, Weiler AM, Reynolds MR, Cain BT, Pham NH, Ericsen AJ, Peterson EJ, Crosno K, Brunner K, Friedrich TC, OConnor DH (2014). Rapid, repeated, low-dose challenges with SIVmac239 infect animals in a condensed challenge window. Retrovirology, 11, 66.
  10. Cain BT, Pham NH, Budde ML, Greene JM, Weinfurter JT, Scarlotta M, Harris M, Chin E, OConnor SL, Friedrich TC, OConnor DH (2013). T cell response specificity and magnitude against SIVmac239 are not concordant in major histocompatibility complex-matched animals. Retrovirology, 10, 116.
  11. Greene JM, Lhost JJ, Hines PJ, Scarlotta M, Harris M, Burwitz BJ, Budde ML, Dudley DM, Pham N, Cain B, Mac Nair CE, Weiker MK, OConnor SL, Friedrich TC, OConnor DH (2013). Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes isolated from simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239Δnef-vaccinated macaques does not affect acute-phase viral loads but may reduce chronic-phase viral loads in major histocompatibility complex-matched recipients. J Virol, 87(13), 7382-92.
  12. Maiden SL, Harrison N, Keegan J, Cain B, Lynch AM, Pettitt J, Hardin J (2012). Specific conserved C-terminal amino acids of Caenorhabditis elegans HMP-1/α-catenin modulate F-actin binding independently of vinculin. J Biol Chem, 288(8), 5694-706.
  13. Budde ML, Greene JM, Chin EN, Ericsen AJ, Scarlotta M, Cain BT, Pham NH, Becker EA, Harris M, Weinfurter JT, OConnor SL, Piatak M Jr, Lifson JD, Gostick E, Price DA, Friedrich TC, OConnor DH (2012). Specific CD8+ T cell responses correlate with control of simian immunodeficiency virus replication in Mauritian cynomolgus macaques. J Virol, 86(14), 7596-604.