Dr. James Pingpank
Surgical Oncologist at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Dr. James Pingpank is a top mesothelioma doctor. He leads the HIPEC/cytoreduction surgery program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). This center is arguably the leader in peritoneal mesothelioma surgery and care.
Peritoneal Mesothelioma
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
5115 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
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More About Mesothelioma Specialist Dr. James Pingpank
Dr. Pingpank is a specialist in the treatment of mesothelioma cancer, which is a rare disease that forms in the lining of the lungs or abdominal cavity. He mostly works out of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Shadyside location.
Dr. Pingpank is a peritoneal surface malignancies oncologist. He specializes in performing surgery for these cancers, which includes malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. This type of mesothelioma forms in the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum.
Dr. Pingpank provides treatment of mesothelioma to his patients, specifically those with peritoneal mesothelioma. The surgery most credited with long survival times is cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC. This surgery has two parts: removing tumors manually and then infusing heated chemotherapy into the abdominal cavity to help kill any residual cancer cells.
He’s also an Associate Professor of Surgery at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Before coming to UPMC, he was head of surgical metabolism for the National Cancer Institute.
- Medical Degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
- Residency in Surgery at University of Connecticut
- Research Fellowship at University of Pennsylvania
- Fellowship in Surgical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia
- Board-certified in General Surgery
- Membership in the American Society for Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research and Association for Academic Surgery
Get Connected to Dr. James Pingpank
Dr. James Pingpank is the head surgeon for peritoneal mesothelioma at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is a specialist in all peritoneal surface malignancies. His research into this cancer dates back more than a decade.
Why Choose Dr. Pingpank?
- Completed one residency and two fellowships in his training
- Leads surgery at a high-volume center for mesothelioma
- Belief in regional therapy, such as HIPEC, to treat cancer
Speaker at Conferences on Mesothelioma
As the leader of peritoneal mesothelioma care at UPMC, Dr. Pingpank is a top specialist for this disease. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has one of the top fellowship programs for peritoneal malignancies and has produced many specialists at various cancer centers across the country.
Dr. Pingpank is a highly respected voice in the mesothelioma community, especially the subgroup of peritoneal mesothelioma.
He spoke about peritoneal mesothelioma treatment at several conferences, such as the 2008 International Symposium on Malignant Mesothelioma. He also spoke at the 2011 version of this event. He discussed the difficulty of getting drug companies to invest in new treatments and suggested smaller trials as a cost-effective way to study mesothelioma.
Surgeon Featured in Studies
Dr. Pingpank has co-authored 147 medical articles, some of which are about malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. In 2015, he was part of a study leading to a median survival of around four years after cytoreductive/HIPEC surgery. He co-authored the study with fellow mesothelioma specialist Dr. Deepa Magge, who trained at UPMC and now leads peritoneal surface malignancy treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
In 2013, he was part of a study with a 41% five-year survival rate from cytoreduction/HIPEC surgery. He has been involved in many cases achieving five-year or even decade-long survival after surgery.
How to Connect With Dr. Pingpank
You can see Dr. Pingpank at UPMC with the help of a patient advocate. Email our registered nurse, Karen Ritter, for her assistance finding a surgeon for peritoneal mesothelioma. Her email is karen@mesotheliomaguide.com, or you can send your information to her via our free Doctor Match form.
Sources & Author
- James F. Pingpank Jr., MD, FACS. University of Pittsburgh. Retrieved from: https://www.surgery.pitt.edu/people/james-f-pingpank-jr-md-facs. Accessed: 11/19/2021.
- About James F. Pingpank. UPMC. Retrieved from: https://providers.upmc.com/provider/James+F.+Pingpank/1321136. Accessed: 11/19/2021.
- James F. Pingpank, MD. UPMC. Retrieved from: https://www.upmc.com/media/experts/james-f-pingpank. Accessed: 11/19/2021.
- Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Prognostic Factors and Oncologic Outcome Analysis. Research Gate. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259253087_Malignant_Peritoneal_Mesothelioma_Prognostic_Factors_and_Oncologic_Outcome_Analysis. Accessed: 11/22/2021.
- Treatment factors associated with long-term survival after cytoreductive surgery and regional chemotherapy for patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Research Gate. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236045953_Treatment_factors_associated_with_long-term_survival_after_cytoreductive_surgery_and_regional_chemotherapy_for_patients_with_malignant_peritoneal_mesothelioma. Accessed: 11/22/2021.
