City of Hope Orange County appoints executive medical director of colorectal surgery
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Alessio Pigazzi, MD, PhD, has been appointed executive medical director of colorectal surgery at City of Hope Orange County.
Pigazzi also will serve as clinical professor of surgery and vice chair of clinical network affairs for the department of surgery.
Pigazzi is recognized for his expertise in robot-assisted, laparoscopic and open surgical techniques. Two decades ago, he performed the world’s first robot-assisted tumor removal for rectal cancer while at City of Hope.
“Dr. Pigazzi is an exceptionally talented leader and surgical pioneer whose expertise has transformed his field and enhanced our collective ability to treat complex cancers and improve survival rates,” Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA, physician-in-chief at City of Hope Orange County, vice physician-in-chief at City of Hope National Medical Center and a Healio | HemOnc Today associate medical editor, said in a press release. “We welcome him as a widely respected clinician and an internationally noted researcher who will further our ability to provide outstanding patient care and advance cancer breakthroughs.”
Pigazzi’s research has focused on neoadjuvant therapies for colon and rectal cancer, as well as strategies to expand utilization of minimally invasive and robotic surgery. He also is leading research evaluating the effect dietary sugars may play in development of early-onset colorectal cancer.
“This appointment to City of Hope Orange County is a homecoming for me,” said Pigazzi, who completed a fellowship in colorectal surgery at UCI Medical Center in Orange, California. “I am truly impressed by the level of comprehensive cancer care City of Hope offers — from the multidisciplinary clinics to integrative oncology to the depth and breadth of advanced treatments, clinical trials, and the latest technology available to patients and their families. This level of cancer-focused expertise, pioneering research and patient support services makes City of Hope the best place for people with cancer.”