Dr. Cataldo Doria, an internationally renowned surgeon who specializes in the treatment of patients with benign conditions and cancer of the liver, pancreas, and bile duct, has been named medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. As director of the Cancer Center, Dr. Doria will oversee clinical operations including disease specific clinical performance groups, clinical research, and cancer care advancements to ensure widespread access to the best possible patient care and outcomes.
“Many of our area’s surgeons and gastroenterologists have worked with Dr. Doria in the past, and can speak to his academic level of expertise in the area of liver and pancreas cancers,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “Dr. Doria brings our region the same, unmatched experience in advanced surgical treatment of benign conditions and cancers of the digestive tract without having to travel to cities like Philadelphia and New York. As director of our Cancer Center, his significant contributions to advancing cancer care and research on the national and international stage will continue to guide our center’s continued emergence as a leader in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.”
As a hepato-bilio-pancreatic surgeon focused on treating benign digestive conditions and cancers in the liver, pancreas and bile duct, Dr. Doria has pioneered new techniques for conditions that were once considered untreatable. He has helped develop and introduce a number of innnovative procedures to treat cancer patients that were not previously available, including bloodless liver surgery, liver auto-transplantation and robotic-assisted minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to expand Capital Health’s cancer care program and become part of the Center’s stellar team,” said Dr. Doria. “In addition to the advanced technology, I’m particularly impressed by the team’s committment to the communities is serves through cancer education and prevention. I am thrilled to contribute to this effort and deliver emerging treatments that were once considered unthinkable.”
Dr. Doria joins Capital Health from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, where he served as the surgical director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Liver Tumor Center at Jefferson Medical College and director of the Jefferson Transplant Institute.
Innovative Cancer Treatment
Where traditional liver surgery with a scalpel requires up to 10 units or more of blood, Dr. Doria performs bloodless liver surgery, which employs an ultrasonic device to suction out liver cells, immediately followed by a probe that uses hot, sterile water to seal the liver's blood vessels upon contact. Surgical and recovery times are significantly reduced and patients are completely recovered within a month.
Liver auto-transplantation is used for patients who have liver cancer that is too extensive to be removed while the liver is in the body. In such cases, Dr. Doria and his team can remove the patient’s liver, remove the cancer, and reimplant the healthy portion of the organ.
Dr. Doria uses the da Vinci® Surgery System to offer a variety of advanced minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgeries to remove cancer in the liver, pancreas and bile duct through small holes roughly the size of a dime. Using miniaturized instruments and a high-definition 3D camera that are inserted through these small incisions, Dr. Doria views a magnified, high-resolution 3D image of the surgical site at the da Vinci® console and his hand movements are translated into precise movements of the instruments. Because these robotic-assistend procedures require less anesthesia and smaller incisions than major, open surgery, patients are at less risk for complications.
Dr. Doria is also an immunologist with an interest in artificial organ development as well as inhibitory pathways of liver cancer growth. His research includes the development of inhibitory pathways for liver cancer growth, immunology of solid organ transplantation, and development of artificial liver devices.
Academic Accomplishments
In addition to his cutting-edge clinical work, Dr. Doria has held faculty positions at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Temple University College of Science & Technology, IsMETT – UPMC Italy, the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center (Pittsburgh, PA), and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Doria received his medical degree at University of Perugia School of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and residency. He completed a research fellowship and a clincial fellowship at the Pittsburgh Transplantation Institute, part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Doria also completed a clinical fellowship in living donor liver transplantation at the Organ Transplantation Center, part of Asan Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea.
Dr. Doria helped develop the European Medical Division of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which resulted in a cultural and scientific cooperative agreement between the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Palermo - Italy. This partnership led to the development of the Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, a facility that serves the entire Mediterranean Basin and specializes in transplantation and highly sophisticated medical therapies.
Dr. Doria has been principal investigator or co-investigator for studies by Novartis, Wyeth, Thomas Jefferson University, Odissey, Merck, and Grifols. His research has appeared in in numerous publications and presentations at local, national, and international meetings; teaching lectures; community programs and grand rounds. He is also reviewer ad-hoc for numerous medical journals.
His surgical practice will be part of the Capital Health Surgical Group, located in Suite 356 in the Medical Office Building at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell. Appointments with Dr. Doria can be scheduled by calling 609.537.6000.
About Capital Health Cancer Center
Capital Health Cancer Center, located at the state-of-the-art Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell in Pennington, NJ, combines vast medical expertise with advanced technology in an environment that was designed to promote healing and comfort for patients and caregivers. Capital Health Cancer Center offers patients a closely integrated team of medical, surgical, radiation, and allied cancer specialists who use their knowledge and experience to provide cutting-edge cancer treatment close to home. The Center has received national recognition as a multiple recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, in addition to their Accreditation with Gold Commendation.
In addition to providing easier access to advanced cancer diagnostic and treatment options, many of our physicians have offices located in the same building above the center, making it easy to schedule your tests, doctors’ visits and treatments all in one location. Other amenities include Oasis Salon and Wellness Spa (including the Just for You Center geared to the unique needs of cancer patients) and a beautifully landscaped rooftop garden, located on the second floor next to the Center’s infusion suite. For more information, visit www.capitalhealth.org/cancer or call 609-537-6363.