Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has named Thomas N. Wang, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., a prominent researcher and nationally recognized author, medical director of the Hoag Melanoma/Advanced Skin Cancer Program.
Dr. Wang comes to Hoag after spending the previous 15 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he served as a Professor of Surgery at the UAB School of Medicine and Chief of Surgical Oncology for the Birmingham VA Medical Center.
As a board-certified surgical oncologist, his deep expertise and commitment to patient care make him the right fit for Hoag, said Burton L. Eisenberg, M.D., F.A.C.S., Grace E. Hoag Executive Medical Director Endowed Chair, Hoag Family Cancer Institute.
“In sunny Southern California, melanoma remains a growing problem, and we are thrilled to bring Dr. Wang’s experience and knowledge to Hoag. His commitment to innovation and his focus on improving the quality of life for patients aligns with the Hoag philosophy of patient-centric care,” Dr. Eisenberg said.
Dr. Wang joins a multidisciplinary team of experts dedicated to providing comprehensive care for the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and complex skin malignancies. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the country, and melanoma is its deadliest form, killing an estimated 7,180 people this year alone. Melanoma is also the most common type of cancer to affect 25- to 29-year-olds, making early detection an important part of Hoag’s Melanoma/Advanced Skin Cancer Program.
“I’ve been involved in many clinical trials in my career and am looking forward to using my expertise to focus on providing innovative, patient-centric care to melanoma patients in Orange County,” Dr. Wang said. “Hoag is building a world-class, comprehensive melanoma program right in Orange County patients’ backyards.”
The Hoag Family Cancer Institute is ranked in the top 10 percent in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, based on subspecialized cancer programs, precision medicine using genomic technologies, extensive clinical trials and research.
Dr. Wang is a graduate of Brown University and attended the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He completed his general surgery residency training at Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital and his surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
He is an active member on multiple national surgical societies, including the Association for Academic Surgery, the Society of University Surgeons, the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology. In addition, since 2007, he is a panel member in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, developing guidelines for the treatment of thyroid cancer.
Hoag is a nonprofit, regional health care delivery network that treats more than 30,000 inpatients and 460,000 outpatients annually. Hoag consists of two acute-care hospitals – Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, which opened in 1952, and Hoag Hospital Irvine, which opened in 2010 – in addition to nine health centers and 14 urgent care centers. Visit www.hoag.org for more information.
