UPMC Hillman Recognized for Pancreatic Cancer Care

PITTSBURGH – The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) has recognized UPMC Hillman Cancer Center as an approved NPF Center of Excellence for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. This is the second time UPMC Hillman has received this designation. 

NPF centers undergo a rigorous audit review to determine that an institution’s focus is on multidisciplinary treatment of pancreatic cancer, including treating the “whole patient” with a focus on the best possible outcomes and an improved quality of life.

“Patients are always at the center of what we do and this designation further demonstrates that our patients are receiving the highest level of comprehensive care for pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis when they choose UPMC Hillman,” said Amer Zureikat, M.D., F.A.C.S., vice chair of surgery for surgical oncology in the UPMC Department of Surgery and chief of surgical oncology at UPMC Hillman.

An approved NPF center must meet the criteria developed by medical experts and patient advocates and are required to have physician specialties such as gastroenterologists, pancreas surgeons and interventional radiologists, as well as patient-focused programs like pain management services and psychosocial support.

As the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and one of the largest integrated cancer networks in the U.S., UPMC Hillman Cancer Center provides access to leading cancer experts at more than 70 locations throughout Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Maryland and internationally.   

For more information on the National Pancreas Foundation, visit http://www.pancreasfoundation.org.  

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