Hitendra Patel, MBBS

Hitendra Patel, MBBS, is a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. This includes cancers of the pancreas, esophagus, gallbladder, liver, stomach, small intestine, colon/bowel and anus, as well as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and neuroendocrine and carcinoid tumors. He uses numerous forms of therapy such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, including new medicines as part of clinical trials, to offer the best possible treatment options.

Dr. Patel is part of the gastrointestinal cancer unit at UC San Diego Health's Moore's Cancer Center, where he works alongside a multidisciplinary team to provide patients with highly specialized care. He is especially interested in serving diverse groups of patients and has experience caring for individuals from all ethnic backgrounds.

As an associate professor in the Department of Medicine, Dr. Patel instructs medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine. His research is dedicated to finding new ways to treat cancer with immunotherapy and targeted treatment while preserving the quality of life. He is also interested in ways to reduce costs of cancer care. Dr. Patel has also published numerous peer-reviewed articles and co-authored a chapter for the book, Pancreatic Cancer - Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Novel Approaches to Early Detection and Treatment.

Prior to joining UC San Diego Health, Dr. Patel was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at University of Arizona College of Medicine. He cared for patients at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, where he led several clinical trials in oncology for GI cancers.

Dr. Patel completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at University of Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute) and a residency in internal medicine at University of Pittsburgh (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Shadyside Hospital). He earned his medical degree (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore in India. Dr. Patel is board-certified in hematology and medical oncology. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Outside of work, Dr. Patel enjoys hiking, badminton, swimming and traveling with his family.

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