Dr. James Griffin serves as director of surgical oncology at Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Center
University Cancer and Blood Center (UCBC), a leading oncology and hematology practice for Northeast Georgia, is now offering the first comprehensive surgical oncology program in the region featuring Dr. James Griffin as Director of Surgical Oncology and HPB Surgery.
Dr. Griffin, a double board-certified surgical oncologist, focuses on Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgery, specializing in cancers of the pancreas, liver, biliary tree/gallbladder, stomach, small intestine, and skin. Along with his physician assistant, Elizabeth Wolfe, Dr. Griffin practices out of UCBC’s Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Center medical campus, the first fully integrated, community cancer center of its kind in Northeast Georgia.
“My goal is to offer the same level of surgical care provided by major academic and cancer centers to the community here in Athens and throughout Northeast Georgia,” Dr. Griffin says. “Cancer care is long, expensive, complicated, and fraught with barriers that can make it very difficult to receive optimal care. I am trying to remove one of the major barriers by making major complex surgeries accessible to patients locally.”
Dr. Griffin received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine where he was awarded the prestigious William Stewart Halsted Award in Surgery. After medical school, he completed general surgery residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During residency, he also completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center investigating the genetic basis of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cysts. After residency, he completed a surgical oncology fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
“We couldn’t have joined forces with a more suited specialist to help initiate our surgical oncology program,” says Dr. Petros Nikolinakos, managing partner. “November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, however, our job at UCBC is to properly treat and elevate attention to these and other HPB cancers year round. And we’re confident Dr. Griffin will go beyond the call of duty to lead that charge.”
Additionally, Dr. Griffin is a clinical assistant professor with the Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia Medical Partnership and serves as the Augusta University/University of Georgia surgical clerkship preceptor. He’s a member of a variety of professional organizations, including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the Americas Hepatopancreatobiliary Association, the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, and the American College of Surgeons.
Surgical oncology appointments can be made by calling (706) 715-2430.
