Yuman Fong, M.D.

[email protected]
(877) 460-4673
Yuman Fong, M.D.
Surgical Oncologist
Clinical Expertise
  • Metastatic Colon or Rectal Cancer to Liver
  • Liver Cancer
  • Hepatocellular Carcinoma
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Gallbladder Cancer
  • Bile Duct Cancer
Research Area
  • Gastrointestinal Cancer
Other Languages Spoken
Cantonese
Academic Appointments
  • Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology
  • Chair and Professor, Department of Surgery
  • Director, Center for International Medicine
  • Director, Center for Surgical Innovation
Clinical Teams
Bile Duct Cancer
Gallbladder Cancer
Liver Cancers and Liver Tumors
Surgery
Research Teams
Gene Surgery
Surgery Research
Additional Contacts
  • Referring Physicians/Colleagues
    (626) 218-0509

My passion is taking care of patients.

A pioneer both in the operating room and in the laboratory, Yuman Fong, M.D., The Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology and chair of our Department of Surgery is an internationally recognized expert in cancers of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts. He has led the research effort to employ genetically modified viruses to destroy cancer cells.

Dr. Fong joined City of Hope in 2014 after more than two decades at the renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Dr. Fong is both author and innovator: He has developed many new surgical techniques and instruments and written and edited hundreds of scholarly articles as well as nearly a dozen textbooks.

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 1984, M.D, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY
  • 1981, B.A., Medieval Literature, Brown University, Providence, RI

Fellowship

  • 1991–1993, Surgical Oncology Fellow, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Mentor: M.F. Brennan)
  • 1992–1993, Chief Administrative Fellow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  • 1986–1989, Research Fellow, Department of Surgery, Cornell University Medical College, (Mentor: S.F. Lowry)
  • 1986–1989, Nutrition Support Service, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

Residency

  • 1990–1991, Chief Residency, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
  • 1989–1990, General Surgery, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY
  • 1985–1986, General Surgery, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

Internship

  • 1984–1985, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY

Professional Experience

  • 2016–present, Sangiacomo Family Chair in Surgical Oncology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2014–present, Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2001–2014, Murray F. Brennan Chair in Surgery, Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
  • 2007–2014, Adjunct Professor of Surgery, Downstate Medical Center, New York, NY
  • 2000–2014, Professor of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
  • 2000–2014, Tenured Member, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
  • 2006–2012, Vice Chair for Technology Development, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
  • 2004–2008, Chief, Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
  • 1994–2000, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY
  • 1993–2000, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY
  • 1997–2000, Associate Attending Surgeon, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York, NY
  • 1997–2000, Associate Member, Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
  • 1993–1997, Assistant Attending Surgeon, Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, New York, NY
  • 1993–1997, Associate Member, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2025, Lister Surgical Sciences Medal by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  • 2021, Elected to National Academy of Medicine
  • 2019, Master Clinician Award, The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
  • 2018, Inductee into the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering
  • 2018, Honorary Membership, Mexican Association of Digestive Surgery
  • 2015, Honorary Doctorate, King George's School of Medicine
  • 2010, Honorary Membership, Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology
  • 2006, Honorary Membership, Chinese American Medical Association
  • 2003, Inducted into American Society for Clinical Investigators
  • Layton Rikkers Master Clinician Award, The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

Memberships

  • American Surgical Association
  • Southern Surgical Association
  • International Surgical Group
  • Society for Clinical Surgery
  • Halsted Society

Publications

  • Kawka M, Fong Y, Gall TMH. Laparoscopic versus robotic abdominal and pelvic surgery: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Surg Endosc. 2023 Sep;37(9):6672-6681. doi: 10.1007/s00464-023-10275-8. Epub 2023 Jul 13. PMID: 37442833; PMCID: PMC10462573.
  • Fong Y, Haukoos J, Zuckerbraun BS. Practical Guide to Adjuncts to Clinical Trials in Surgery. JAMA Surg. 2023 Jan 1;158(1):95-96. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.4904. PMID: 36287539.
  • Raoof M, Ituarte PHG, Haye S, Jacobson G, Sullivan KM, Eng O, Kim J, Fong Y. Medicare Advantage: A Disadvantage for Complex Cancer Surgery Patients. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Feb 20;41(6):1239-1249. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01359. Epub 2022 Nov 10. PMID: 36356283.
  • Lwin TM, Minnix M, Li L, Sherman A, Hong T, Wong JYC, Olafsen T, Poku E, Bouvet M, Fong Y, Shively JE, Yazaki PJ. Multimodality PET and Near-Infrared Fluorescence Intraoperative Imaging of CEA-Positive Colorectal Cancer. Mol Imaging Biol. 2023 Aug;25(4):727-734. doi: 10.1007/s11307-023-01831-8. Epub 2023 Jun 21. PMID: 37341873; PMCID: PMC10333401.
  • Yan Y, Wang D, Mahuron K, Wang X, Lu L, Zhao Z, Melstrom L, Li C, Benjamin Paz I, Liu J, Fong Y, Li W, Fu W, Woo Y. ASO Visual Abstract: Different Methods of Minimally Invasive Esophagojejunostomy After Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Outcomes from Two Experienced Centers. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Jul 24. doi: 10.1245/s10434-023-13851-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37488396.
  • Garcia D, Mambetsariev I, Fricke J, Schmolze D, Afkhami M, Mannan R, Kim P, Therese Dingal S, Nguyen B, Babikian R, Fong Y, Salgia R. Complete response to chemoimmunotherapy with bevacizumab in synchronous multiple primary cancers: pulmonary adenocarcinoma and sarcomatoid carcinoma. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2023 May 9;9(2):a006262. doi: 10.1101/mcs.a006262. PMID: 37160318; PMCID: PMC10240843.
  • Yang A, Zhang Z, Chaurasiya S, Park AK, Jung A, Lu J, Kim SI, Priceman S, Fong Y, Woo Y. Development of the oncolytic virus, CF33, and its derivatives for peritoneal-directed treatment of gastric cancer peritoneal metastases. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 Apr;11(4):e006280. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006280. PMID: 37019471; PMCID: PMC10083877.
  • Chaurasiya S, Valencia H, Zhang Z, Kim SI, Yang A, Lu J, Woo Y, Warner SG, Ede NJ, Fong Y. An Oncolytic Poxvirus Encoding hNIS, Shows Antitumor Efficacy and Allows Tumor Imaging in a Liver Cancer Model. Mol Cancer Ther. 2023 Jun 7:OF1-OF9. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-22-0635. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37294888.
  • Raoof M, Whelan RL, Sullivan KM, Ruel C, Frankel PH, Cole SE, Tinsley R, Eng M, Fakih M, Chao J, Lim D, Woo Y, Paz IB, Lew M, Cristea M, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Fong Y, Thomas RM, Chang S, Deperalta D, Merchea A, Dellinger TH. Safety and Efficacy of Oxaliplatin Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosolized Chemotherapy (PIPAC) in Colorectal and Appendiceal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases: Results of a Multicenter Phase I Trial in the USA. Ann Surg Oncol. 2023 Jul 27. doi: 10.1245/s10434-023-13941-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37501051.
  • Melstrom LG, Kaiser A, Lau C, Chan K, Raoof M, Singh G, Fong Y, Sun V. Characteristics of Proactive Triage Nursing Telephone Encounters in a Pilot of Perioperative Telemonitoring in Surgical Oncology. Am Surg. 2023 Jul 28:31348231191217. doi: 10.1177/00031348231191217. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37503832.

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Ratings & Reviews

Ratings and reviews below are gathered from the Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey. CG CAHPS is a standardized survey that is used to measure a patient's experience in the physician office setting. Ratings are an average of all responses to questions about a provider's care, with five stars being the highest.
5.0
Recommend this provider office
5.0
Show respect for what you say
4.9
Provider explain in way you understand
4.9
Provider listen carefully to you
4.9
Know important info medical history
4.9
Rate provider 0-10
4.8
Spend enough time with you
03/18/26
Great - Verified patient
03/13/26
I have and will continue to tell anyone and everyone about Dr. Yuman Fong and COH Duarte. - Verified patient
03/13/26
Dr. Yuman Fong was the most incredible provider I've ever met. He is everything you hope for. He exceeds the outstanding reputation you've heard and learned about. Never in my wildest dream would I expect a surgeon of his stature to spend the great length of time he shared with me. He knew everything about my new case. He had a plan, a backup plan, and a timeline. With my cancer diagnosis, the one thing I lacked and continued to seek was knowledge about how we can handle it and what to do if the current plan doesn't seem to work at the time expected. He had backup plans. He had confidence. He instilled me with positivity and confidence. I learned so many nuances of my condition, what we hope lab results to be, what we hope imaging will show, when to expect these things, just every detail I was hoping to learn but never expected to. Dr. Yuman Fong is an exceptional, radiant, personable, and talented individual. A once in a generation talent and mind. How can someone so influential and important be so down to earth and personable? It's incredible. - Verified patient
02/17/26
Dr Fong is the best - Verified patient
11/14/25
Dr. Fong was an excellent provider and superb teacher. I arrived seeking help for my colon cancer. He explained everything to my family in a very thorough and professional manner. He was also very personable and easy to talk too. City of Hope has an excellent physician and surgeon on their team. I feel very blessed and lucky to have Dr. Fong on my medical team. - Verified patient