Sumanta Kumar Pal, M.D., F.A.S.C.O.
- Kidney Cancer
- Urologic Cancers
- Co-director, Kidney Cancer Program
- Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
- Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Sumanta (Monty) Kumar Pal, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., is an internationally recognized leader in kidney cancer.
Dr. Pal entered college at the age of 13 and began medical school at University of California Los Angeles at the age of 17. After completing his residency training at UCLA, Dr. Pal completed a fellowship program in medical oncology at City of Hope's comprehensive cancer center where he has remained on faculty since 2009.
Over that span of time, he has published more than 550 PubMed cited articles that have been featured in prominent journals including The Lancet, Cancer Cell and Nature Medicine.
Dr. Pal maintains one of the largest portfolios of clinical trials for kidney cancer on the West Coast. He developed an integrated program that focuses heavily on collaborations with basic science researchers at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and urologists in the Department of Surgery. He is well known for his practice-defining work in rare types of kidney cancer (such as papillary kidney cancer) and is a pioneer in techniques to modulate the gut microbiome to enhance the impact of cancer treatment. Ultimately, Dr. Pal’s goal is to stimulate collaborative research across multiple departments in order to discover novel therapeutic approaches for currently incurable diseases. He is the lead investigator on multiple trials, ranging from early phase 1 experiences to late-stage phase 3 studies.
Dr. Pal sits on the editorial board for CA: A Journal for Clinicians and European Urology, and is the host of the City of Hope podcast, “On the Edge of Breakthrough: Voices of Cancer Research.”
Dr. Pal has received grants from the National Institute of Health, the Comprehensive Cancer Network, SWOG Cancer Research Network and multiple other leading entities in support of his formidable research.
Location
Duarte Cancer Center
Duarte, CA 91010
Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center
Irvine, CA 92618
Education & Experience
Board Certifications
- 2009–present, American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
- 2006–2016, American Board of Internal Medicine
Degrees
- 2003, M.D., David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
- 1998, Magna Cum Laude, B.Sc., California State University Los Angeles Early Entrance Program, College in lieu of high school (program initiated at age 13)
Fellowship
- 2006–2009, Hematology/Oncology, City of Hope/Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Residency
- 2004–2006, Internal Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Internship
- 2003–2004, Internal Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Professional Experience
- 2020–present, Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
- 2016–2020, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
- 2009–present, Co-director, Kidney Cancer Program, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
- 2009–2016, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Awards & Memberships
Awards
- 2023-2025, City of Hope, 5 Star Rating Patient Satisfaction Award
- 2021, Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO)
- 2021, City of Hope, 5 Star Rating Patient Satisfaction Award
- 2020, 40 Under 40 in Cancer
- 2020, Los Angeles Business Journal, Top Doctor
- 2020, City of Hope, Clinical Teaching Award
- 2018, City of Hope Mentor of the Year Award
Memberships
- 2023-present, ASCO Leadership Development Program
- 2023-present, ASCO Nominating Committee
- 2022-present, Medical Oncology Association of Southern California
- 2022, Clinical Affairs Committee, Association of Community Cancer Centers
- 2018–present, Trials Consortium (SUO-CTC)
- 2017–2019, Chair, Cancer Communications Committee
- 2016–present, Leadership Development Program
- 2015–present, Social Media Working Group
- 2013–present, Genitourinary Cancers Committee
- 2012–2013, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Committee
- 2010–present, National Comprehensive Cancer Network Bladder Cancer Committee
- 2015–present, Chair, Kidney Cancer Association Scientific Program Committee
- 2015–present, Chair, Society of Immunotherapy for Cancer Patient Meeting
- 2015–present, Chair, Society of Urologic Oncology Prostate Cancer Committee
- 2006–present, American Society of Clinical Oncology
Publications
To view all publications by Sumanta Kumar Pal, please visit the below link: