The Henry K. Pancoast Professorship of Radiation Oncology
The Professorship was created in 1983 by the Department of Radiation Oncology to honor the memory of Henry K. Pancoast, MD (1875–1939), a pioneer in the field of radiology and an invaluable member of the first staff of Penn Medicine’s Department of Radiology.
Dr. Pancoast joined the Department in 1902 and, in 1912, became the first Professor of Radiology in the United States. He is renowned for his innovative discoveries in the treatment of leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease. As a consultant to the American Tuberculosis Association, he assisted in producing the X-ray picture of a healthy chest, and his work on lung disorders led to the identification of pneumonoconiosis and silicosis—diseases resulting from industrial hazards. Dr. Pancoast is immortalized in medicine by the syndrome bearing his name, which results from tumors in the apical sulcus of the lung.
Current Chairholder
James M. Metz, MD
James M. Metz, MD is the Henry K. Pancoast Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Metz specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and the retreatment of previously irradiated tumors. He leads numerous clinical trials in GI cancer with an interest in maintaining normal organ function. His clinical research emphasizes multimodality therapies for locally advanced GI malignancies. In 2010, Dr. Metz led the development of the Roberts Proton Therapy Center, the world’s largest proton center. He is an international leader in the integration of proton therapy in the cancer treatment paradigm.
As Editor-in-Chief (now Executive Director) of OncoLink, an award-winning website and resource for cancer information, Dr. Metz pioneered the use of online cancer education and information. The National Library of Medicine has on numerous occasions named OncoLink as one of the top 10 medical websites worldwide.
Previous Chairholders
- Morton M. Kligerman, MD 1983–1988
- Robert L. Goodman, MD 1988–1992
- W. Gillies McKenna, MD, PhD 1992–2005
- Stephen M. Hahn, MD 2005–2014