Dr. Fabian Johnston

About Dr. Fabian M. Johnston

Dr. Fabian M. Johnston became chair of the Department of Surgery at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in 2024. Before moving to Wake Forest, he spent more than 8 years at Johns Hopkins Medicine, leading the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program and the Complex General Surgical Oncology Program. Dr. Johnston also served as an associate professor of surgery.

Dr. Johnston treats peritoneal mesothelioma with a combination of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, known as HIPEC. This approach removes visible tumors and then delivers heated chemotherapy directly into the abdomen to target any cancer cells that remain.

Medical Education & Experience

• Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist 
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine 
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (M.H.S.)
• Johns Hopkins University (Fellowship)
• Washington University in St. Louis (Residency)
• Louisiana State University School of Medicine (Residency)
• Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine (M.D.)
• Stony Brook University (Bachelor’s Degree)

Associations, Awards & Recognition

• American Board of Surgery, Board Certified in General Surgery
• American College of Surgeons, Member
• American Society of Clinical Oncology, Member
• Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Member
• Association for Academic Surgery, Representative to the Society of Black Academic Surgeons
• Finalist, AACR-ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research
• Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, Board of Directors

Why Choose Dr. Johnston for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Dr. Johnston works to address not only his patients’ physical symptoms but also their emotional and social needs. He engages family members as part of the care team.

“Cancer is a family disease. It affects not just the individual, but the family as a whole,” Dr. Johnston said. “As a patient, you’re part of my family, and we’re part of one team. You’re the quarterback. I’m the coach. And our job is to try and score a touchdown and beat this horrible disease.”

He sits on the board of directors for the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving outcomes through scientific discovery and patient support. Dr. Johnston’s research on patient-centered palliative care models aims to ease discomfort and improve quality of life for patients. 

Publications of Dr. Fabian Johnston

• Johnston, F. et al. (2026, July 12). Patient Expectations in High-Risk Abdominal Surgery for Cancer. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hex.70764
• Johnston, F. et al. (2026, July 8). ASO Visual Abstract: High-Volume Anesthesiologist and Surgeon Teams are Associated with Lower Operating Room Charges for Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1245/s10434-026-19534-z
• Johnston, F. et al. (2026, June). “It’s Either Have Surgery or Die”: How Patients Perceive the Choice to Undergo High-Risk Abdominal Surgery for Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.ovid.com/jnls/aosopen/fulltext/10.1097/as9.0000000000000671~its-either-have-surgery-or-die-how-patients-perceive-the
• Johnston, F. et al. (2026, May 30). The evolving role and impact of patient navigators in serious illness care: a narrative review. Retrieved from https://apm.amegroups.org/article/view/153994/html
• Johnston, F. et al. (2026, May 25). Psychosocial Interventions for Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1245/s10434-026-19788-7