Dr. Jula Veerapong

Get to Know Dr. Jula Veerapong

Dr. Jula Veerapong performs cytoreductive surgery with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, known as HIPEC, a combination that has worked well for patients with mesothelioma.

In 2017, he joined the staff at Moores Cancer Center, which has been using the HIPEC procedure for mesothelioma treatment for more than a decade. Veerapong previously served for six years at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, where he started and developed a HIPEC program as director of the surface malignancies program.

Veerapong speaks regularly at national and international medical conventions, and his work has been published in numerous prestigious journals.

He is a member of the Society of Surgical Oncology and the Association for Academic Surgery. In St. Louis, he was honored with the Vallee L. Willman Award for Excellence in Surgical Education for his work with residents.

Veerapong earned his degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center and a surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Specialties of Dr. Jula Veerapong

• Peritoneal mesothelioma
• Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy
• Research
• Enhanced recovery after surgery

Dr. Jula Veerapong’s Experience and Medical Education

• Moores Cancer Center
• Saint Louis University School of Medicine
• University of Illinois College of Medicine (M.D.)
• University of Chicago Medical Center (Residency)
• University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Fellowship)

Awards and Certifications

• Vallee L. Willman Award for Excellence in Surgical Education (2015)
• Board certified in general surgery

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program for Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Veerapong leads an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program for patients who have undergone HIPEC, including peritoneal mesothelioma patients. The program is designed to enhance and streamline care and recovery by establishing protocols for patients and staff during the pre-admission, pre-operative, inter-operative and post-operative stages.

The program is highly personalized to each patient and their specific needs. Every patient is medically assessed and offered recommendations to optimally prepare their minds and bodies for surgery. Recommendations typically involve nutritional guidance and physical and mental tips to prepare for surgery.

Veerapong co-authored a study on the benefits of enhanced recovery after surgery and published the results in two peer-reviewed articles appearing in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology in 2020.

Publications of Dr. Jula Veerapong

• Roife, D. et al. (2020, October). CRS/HIPEC with Major Organ Resection in Peritoneal Mesothelioma Does Not Impact Major Complications or Overall Survival: A Retrospective Cohort Study of the US HIPEC Collaborative. Annals of Surgical Oncology.
• Hubner, M. (2020, August). Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) with or without Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC): Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations – Part I: Preoperative and intraoperative management. European Journal of Surgical Oncology.
• Lee, R.M. (2020, February). A novel preoperative risk score to optimize patient selection for performing concomitant liver resection with cytoreductive surgery/HIPEC. Journal of Surgical Oncology.