Dr. Kiran Turaga
Surgical OncologistSurgical oncologist Dr. Kiran K. Turaga is an expert in hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, used so effectively today for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma cancer.

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UChicago Medicine Chicago, Illinois (IL)
Get to Know Dr. Kiran K. Turaga
Dr. Kiran Turaga treats a wide range of abdominal and peritoneal diseases at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he is director of the Surgical Gastrointestinal Cancer Program.
He joined the mesothelioma program in 2016 after six years at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, earning a reputation as a leading specialist in the field of asbestos-related disease.
Turaga has been very successful in treating peritoneal mesothelioma with the combination of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, known as HIPEC.
The heated, high-dose chemotherapy, which is used only in select cancer centers, is administered immediately after surgery and is designed to kill any remaining tumor cells.
Turaga has a special interest in treating advanced malignancies, including cancers that have spread beyond their original sites. He works on colon cancer, appendix cancer and malignant bowel obstructions.
He works closely with oncologist Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler, director of the mesothelioma program at University of Chicago Medicine. They are part of the multidisciplinary tumor board that meets regularly to discuss each patient.
Specialties of Dr. Kiran K. Turaga
- Gastrointestinal surgery
- Metastatic cancers
- Mesothelioma
- HIPEC
- Cytoreduction
- Colon cancer
- Appendix cancer
- Melanoma
Dr. Kiran K. Turaga’s Experience and Education
- University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (Fellowships)
- Creighton University Medical Center (Residency)
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (M.D.)
Awards and Certifications
- Sharon Wadina Endowed Professor in Sarcoma Research
- Lee Biblo Award for Professional Excellence
- Distinguished Faculty in Program Innovation award
- Bucksbaum Senior Faculty Scholar for Clinical Excellence
- General Surgery Board certified
Mesothelioma Clinical Trials Under Kiran Turaga
- A clinical study to determine if experimental magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound imaging techniques can improve early detection of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Publications of Dr. Kiran Turaga
- Alter, R., Turaga, K. & Lengyel, E. (2020, August 3). Are We Ready for Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in the Upfront Treatment of Ovarian Cancer? JAMA Network.
- Turaga, K. & Girotra, S. (2020, June 2). Are We Harming Cancer Patients by Delaying Cancer Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Annals of Surgery.
- Turaga, K. (2019 April 29). Editorial: It Is Time. Annals of Surgical Oncology.
- Sherman, S. et al. (2018, August 1). Estimating Surgical Risk for Patients With Severe Comorbidities. JAMA Surgery.