Peter Allen

I am a Surgical Oncologist with clinical and research training in pancreatic and hepatobiliary malignancy.  In 2018, I joined Duke University as the Chief of Surgical Oncology, and the Chief of Surgery in the Duke Cancer Institute.  Previously, I led the clinical and research efforts regarding pancreatic neoplasia within the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and served as the Associate Director for Clinical Programs within the David Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research. I also held the Murray F. Brennan endowed Chair in Surgery. 

Over the previous ten years, I have been interested in the progression of pancreatic precursor lesions called intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN).  These cystic precursor lesions of the pancreas present an opportunity for to both study cancer progression, and potentially prevent the development of this lethal malignancy.  My research has focused on biomarker development to identify high-risk IPMN as well as studies evaluating the cause of this disease process.  I have successfully completed phase II and phase III clinical trials in patients with pancreatic cancer and IPMN, and am currently the PI of a first-in-human multi-center randomized chemoprevention trial for pancreatic cancer that is targeting patients with high-risk IPMN.

My laboratory includes both pre and postdoctoral trainees, and they play a critical role in the development of our pancreatic cancer prevention program.