JohnMunnKirkwoodMD

Melanoma

Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Dermatology & Translational Science; Usher Endowed Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Co-Director Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program, UPMC Hillman Cancer Institute

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Office
5150 Centre Ave
# Cancer
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Phone+1 412-692-4724

Summary

John Kirkwood, MD, is an internationally respected medical oncologist based in Pittsburgh, PA, with a focus upon melanoma. His education includes residency in Internal Medicine at Yale and Fellowship in Medical Oncology at Harvard Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since 1986, he has been Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program at UPMC Hillman he is Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Dermatology, and Translational Science at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. Dr. Kirkwood has expertise all phases of melanoma and has contributed 600 publications and been involved in >300 clinical trials. He has been inducted into the Association of American Physicians and Giants of Cancer Care, and for >20 years America's Top Doctors for Cancer and Pittsburgh Magazine Best Doctors among others.

Education & Training

Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteFellowship, Hematology and Medical Oncology, 1977 - 1979
Yale-New Haven Medical CenterResidency, Internal Medicine, 1973 - 1976
Yale School of MedicineClass of 1973

Certifications & Licensure

PA State Medical License 1986 - 2024
American Board of Internal Medicine Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine Medical Oncology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

America's Top Doctors for Cancer Castle Connolly, 2005-2019
Pittsburgh Magazine Best Doctors Castle Connolly, 2005-2019
Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine University of Pittsburgh, 2018
America's Top Doctors Castle Connolly, 2002-2018
Giants of Cancer Care MH Onc Live, 2017
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Clinical Trials

SWOG-9430: Surgery in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 1996 Nov 01
Completed
Phase 2
High-Dose Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Stage II or Stage III Melanoma Start of enrollment: 1999 Mar 25
Active, not recruiting
Phase 3
S0008: Chemotherapy Plus Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2000 Aug 01
Completed
Phase 3
Vaccine Therapy With or Without Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2000 Sep 01
Completed
Phase 2
Volociximab in Combination With DTIC in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Not Previously Treated With Chemotherapy Start of enrollment: 2004 Dec 01
Completed
Phase 2
Phase II Study of KW2871 Combined With High Dose Interferon-α2b in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2008 Mar 28
Completed
Phase 2
S9431: Studying Genes and Immune Response in Tumor Samples From Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 1996 Nov 01
Completed
Dendritic Cells (DC) Vaccine for Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2002 Oct 01
Terminated
Phase 2
PROCLAIM Registry to Evaluate the Treatment Patterns and Clinical Response in Malignancy Start of enrollment: 2011 Aug 01
Completed
Trial of Vemurafenib/Cobimetinib With or Without Bevacizumab in Patients With Stage IV BRAFV600 Mutant Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2013 Aug 01
Terminated
Phase 2
Pilot Study Evaluating Sulforaphane in Atypical Nevi-Precursor Lesions Start of enrollment: 2012 Aug 01
Completed
Early Phase 1
Multiple Antigen-Engineered DC Vaccine for Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2012 Jun 01
Completed
Phase 1
HD IL-2 + Vemurafenib in Patients With BRAF Mutation Positive Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2012 Aug 01
Terminated
Phase 4
NY-ESO-1 Vaccine in Combination With Ipilimumab in Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma Start of enrollment: 2014 Jan 24
Terminated
Phase 1
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

142 citations
Tumor cell oxidative metabolism as a barrier to PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in melanoma.
Yana G. Najjar, Ashley V. Menk, Cindy Sander, Uma Rao, Arivarasan Karunamurthy
JCI Insight. 2019-03-07
41 citations
The State of Melanoma: Emergent Challenges and Opportunities.
Michael B. Atkins, Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski, David E. Fisher, Susan M. Swetter, Hensin Tsao
Clinical Cancer Research. 2021-01-07
437 citations
Association of body-mass index and outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy: a retrospective, multic...
Jennifer L. McQuade, Carrie R. Daniel, Kenneth R. Hess, Carmen Mak, Daniel Y. Wang
The Lancet. Oncology. 2018-03-01

Journal Articles

Prognostic Gene Expression Profiling in Cutaneous Melanoma
Douglas Grossman, Sancy A Leachman, Larissa Korde, Elizabeth I Buchbinder, Emily Y Chu, Julia A Curtis, Laura K Ferris, Kenneth F Grossmann, Siwen Hu-Lieskovan, Joanne..., JAMA Dermatology
Psychosocial Impact of Skin Biopsies in the Setting of Melanoma Screening – A Cross‐Sectional Survey
M A Weinstock, L K Ferris, N H Matthews, J M Kirkwood, F Solano, M Saul, A C Geller, The British Journal of Dermatology

Lectures

Five-Year Analysis of Adjuvant Dabrafenib plus Trametinib in Stage III Melanoma
Imedex, Baltimore, Maryland - 9/13/2013

Authored Content

Prognostic Gene Expression Profiling in Cutaneous MelanomaJuly 2020

Press Mentions

Two New Studies Show How Immunotherapies Collaborate to Boost T Cell Responses in MelanomaAugust 13th, 2024
Science News | Patients with High-Risk Local Melanomas Benefit from Immunotherapy Drug: StudySeptember 20th, 2021
Immunotherapy Drug Benefits Patients with High-Risk Local MelanomasSeptember 18th, 2021
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Grant Support

Spore In Skin CancerNational Cancer Institute2008–2011
Immunologic &Genetic Determinants Of Outcome &Response To Ifn-A2b TherapyNational Cancer Institute2008–2011
Career Development ProgramNational Cancer Institute2008–2011
AdministrativeNational Cancer Institute2008–2011
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (Main Institution)National Cancer Institute2004–2011
Eastern Cooporative Oncology Group (Main Institution)National Cancer Institute2007–2009
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Gruop (Main Institution)National Cancer Institute2005–2006
Randomized Placebo Control Ph3 Trial Yeast Derived GM-CSF VS Peptide VaccinatinNational Center For Research Resources2005
RAND Ph2 Eval Immun Agst Tumor Cells PTS W/Metast Melanoma Dendritic CellsNational Center For Research Resources2005
Ph1/Ii Vaccination W/Melan-A/Mart-1 Multi-Epitope Cont Melan-A/Mart PeptidesNational Center For Research Resources2005
Eval Local GM-CSF Adjuvant Number Vaccine Sites Immuniz W/MsmpNational Center For Research Resources2005
Ph3 Trial Yeast Derived GM-CSF Vs. Peptide VaccinationNational Center For Research Resources2004
Ph2 HLA-A2 Multiepitope Peptide Vaccine &TyrosinaseNational Center For Research Resources2004
Ph1/Ii Vaccination With Melan-A/Mart-1 Multi-EpitopeNational Center For Research Resources2004
Dendritic Cell Immunization For Metastatic MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources2004
Peptide Vaccines With/Without Gmcsf In Stage IV MelanomaNational Cancer Institute2000–2004
Eastern Cooperative Oncology GroupNational Cancer Institute1989–2003
High Dose IFN Alfa 2B P450 Enzyme System PTS W/ High Risk MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources1999–2002
Phase II Trial Of GM2 Khl/Qs21 Vaccine With Interferon Alpha 2B In MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources1998–2002
Phase III Study Of Adjuvant Ganglioside Vaccination VS Interferon TherapyNational Center For Research Resources1997–2002
Biologic Therapy Research Career Development ProgramNational Cancer Institute2000
Phase II Study Of Rhil 12 IV Injections In Advanced Malignant Melanoma PatientsNational Center For Research Resources1998–2000
Multicenter Pilot Study Of Tucaresol In Metastatic MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources1997–2000
High Dose IFN Alpha In P450 Enzyme System In MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources1999
Phase I Study Of SCH 52365 In Combination With Interferon A-2bNational Center For Research Resources1996–1999
Mechanism Of Melanoma Vaccine Gm2-Klh/Qs21National Cancer Institute1997–1998
Multicenter Dose-Range Finding Pilot Study Of Tucaresol In Metastatic MelanomaNational Center For Research Resources1996
OncologyNational Cancer Institute1994
IFN Alfa-2b And The Immunobiology Of MelanomaNational Cancer Institute1994
Role Of IFN Alfa-2b In The Immunobiology Of MelanomaNational Cancer Institute1992–1993
Research And Training In Medical OncologyNational Cancer Institute1991–1993