Ping Tang, MD
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Vice Chair of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Education:
Medical School: Sichuan University, School of Medicine, Chengdu, China
Graduate School (PhD): University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, TX
Pathology Residency: North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY
Surgical Pathology Fellowship: Yale University - New Haven Hospital, CT
Dr. Tang’s publications
What motivated you to become a Pathologist?
I have been involved in breast cancer studies since my graduate school years. During my residency and fellowship staining, I was very fortunate to work and learn from the two leading breast pathologists at the time: Dr. Steven Hajdu and Dr. Daryl Cater. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in female and one of the leading cause of death in female. It has a huge physical and emotional impact both for the patients and their family. Great efforts have been put into breast cancer research. the first companion test (ER, PR and HER2 testing), first target therapy (targeting ER and HER2), first molecular classification and first multi-gene test are all from breast cancer. Although a great deal of progress have been made in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, there is still many unanswered questions. For example: why some DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ) progress to invasive carcinoma, while others do not; why some low grade and small invasive cancer metastases to axillary lymph node, while most of them do not, etc. It is my hope to play a part in answering these clinically critical questions, so we could de-escalate the treatment for these patients.
What do you love most about Loyola Pathology?
Loyola is one of the leading breast cancer treatment center in Greater Chicago Area, and the pathology department has a group of great pathologists, each is an expert in its own subspecialty, and also the department world-renowned cytopathology program.
What is one thing people may not know about you?
I love doing portraits by drawing and oil painting.