Multidisciplinary Care
Dr. Giorgos Karakousis uses a multidisciplinary approach to care for patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. This rare disease that results from asbestos exposure attacks the abdominal cavity’s lining. It represents between 15 to 20 percent of mesothelioma cases. Dr. Karakousis has chosen to specialize in this rare form of an already rare disease to help the patients who need it the most.
Dr. Giorgos Karakousis has worked as part of the family at the hospital for years.
Early Work
Dr. Karakousis earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his general surgery residency there as well.
During the early part of his career, Dr. Karakousis earned the honor of presenting on hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery for diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma at a conference at Penn Medicine. At the conference, patients, researchers, and physicians came from across the country to learn more about peritoneal mesothelioma.
Rare Cases
Dr. Karakousis asserts that only 300 to 400 new cases of this disease occur in the United States each year. He mentions that men seem to have a higher risk of developing the disease, perhaps because they are more likely to have been exposed to asbestos while working a blue-collar job.
Expertise
Dr. Karakousis has over 20 years of experience in the medical field. He has won teaching awards, including the Inouye Award for Teaching in 2006. He has also been appointed the attending surgeon for the hospital he works at and has worked as part of the family at the hospital for years.
Rae Steinbach
Lauren Weinand