David Harpole, MD
Dr. David Harpole is a thoracic surgeon whose areas of expertise include mesothelioma surgery, lung cancer surgery, surgery for congenital and acquired chest wall abnormalities, and esophageal cancer surgery at the Duke Cancer Institute in Durham, North Carolina. He specializes in minimally invasive thoracic surgery.[1]
Education and Career
Dr. Harpole earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Following graduation, he completed an internship and residency in General Surgery at Duke University Medical Center.
He then completed a fellowship in Thoracic Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and a fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. He is board-certified in Thoracic Surgery, Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, and General Surgery.[1]
Dr. Harpole is currently a practicing thoracic surgeon with Duke Health. He specializes in lung cancer and mesothelioma treatment and sees patients at several locations in Durham and Raleigh, North Carolina. He is also a professor of surgery and pathology at Duke University.
Dr. Harpole has been in practice for over twenty years and particularly enjoys the relationships that he has formed with his patients and the opportunity to work with other cancer specialists as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide patients with high-quality care based on the most current research and innovation.[1]
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Harpole is actively involved in numerous organizations, including:
- American Association for Thoracic Surgery
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Network
- European Society of Thoracic Surgeons
- General Thoracic Surgical Club
- Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
- The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Research
In addition to his clinical work and role as a Professor of Surgery, Professor of Pathology, and member of the Duke Cancer Institute, Dr. Harpole is an active researcher who holds the title of George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor for Research in Cancer.[2]
His primary research interests include the evaluation of serum and tissue molecular biologic markers of recurrence in patients with a localized non-small cell lung cancer, molecular biologic staging of lymph nodes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and the evaluation of the clonality of metastatic tumors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.[2]
He also engages in clinical research activities, including the creation of a prospective database for the Duke Thoracic Oncology Program, a cost and satisfaction evaluation of thoracoscopy and open thoracotomy, and the development of risk-associated models of morbidity in patients undergoing thoracic surgery procedures.[2]
He has received multiple grants, with the most recent including:[2]
- Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) – NHLBI awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 – 2028
- Comparative Effectiveness of Surgery vs Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Stage I Lung Cancer awarded by Washington University in St. Louis 2022 – 2026
- Duke Resident Physician-Scientist Program – NIAID awarded by National Institutes of Health 2018 – 2023
- Comparative Effectiveness of Surgery vs Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Stage I Lung Cancer awarded by Washington University School of Medicine 2022 – 2023
His recent publications include:[2]
- Heymach, John V., David Harpole, and Martin Reck. “Perioperative Durvalumab for Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Reply.” N Engl J Med 390, no. 3 (January 18, 2024): 287–88. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2313778.
- Worrell, Stephanie G., Karyn A. Goodman, Nasser K. Altorki, Jonathan B. Ashman, Traves D. Crabtree, Jennifer Dorth, Scott Firestone, et al. “The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American Society for Radiation Oncology Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines on Multimodality Therapy for Locally Advanced Cancer of the Esophagus or Gastroesophageal Junction.” Ann Thorac Surg 117, no. 1 (January 2024): 15–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2023.09.021.
- Worrell, Stephanie G., Karyn A. Goodman, Nasser K. Altorki, Jonathan B. Ashman, Traves D. Crabtree, Jennifer Dorth, Scott Firestone, et al. “The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American Society for Radiation Oncology Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines on Multimodality Therapy for Locally Advanced Cancer of the Esophagus or Gastroesophageal Junction.” Pract Radiat Oncol 14, no. 1 (2024): 28–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prro.2023.10.001.
- Moris, Dimitrios, Richard Barfield, Cliburn Chan, Scott Chasse, Linda Stempora, Jichun Xie, Jennifer K. Plichta, et al. “Immune Phenotype and Postoperative Complications After Elective Surgery.” Ann Surg 278, no. 6 (December 1, 2023): 873–82. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000005864.
- Heymach, John V., David Harpole, Tetsuya Mitsudomi, Janis M. Taube, Gabriella Galffy, Maximilian Hochmair, Thomas Winder, et al. “Perioperative Durvalumab for Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.” N Engl J Med 389, no. 18 (November 2, 2023): 1672–84. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2304875.
- Varlotto, J. M., C. Bosetti, D. Bronson, C. Santucci, M. V. Chiaruttini, M. Scardapane, M. Mehta, D. Harpole, R. Osarogiagbon, and G. Hodgkinson. “Meta-Analysis of Rates and Risk Factors for Local Recurrence in Surgically Resected Patients With NSCLC and Differences Between Asian and Non-Asian Populations.” JTO Clinical and Research Reports 4, no. 10 (October 1, 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtocrr.2023.100515
