Thomas A. D'Amico, MD
Thoracic Surgeon
My Locations
Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
About Me
I graduated from Harvard University (BA) and the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University (MD). I received training in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center. After completing a Fellowship in Thoracic Surgical Oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, I joined the faculty at Duke University Medical Center. I am currently Professor and Vice Chairman of Surgery, Chief of the Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Director of the Training Program in Thoracic Surgery, and Chief Medical Officer of the Duke Cancer Institute. I specialize in the surgical management of lung cancer and esophageal cancer, with a focus on minimally invasive thoracic surgery. As Vice Chair of Surgery, I am responsible for the development of technology and innovation in the Department. As Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program of the Duke Cancer Institute, I supervise the clinical and research programs in lung cancer and esophageal cancer. I am also involved in improving safety and quality in cancer care, as a member of the Duke Safety and Quality Committee.
LGBTQ+ Identified or Ally
- Gary Hock Distinguished Professor of Surgery, Surgery, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery 2013
- Professor of Surgery, Surgery, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery 2007
- Member of the Duke Cancer Institute, Duke Cancer Institute 2012
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Esophageal Cancer Surgery
- Lung Cancer Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
- Thoracic Surgical Oncology
- Thoracic Surgical Oncology
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
- Clinical Oncology Research Career Development Program awarded by National Institutes of Health 2009 - 2015
- Phase I/II Trial of ZD1839 and Celecoxib in Ex-Smokers awarded by National Institutes of Health 2002 - 2007
- Genetics, Inflammation & Post-op Cognitive Dysfunction awarded by National Institutes of Health 1999 - 2006
- Joshi, Mary-Beth Moore, Thomas A. D’Amico, and David H. Harpole. “Molecular biologic substaging of stage I NSCLC through immunohistochemistry performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue.” Methods Mol Med 75 (2003): 369–88.
- Daniels, Larkin J., Stafford S. Balderson, Mark W. Onaitis, and Thomas A. D’Amico. “Thoracoscopic lobectomy: a safe and effective strategy for patients with stage I lung cancer.” Ann Thorac Surg 74, no. 3 (September 2002): 860–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0003-4975(02)03764-5.
- D’Amico, Thomas A., Terence Z. Wong, David H. Harpole, Stephen D. Brown, and R Edward Coleman. “Impact of computed tomography-positron emission tomography fusion in staging patients with thoracic malignancies.” Ann Thorac Surg 74, no. 1 (July 2002): 160–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0003-4975(02)03693-7.
- D’Amico, T. A. “The role of minimally invasive surgery.” In Modern Thoracic Oncology, 1–3:101–9, 2018.
- Ceppa, D. K. P., and T. A. D’Amico. “Esophageal cancer.” In Molecular Oncology: Causes of Cancer and Targets for Treatment, 526–31, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139046947.045.
- Hanna, J. M., M. W. Onaitis, and T. A. D’Amico. “Lung Cancer.” In Sabiston and Spencer Surgery of the Chest: 2-Volume Set, 318–26, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-24126-7.00018-1.
- Karukonda, Pooja, Dominic LaBella, Brian G. Czito, Eileen Duffy, Hope Elizabeth Uronis, Thomas A. D’Amico, John H. Strickler, Donna Niedzwiecki, Christopher Willett, and Manisha Palta. “Pembrolizumab, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in neoadjuvant treatment of malignant esophago-gastric diseases (PROCEED): Assessment of survival and patterns of recurrence in a prospective, phase II single-arm trial.” In Journal of Clinical Oncology, 42:375–375. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), 2024. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2024.42.3_suppl.375.
- Karukonda, Pooja, Brian G. Czito, Eileen Duffy, Hope Elizabeth Uronis, Thomas A. D’Amico, John H. Strickler, Donna Niedzwiecki, Christopher Willett, and Manisha Palta. “Pembrolizumab, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy in neoadjuvant treatment of malignant esophago-gastric diseases (PROCEED): Assessment of pathologic response and toxicity in a prospective, phase II single-arm trial.” In JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Vol. 41, 2023.
- Jawitz, Nicole G., Vignesh Raman, Oliver K. Jawitz, Rahul A. Shimpi, Richard K. Wood, Matthew G. Hartwig, and Thomas A. D’Amico. “Utilization Trends and Volume-outcomes Relationship of Endoscopic Resection for Early Stage Esophageal Cancer.” In Ann Surg, 277:e46–52, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000004834.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- Medtronic (Covidien)
- Scanlan International