Lawrence D. Piro, MD

Dr. Lawrence D. Piro is the President and CEO of The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute and he has achieved worldwide recognition for developing new cancer drugs and global fame for his unique brand of intellect, charm and disarming honesty with health issues. His hip take on health, TV-ready good looks and ease in front of the camera have made Dr. Piro a frequent guest on television shows such as Barbara Walters, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, the hit CBS show “The Doctors” and many others.

In addition to his fame as a television personality and his frequent appearances in print and radio, Dr. Piro has an extensive research background and experience in the health field. He is board certified in oncology and internal medicine. He received his medical degree from the Washington University School of Medicine and completed post-graduate training at Barnes Hospital and Washington University. Before joining The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, he served as head of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, the director of the Ida M. and Cecil H. Green Center and Executive Vice President at Scripps Clinic, San Diego, California. He is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at University of Southern California. Dr. Piro also serves on the boards of the Peterson Museum and on the USC board of counselors.

Dr. Piro's medical career began with the study of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. His game-changing paper in the New England Journal of Medicine identified that the treatment of hairy-cell leukemia with a single course of Leustatin produced complete remission in 90 percent of patients and led to its FDA approval. His dedication to lymphoma research continued with work on pivotal trials on Rituxan, first monoclonal antibody to ever be approved for treatment of cancer, which revolutionized the treatment of low-grade lymphoma. The study demonstrated a higher response rate with 8 weekly doses of Rituxan and resulted in the FDA approval of the 8 weekly dose regimen. Recently, Dr. Piro has made great strides in linking obesity and cancer and his weight loss strategies are poised to make a huge impact in the health world.

Dr. Piro serves on regional and national committees on cancer, leukemia and lymphoma. His research most recently has been in the development of individualized cancer therapy including novel imaging techniques to identify targets susceptible to drug treatment and radio-immunotherapy.

As clinician, researcher, and lecturer, Dr. Piro is an internationally recognized expert in hematologic malignancies: leukemia and lymphoma. His resume relates a career dedicated to the discovery of novel therapeutics to combat these aggressive malignancies. Through his work, major advances have been made in the treatment of patients worldwide. Today, Dr. Piro lectures around the world on various topics in cancer and cancer research in addition to continuing a robust clinical practice.

Dr. Piro is known as the “Doctor Without a Lab Coat” because he forgoes a white lab coat for a hip suit and tie so that the medical experience of his patients is less threatening. He works to make patients feel relaxed so they can have open supportive conversations in their journey to recovery. To Dr. Piro, taking care of patients is not about “treating,” it’s about “healing” which involves many factors beyond science and medicine. An honest, open and focused connection between doctor and patient is, to Dr. Piro, essential to good health and this philosophy informs his treatment of individuals as entire beings, not just a collection of symptoms.