Dr Khurum Khan
As a consultant, I aim to provide my patients with the highest level of cancer care available to them
Career and Training
After completing junior doctor training across the UK, Dr Khan specialised in medical oncology at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (London) and the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre. He joined the Royal Marsden and Kingston Hospitals as a Consultant in 2017, where he helped develop a new Acute Oncology Service. In 2019, he moved to University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and North Middlesex University Hospital (NMUH), serving as Clinical Lead for Carcinomas of Unknown Primary (CUP) and Research Lead, focusing on improving pathways for complex cancers.
Since 2022, he has been based at UCLH and Whittington Hospital, leading many clinical trials in gastrointestinal malignancies. He also drives the innovative “UCLH at Whittington” model to transform cancer care in North London and serves as GI Research Specialty Lead for the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN).
Research Leadership and Achievements
Dr Khan remains at the forefront of oncology research, leading efforts in druggable target discovery, biomarker development using liquid biopsies, patient-derived organoids (PDOs), and novel technologies at the UCL Cancer Institute and CRF. As Principal Investigator (PI) on multiple studies and UK Chief Investigator (CI) on international trials, including those in early (investigating novel vaccine approaches) and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and the novel CANTOR study combining dual checkpoint immunotherapy with chemotherapy and targeted therapies in meatstatic colorectal cancer, he advances innovative, precision approaches for challenging GI cancers.
His publications include real-world multi-centre outcomes demonstrating improved survival with extended chemotherapy and multimodal strategies in PDAC, biliary tract cancers (e.g., cholangiocarcinoma with targeted agents), and complex colorectal cancer cases, often showing better-than-expected results through personalised, evidence-based care. Landmark work includes his series on private patients with rare POLE mutations identified via liquid biopsy, achieving complete remission from metastatic disease (Frontiers in Immunology), and evolutionary modelling with serial ctDNA for predictive, adaptive strategies.
Teaching, Global Impact, and Recognition
Passionate about education and the advancement of oncology standards, Dr Khan was awarded Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Educators (FAcadMEd) in 2024 in acknowledgment of his outstanding contributions to medical teaching and training. He has contributed to the national oncology training curriculum, writing questions for MRCP(UK) and Medical Oncology exams , and lecturing regularly at national and international events.
He has received invitations from prestigious surgical societies—including British and international transplant societies in order to share expertise on multidisciplinary management of complex GI and hepatobiliary cancers. As a core member of the UK national liver transplant multidisciplinary team (MDT), he collaborates closely on optimising transplant candidacy and outcomes for patients with liver metastases or primary liver cancers.
Dr Khan has delivered invited lectures at key forums such as the Pakistan Society of Clinical Oncology (PSCO), the Precision Oncology Saudi Summit (POSS), and various surgical meetings across Europe, the Middle East, and Pakistan. These engagements underscore his commitment to demonstrating collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches that bridge oncology, surgery, and precision medicine for improved global patient care.
In recognition of his dedication to equitable cancer care, global oncology education, elevating standards worldwide, and advancing translational research, Dr Khan was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian honour in medicine and science by the Government of Pakistan.