About me
Priyanka Kanth, MD, MS, is a gastroenterologist and Professor at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Fellowship-trained and board-certified in gastroenterology, Dr. Kanth is the Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program at MedStar Georgetown and sees patients and families with high risk for gastrointestinal cancers. Her area of special interest and expertise is gastrointestinal cancer, especially hereditary colon cancer and colon cancer prevention.
She graduated from medical school and completed her internship at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, MAHE University, India. She completed a residency in internal medicine at University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, where she was Chief Medical Resident, and a residency in colorectal and general surgery at Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in the United Kingdom, as well as a fellowship in gastroenterology at University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Kanth’s areas of clinical expertise include colon polyps, serrated colon polyps, hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes, including Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, serrated polyposis syndrome, hamartomatous polyposis syndromes, hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancer genetics, and the prevention of colon cancer.
She has served as principal investigator and site principal investigator for several studies on issues related to gastrointestinal cancer. Her research has been published in several peer-reviewed journals, including NEJM, JAMA, Genetic Epidemiology, Gut, Gastroenterology, Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology, and Journal of National Comprehensive Cancer Network. She also has presented at numerous national and international conferences.
Dr. Kanth believes in educating her patients so they are aware of their personal and family history of gastrointestinal and other cancers. This knowledge is important, because many of these cancers can be prevented and detected early, especially in the case of genetic conditions that increases cancer risk. She is a firm believer in listening to her patients, answering all their questions, and coming to a mutual decision about their care.
In her spare time, she enjoys movies, traveling, and spending time with family.
Learn more about our Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention program
Clinical areas of focus
- Colonoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Genomic Testing For Cancer
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
Conditions and procedures
Procedures I perform
- Cancer Risk Assessment
- Cancer Risk Management
- Capsule Endoscopy
- Celiac Disease Treatment
- Colonoscopy
- Colonoscopy With Injection
- Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
- Endoscopic Stomach Feeding Device Insertion
- Endoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Enteroscopy With Bleeding Control
- Esophageal Dilation
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) Testing
- Familial Cancer Syndrome Management
- Family History-Based Cancer Risk Assessment
- Flexible Colonoscopy With Biopsy
- Gastrointestinal Biopsy
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Genetics Consultation
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention
- Gastrointestinal Foreign Body Removal
- Gastrointestinal Functional Disorder Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Perforation Repair
- Gastrointestinal Tumor Removal
- Genetic Counseling For Hereditary Cancer Risk
- Genetic Testing For Cancer Susceptibility
- Genetic Testing For Hereditary Cancer
- Genomic Testing For Cancer
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Inherited Cancer Risk Evaluation And Management
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Sigmoidoscopy With Biopsy
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Variceal Band Ligation
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
Main Bldg 2nd Fl
Washington, DC, 20007
6862 Elm St
Ste 800A
McLean, VA, 22101
Insurance
This list represents the major payors accepted by MedStar Health. NOTE: Payor contracts change and not all plans associated with a payor may be covered. Payors may offer multiple plans. If you have a question related to your insurance, please contact your insurance plan directly. Contact information is located on your health insurance ID card. *Denotes limited participation. Specific providers and practices may NOT be participating. Please contact your insurance plan directly.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland
- Cigna Health Care
- Kaiser Permanente*
- MedStar Select (Administered by CareFirst)
- United HealthCare
- Aetna
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland
- Healthspring
- Humana
- Medicare & Railroad Medicare
- United HealthCare
- Aetna Better Health of Maryland *
- Medical Assistance/Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice MD
- Priority Partners *
- United HealthCare Community Health Plan MD
- Wellpoint MD
- AmeriHealth Caritas
- Health Services For Children With Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Medical Assistance/Medicaid
- MedStar Family Choice DC
- Johns Hopkins Employer Health Programs *
- Johns Hopkins US Family Health Plan *
- MultiPlan
- Private Healthcare Systems
- Tricare/Humana Military
- VA Community Care Network (VACCN)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology/Gastroenterology
Graduate: University of Utah Physician Assistant Program (2015)
Medical School: Kasturba Medical College Mangalore (2001)
Awards
- 2021: American Gastroenterological Association Fellow (AGAF)
- 2019: SCOPY award (Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention & Year-Round Excellence) from the American College of Gastroenterology for organizing the colon cancer awareness event and for the best original tactic- ‘visit the endo unit’ video
- 2018: Hind Rattan Award (Jewel of India award) by the NRI Welfare Society, New Delhi, India
- 2017: Fellowship of American College of Gastroenterology (FACG)
- 2016: Selected for the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program, American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
- 2016: Selected for the Vice President’s Clinical & Translational (VPCAT) Research Scholars Program, University of Utah
- 2013: Awarded a travel grant to attend Digestive Disease Week conference for the Fellowship2Leadership Salix Fellows’ Program.
- 2009: Maxwell O Phelps award for Scholarship in Medicine by University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT.
- 2008: Service excellence award for excellent patient care by Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT.
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
- Facebook live event on colon cancer screening organized by MedStar Health, March 2023 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxnD2D-veU
- https://www.agingmattersonline.com/radio-show Conversation w/ Priyanka Kanth, MD, about signs and symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic screening, and treatment for colorectal cancer, and lifestyle changes to reduce risk. March 2022.
- Why should you get your colorectal cancer screening at 45
- Tour of Colon Cancer Exhibit, Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Facebook live event on colon cancer screening organized, Huntsman Cancer Institute
- 6 Colon Cancer Symptoms That Are Easily Overlooked, U.S News & World Report
- How our researchers and physicians work to end health disparities, Huntsman Cancer Institute
- University of Utah Health presented One in a Million, a documentary on gene discovery, premiered at a sponsored event during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, February 2019