Dr. Pelayo Correa is a distinguished Colombian pathologist whose career has profoundly shaped the understanding of gastric cancer worldwide. He currently holds the position of Anne Potter Wilson Professor of Medicine Emeritus in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, following his appointment there in 2005 after a distinguished career spanning multiple continents. Born in Sonson, Colombia in 1927, Correa received his medical degree from Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín and completed his Pathology residency at Emory University School of Medicine and Grady Hospital in Atlanta as a Kellogg Foundation fellow in 1954. Prior to joining Vanderbilt, he served as Chairman of Pathology at Universidad del Valle School of Medicine in Cali, Colombia from 1954 to 1965, worked as a Visiting Scientist at the National Cancer Institute from 1970 to 1973, and was Professor of Pathology at Louisiana State University Medical Center from 1974 to 2005 where he was awarded the prestigious Boyd Professorship.
Dr. Correa's groundbreaking research has centered on the epidemiology of gastric cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with his most significant contribution being the definition of the histological stages of gastric carcinogenesis through the renowned "Correa Cascade." His systematic investigation began in the 1960s when he observed striking geographic variations in stomach cancer incidence between high-altitude Andean regions and coastal areas of Colombia, which led him to collect biopsy specimens and characterize the disease progression. Through decades of meticulous work, Correa established the critical link between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer development, fundamentally advancing the understanding of the pathology, epidemiology, and prevention strategies for this deadly disease. His research has provided the foundation for targeted interventions that have significantly reduced gastric cancer mortality in high-risk populations worldwide through early detection and eradication of H. pylori infections.
Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Correa has received numerous prestigious honors including the American Association for Cancer Research's Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship, which he received in 2012 for his presentation on "Gastric cancer: An infectious disease" at the AACR Annual Meeting. In 2025, he was further recognized with election to the AACR Academy, highlighting the enduring impact of his seminal work on gastric carcinogenesis. His research methodology combining epidemiological observation with detailed pathological analysis has served as a model for investigating environmental and infectious causes of cancer, particularly in resource-limited settings. As professor emeritus, Dr. Correa continues to influence the field through his seminal publications and the work of countless researchers he has inspired, cementing his legacy as one of the foremost authorities on gastric cancer pathology whose contributions remain central to contemporary cancer prevention strategies.
