Nicholas Panetta, MD

Cancer Focus:
Breast Cancer

Dr. Nicholas J. Panetta is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, as well as faculty at the Center for Women’s Oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center.  Dr. Panetta practices the most advanced breast reconstruction techniques, with expertise in microsurgical free flap reconstruction (SIEA, DIEP, muscle-sparing free TRAM, GAP, TUG), nipple-sparing reconstruction, direct-to-implant one-stage reconstruction, and oncoplastic “breast-sparing” reconstruction.  He has also established USF Health’s and the Moffitt Cancer center’s comprehensive program in the surgical management of lymphedema, performing microsurgical procedures to treat cancer related lymphedema (lymphovenous bypass, vascularized lymph node transfer, suction assisted lipectomy).  Additionally, his practice encompasses the entire broad spectrum of plastic surgery, including general reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery. Dr. Panetta’s research interests are focused on clinical outcomes of the surgical management of cancer related lymphedema, as well as the development of novel cell-based therapies utilizing adipose-derived stem cells.

Dr. Panetta graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Biology.  Subsequently, he matriculated at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he graduated with a distinction of Honors in Surgery in 2004.  He completed his general surgery training at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, and is board certified in general surgery.  He completed a plastic surgery research fellowship at Stanford University, where he served as the Hagey Fellow in Pediatric Regenerative Medicine.  Following the completion of his general surgery training, he completed a three year residency in plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  Subsequently, he remained in Pittsburgh to complete further fellowship training in microvascular and reconstructive surgery.  He has been on faculty in the division of plastic surgery at the University of South Florida since the completion of his training.

Dr. Panetta is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgery, and the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons.  He has been awarded the American College of Surgeons Resident Research Scholarship, the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health Child Health Research Institute Award (Stanford University), and was co-investigator on a NIH/NIDCR R21 grant.  To date, he has been lead or contributing author on over 60 published abstracts, manuscripts, and book chapters, and regularly lectures in scientific and clinical research at regional and national meetings.

Education & Training

Fellowship:

• University of Pittsburg Medical Center - Plastic Surgery

Residency:

• University of South Florida - Surgery
• University of Pittsburg Medical Center - Plastic Surgery

Medical School:

• Indiana University School of Medicine - MD

• Le NK, Weinstein B, Parikh J, Coomar LA, Wainwright D, Liu L, Mammadova J, Tavares T, Panetta NJ. Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction in 77 Consecutive Breast Cancer Patients: 2-year Follow-up. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2024 May.40(4):262-267. Pubmedid: 37579782.
• Wainwright DJ, Le NK, Weinstein B, West W, Tavares T, Panetta NJ. The Impact of Obesity on Success of Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction for Prevention of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. Ann Plast Surg. 2024 Jun.92(6S Suppl 4):S437-S440. Pubmedid: 38857010.
• Le NK, Liu L, Jesus Cruz R, Parikh J, Rotatori RM, Wainwright DJ, Weinstein B, Tavares T, Panetta NJ. Efficacy of Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction in Prevention of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. Ann Plast Surg. 2023 Jun.90(6S Suppl 4):S363-S365. Pubmedid: 36913564.
• Weinstein B, Le NK, Robertson E, Zimmerman A, Tavares T, Tran T, Laronga C, Panetta NJ. Reverse Lymphatic Mapping and Immediate Microsurgical Lymphatic Reconstruction Reduces Early Risk of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2022 May.149(5):1061-1069. Pubmedid: 35255010.
• Wainwright D, Weinstein B, Tavares T, Panetta NJ. Relationship of Adjuvant Radiation and the Lymphedema Index: A Valuable Trend to Follow Subclinical Lymphedema in Patients After Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction. Ann Plast Surg. 2022 Jun.88(5 Suppl 5):S512-S516. Pubmedid: 35690948.
• Le NK, Weinstein B, Serraneau K, Tavares T, Laronga C, Panetta N. The Learning Curve: Trends in the First 100 Immediate Lymphatic Reconstructions Performed at a Single Institution. Ann Plast Surg. 2021 Jun.86(6S Suppl 5):S495-S497. Pubmedid: 34100805.
• Laun J, Park YJ, Rotatori RM, Gonzalez R, Panetta N. Omental Flap to Non-healing Posterior Trunk Wound: A Case Report. Cureus. 2021 Dec.13(12):e20178. Pubmedid: 35004003. Pmcid: PMC8723772.

Voted top doctor in Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in Tampa Magazine's Top Doctors 2025.