Division of Cancer Medicine - Robert A. Wolff, M.D.

Clinical trials of novel agents for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer; clinical trials studying outcomes of combining novel, targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors or VEGFR inhibitors with conventional chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancers; clinical trials studying outcomes of combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy for colorectal cancers; use of radiosensitizers in the treatment of unresectable and metastatic rectal cancers.

Dr. Wolff’s appointment as deputy chair for clinical and educational affairs reflects his prominence and numerous achievements in these two areas. As director of educational programs in the Division of Cancer Medicine since 1999, he has played a pivotal role in the expansion of our University of Texas at Houston M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellowship Program. Under his leadership, this fellowship program has become one of the best in the country. In 2004, he was awarded “Teacher of the Year” by the medical oncology fellows as well as the surgical oncology fellows in recognition of his skills as a clinician educator. As a gastrointestinal medical oncology attending physician, Dr. Wolff also provides counsel to any other University of Texas fellow or resident in need of support. His current and former fellows highly esteem the role model he has provided not only for how to treat cancer but also for how to provide compassionate care to patients and their families.

Dr. Wolff led the effort to form the new merged Hematology/Medical Oncology fellowship program now called The University of Texas at Houston M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Fellowship Program. He correspondingly revamped the fellows’ curriculum, which involves several teaching facilities in the University of Texas system and Baylor College of Medicine, to achieve the optimal balance between clinical education and research while preparing them for board eligibility in both hematology and oncology.

Dr. Wolff was elected to the Education Committee for ASCO in 2004, where he also serves on the Subcommittee for Gastrointestinal Cancers (non-colorectal tract). He was selected as chair of the 2005 ASCO Educational Session on “Controversies in the Use of Adjuvant Therapy for Patients with Pancreatic Cancer” and was invited to lecture on “Targeted Therapies in Pancreatic Cancer” at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium. Dr. Wolff also serves as representative for M. D. Anderson on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Panel. His ability to translate his educational and research activities directly to compassionate care in the clinic has earned him a listing every year among the “Best Doctors in America.”

1. Varadhachary GR, Tamm EP, Abbruzzese JL, Xiong HQ, Crane CH, Wang H, Lee JE, Pisters PW, Evans DB, Wolff RA. Borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: definitions, management, and role of preoperative therapy. Annals of Surgical Oncology 13:1035-46, 2006.
   
   
2. Hoff PM, Wolff RA, Xiong H, Jones D, Lin E, Eng C, Dutta A, Bogaard KR, Abbruzzese JL. Phase II trial of combined irinotecan and oxaliplatin given every 3 weeks to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Cancer 106:2241-6, 2006.
   
   
3. Tempero MA, Behrman S, Ben-Josef E, Benson AB III, Cameron JL, Casper ES, Hoffman JP, Karl RC, Kim P, Koh WJ, Kuvshinoff BW II, Melvin WS, Muscarella P II, Sasson AR, Shibata S, Shrieve DC, Talamonti MS, Tyler DS, Vickers SM, Warren RS, Willett C, Wolff RA. National Comprehensive Cancer Network: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Clinical practice guidelines in oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 3:598-626, 2005.
   
   
4. Wolff RA, Evans DB, Gravel DM, Lenzi R, Pisters PW, Lee JE, et al. Phase I trial of gemcitabine combined with radiation for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Clinical Cancer Research 7:2246-53, 2001.
   
   
5. Wolff RA, Abbruzzese JL, Evans DB. Neoplasms of the exocrine pancreas. In: Cancer Medicine. 5th ed. Hamilton, Ontario: B.C. Decker Inc; 2000:1436-64.