Department: Radiation Oncology
Chair: Charles Enke, M.D.
No. of people in department (faculty/staff): 69 total individuals working in radiation oncology
Nebraska Medicine-affiliated employees: 40
UNMC-affiliated employees: 29
Faculty: 16
Staff: 7
Resident physicians and physicist: 6
New faculty:
Chi (Kevin) Zhang, MD, Ph.D., radiation oncologist, translational research
Ying Yang, Ph.D., cancer cell biologist, radiation & chemotherapy research
Qiyong Fan, Ph.D., medical physicist
Xiaofeng (Drew) Zhu, Ph.D., medical physics research
Xin Wang, Ph.D., medical physicist
Educational programs:
Medical residency program started July 1, 2010
Medical physics residency program started July 1, 2001
Affiliation with the College of Allied Health Professions/Radiation Science Technology Education (RSTE) Program
Significant research grants/publications:
There were more than 108 publications in peer reviewed journals by department faculty from Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2015.
Here is the reference for one of the more prominent publications:
Kortylewicz ZP, Mack E, Enke C.A, Estes KA, Mosley RL, Baranowska-Kortylewicz J. Preclinical evaluation of investigational radiopharmaceutical RISAD-P intended for use as a diagnostic and molecular radiotherapy agent for prostate cancer. Prostate. 2015 Jan;75(1):8-22. doi: 10.1002/pros.22885. Epub 2014 Oct 4. PMID: 25283970.
Grant:
Department faculty have been involved in several grants including:
Ying Yan, Ph.D
Title: Rac1 GTPase in tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer (NCI / R01 CA206444-01)
Finding Source: NIH-R01/NCI
Principal Investigators: Michel M. Ouellette and Surinder Batra (Multiple PI)
Role in Project: Co-investigator
Percent Effort: 5 percent
Dates: 04/01/2016 to 03/31/2021
Total Direct Cost: $1.5 million
Status: 4th percentile in TCB study section
Goal of this project is to define the role of RAC1 GTPase in pancreatic cancer development.
Other highlights:
Clinical locations:
- Nebraska Medical Center, Clarkson Tower
- Village Pointe Cancer Center
- Nebraska Medicine Radiation Oncology at Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, Shenandoah, Iowa.
New Technology:
- Varian TrueBeam STx- Treatment system for cranial stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiosurgery (SABR).
- Varian kV Cone Beam CT based IGRT
- Varian Eclipse Treatment Planning System
- Varian Respiratory Motion Management System
New/Expanded Clinical Programs:
- Prone positioning for breast radiation therapy
- Stereotactic body radiosurgery (SABR 4 or 5 high dose radiation fractions) for lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma.
- Single fraction of 8 gray treatment for osseous metastasis.
- High dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for partial breast irradiation, gynecologic cancers and intra-operative radiation therapy.
- "Boom-Boom" 2 gray per fraction times 2 fractions for palliation of low grade lymphomas.
- Frameless single fraction stereotactic radiosurgery for simultaneous treatment of up to 3 brain metastasis.