Dipen M Maru, M.D.
Department of Anatomical Pathology, Division of Pathology-Lab Medicine Div
About Dr. Maru
I am a gastrointestinal pathologist with clinical focus on gastrointestinal oncologic and molecular pathology. My research is focused on identifying and validating novel targets of progression of precancerous lesions of gastrointestinal tract, predictive markers of response to chemoradiotherapy and novel treatment targets in colorectal and esophageal cancer.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Charles B. Swank Chair in Gastrointestinal/Esophageal Cancer Research, Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
Education & Training
Postgraduate Training
| 2004-2004 | Clinical Fellowship, Gastrointestinal, Liver and Transplant Pathology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH |
| 2002-2003 | Clinical Fellowship, Surgical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 1998-2002 | Clinical Residency, Pathology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH |
Board Certifications
| 2003 | American Board of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2015
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2006 - 2010
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Rha SY, Ku GY, Kim HS, Chung HC, Amlashi FG, Maru DM, Fein CA, Tang LH, Zhou W, Wu T, Peter SA, Kelsen DP, Ajani JA. PD-L1 expression and overall survival in Asian and western patients with gastric cancer. Future Oncol 18(21):2623-2634, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35616013.
- Veeranki OL, Tong Z, Mejia A, Verma A, Katkhuda R, Bassett R, Kim TB, Wang J, Lang W, Mino B, Solis L, Kingsley C, Norton W, Tailor R, Wu JY, Krishnan S, Lin SH, Blum M, Hofstetter W, Ajani J, Kopetz S, Maru D. A novel patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model of esophageal adenocarcinoma provides a platform for translational discoveries. Dis Model Mech 12(12), 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31732509.
- Veeranki OL, Tong Z, Dokey R, Mejia A, Zhang J, Qiao Y, Singh PK, Katkhuda R, Mino B, Tailor R, Canales JR, Bassett R, Ajani J, Wu JY, Kopetz S, Blum M, Hofstetter W, Tetzlaff M, Krishnan S, Lin SH, Maru D. Targeting cyclin-dependent kinase 9 by a novel inhibitor enhances radiosensitization and identifies Axl as a novel downstream target in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget 10(45):4703-4718, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31384397.
- Tong Z, Mejia A, Veeranki O, Verma A, Correa AM, Dokey R, Patel V, Solis LM, Mino B, Kathkuda R, Rodriguez-Canales J, Lin SH, Krishnan S, Kopetz S, Blum M, Ajani JA, Hofstetter WL, Maru DM. Targeting CDK9 and MCL-1 by a New CDK9/p-TEFB inhibitor with and without 5-Fluorouracil in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. Ther Adv Med Oncol 11:1-17, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31384313.
- Clarke CN, Lee MS, Wei W, Manyam G, Jiang ZQ, Lu Y, Morris J, Broom B, Menter D, Vilar-Sanchez E, Raghav K, Eng C, Chang GJ, Simon I, Bernards R, Overman M, Mills GB, Maru DM, Kopetz S. Proteomic features of colorectal cancer identify tumor subtypes independent of oncogenic mutations and independently predict relapse-free survival. Ann Surgical Oncology 24(13):4051-4058, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28936799.
- Loree JM, Pereira AA, Lam M, Willauer AN, Raghav K, Dasari A, Morris VK, Advani SM, Menter DG, Eng C, Shaw K, Broaddus R, Routbort MJ, Liu Y, Morris J, Luthra R, Meric-Bernstam F, Overman MJ, Maru DM, Kopetz S. Classifying colorectal cancer by tumor location rather than sidedness highlights a continuum in mutation profiles and Consensus Molecular Subtypes. Clin Cancer Res. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29180604.
- Tong Z, Chatterjee D, Deng D, Veeranki O, Mejia A, Ajani AJ, Hofstetter W, Lin S, Guha S, Kopetz S, Krishnan S, Maru DM. Antitumor effects of cyclin dependent kinase 9 inhibition in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Oncotarget 8(17):28696-28710, 2017.
- Waring P, Tie J, Maru DM, Karapetis CS. RAS mutations as predictive biomarkers in clinical management of metastatic colorectal cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer 15(2):95-103, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26952655.
- Overman MJ, Morris V, Kee B, Fogelman D, Xiao L, Eng C, Dasari A, Shroff R, Mazard T, Shaw K, Vilar E, Raghav K, Shureiqi I, Liang L, Mills GB, Wolff RA, Hamilton S, Meric-Bernstam F, Abbruzzese J, Morris J, Maru DM, Kopetz S. Utility of a molecular prescreening program in advanced colorectal cancer for enrollment on biomarker-selected clinical trials. Ann Oncol 27(6):1068-74, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27045102.
- Kopetz S, Desai J, Chan E, Hecht JR, O'Dwyer PJ, Maru DM, Morris V, Janku F, Dasari A, Chung W, Issa JP, Gibbs P, James B, Powis G, Nolop KB, Bhattacharya S, Saltz L. Phase II pilot study of vemurafenib in patients with metastatic BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 33(34):4032-8, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26460303.
- Guinney J, Dienstmann R, Wang X, de Reyniès A, Schlicker A, Soneson C, Marisa L, Roepman P, Nyamundanda G, Angelino P, Bot BM, Morris JS, Simon IM, Gerster S, Fessler E, De Sousa E Melo F, Missiaglia E, Ramay H, Barras D, Homicsko K, Maru DM, Manyam GC, Broom B, Boige V, Perez-Villamil B, Laderas T, Salazar R, Gray JW, Hanahan D, Tabernero J, Bernards R, Friend SH, Laurent-Puig P, Medema JP, Sadanandam A, Wessels L, Delorenzi M, Kopetz S, Vermeulen L, Tejpar S. The consensus molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer. Nat Med. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26457759.
- Karapetis CS, Maru D, Waring P, Tie J, Michael MZ. Incorporating traditional and emerging biomarkers in the clinical management of metastatic colorectal cancer. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 15(8):1033-48, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26166616.
- Zhou JH, Rosen D, Andreou A, Brouquet A, Abbott D, Loyer E, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Kopetz S, Meric-Bernstam F, Kuerer H, Abdalla E, Vauthey JN, Sahin AA, Maru DM. Residual tumor thickness at the tumor-normal tissue interface predicts the recurrence-free survival in patients with liver metastasis of breast cancer. Ann Diagn Pathol 18(5):266-70, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25205085.
- Patel VR, Hofstetter WL, Correa AM, Agarwal A, Rashid A, Bhutani MS, Lin SH, Ajani JA, Swisher SG, Maru DM. Signet ring cells in esophageal adenocarcinoma predict poor response to preoperative chemoradiation. Ann Thorac Surg 98(3):1064-71, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25038008.
- Morris V, Overman MJ, Jiang ZQ, Garrett C, Agarwal S, Eng C, Kee B, Fogelman D, Dasari A, Wolff R, Maru D, Kopetz S. Progression-free survival remains poor over sequential lines of systemic therapy in patients with BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer 13(3):164-71, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25069797.
- Song S, Ajani JA, Honjo S, Maru DM, Chen Q, Scott AW, Heallen TR, Xiao L, Hofstetter WL, Weston B, Lee JH, Wadhwa R, Sudo K, Stroehlein JR, Martin JF, Hung MC, Johnson RL. Hippo coactivator YAP1 upregulates SOX9 and endows esophageal cancer cells with stem-like properties. Cancer Res 74(15):4170-82, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24906622.
- Maru DM, Agarwal AA, Hu CY, Chang GJ. Reply to "Can" quantified pathologic response assessed as residual tumor burden be a promising staging system for patients with rectal cancer treated with chemoradiation followed by surgery?. Cancer 120(8):1282, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24474599.
- Agarwal A, Chang GJ, Hu CY, Taggart M, Rashid A, Park IJ, You YN, Das P, Krishnan S, Crane CH, Rodriguez-Bigas M, Skibber J, Ellis L, Eng C, Kopetz S, Maru DM. Quantified pathologic response assessed as residual tumor burden is a predictor of recurrence-free survival in patients with rectal cancer who undergo resection after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Cancer 119(24):4231-41, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24089344.
- Vauthey JN, Zimmitti G, Kopetz SE, Shindoh J, Chen SS, Andreou A, Curley SA, Aloia TA, Maru DM. Ras mutational status predicts patterns of recurrence and survival in patients undergoing hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases. Ann Surg 258(4):619-27, 2013. PMID: 24018645.
- Brouquet A, Zimmitti G, Kopetz S, Stift J, Julié C, Lemaistre AI, Agarwal A, Patel V, Benoist S, Nordlinger B, Gandini A, Rivoire M, Stremitzer S, Gruenberger T, Vauthey JN, Maru DM. Multicenter validation study of pathologic response and tumor thickness at the tumor-normal liver interface as independent predictors of disease-free survival after preoperative chemotherapy and surgery for colorectal liver metastases. Cancer 119(13):1-11, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23868456.
- Maru D, Venook AP, Ellis LM. Predictive biomarkers for bevacizumab: are we there yet?. Clin Cancer Res 19(11):2824-7, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23549876.
- Song S, Maru DM, Ajani JA, Chan CH, Honjo S, Lin HK, Correa A, Hofstetter WL, Davila M, Stroehlein J, Mishra L. Loss of TGF-β adaptor β2SP activates notch signaling and SOX9 expression in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 73(7):2159-69, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23536563.
- Brouquet A, Overman MJ, Kopetz S, Maru DM, Loyer EM, Andreou A, Cooper A, Curley SA, Garrett CR, Abdalla EK, Vauthey JN. Is resection of colorectal liver metastases after a second-line chemotherapy regimen justified?. Cancer 117(19):4484-92, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21446046.
- Thekkek N, Maru DM, Polydorides AD, Bhutani MS, Anandasabapathy S, Richards-Kortum R.. Pre-clinical evaluation of fluorescent deoxyglucose as a topical contrast agent for the detection of Barrett's-associated neoplasia during confocal imaging. Technol Cancer Res Treat 10(5):431-41, 2011.
- Estrella JS, Hofstetter WL, Correa AM, Swisher SG, Ajani JA, Lee JH, Bhutani MS, Abraham SC, Rashid A, Maru DM. Duplicated muscularis mucosae invasion has similar risk of lymph node metastasis and recurrence-free survival as intramucosal esophageal adenocarcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol 35(7):1045-53, 2011. PMID: 21602659.
- Maru DM, Kopetz S, Boonsirikamchai P, Agarwal A, Chun YS, Wang H, Abdalla EK, Kaur H, Charnsangavej C, Vauthey JN, Loyer EM. Tumor thickness at the tumor-normal interface: A novel pathologic indicator of chemotherapy response in hepatic colorectal metastases. Am J Surg Pathol 34(9):1287-1294, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20697255.
- Overman MJ, Maru DM, Charnsangavej C, Loyer EM, Wang H, Pathak P, Eng C, Hoff PM, Vauthey JN, Wolff RA, Kopetz S. Oxaliplatin-mediated increase in spleen size as a biomarker for the development of hepatic sinusoidal injury. J Clin Oncol 28(15):2549-55, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20406923.
- Goodarzi M, Correa AM, Ajani JA, Swisher SG, Hofstetter WL, Guha S, Deavers MT, Rashid A, Maru DM. Anti-phosphorylated histone H3 expression in Barrett's esophagus, low-grade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma. Mod Pathol 22(12):1612-21, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19734842.
- Chun YS, Vauthey JN, Boonsirikamchai P, Maru DM, Kopetz S, Palavecino M, Curley SA, Abdalla EK, Kaur H, Charnsangavej C, Loyer EM. Association of computed tomography morphologic criteria with pathologic response and survival in patients treated with bevacizumab for colorectal liver metastases. JAMA 302(21):2338-44, 2009. PMID: 19952320.
- Maru DM, Singh RR, Hannah C, Albarracin CT, Li YX, Abraham R, Romans AM, Yao H, Luthra MG, Anandasabapathy S, Swisher SG, Hofstetter WL, Rashid A, Luthra R. MicroRNA-196a is a potential marker of progression during Barrett's metaplasia-dysplasia-invasive adenocarcinoma sequence in esophagus. Am J Pathol 174(5):1940-8, 2009. PMID: 19342367.
- Maru D, Luthra R, White-Cross J, Anadasabapathy S, Guha S, Krishnan S, Komaki R, Swisher S, Ajani J, Hofstetter W, Rashid A. Frequent loss of Heterozygosity of Chromosome 1q in esophageal adenocarcinoma; Loss of chromosome 1q21.3 is associated with shorter overall survival. Cancer 115(7):1576-85, 2009. PMID: 19156915.
- Chun Y, Laurent AL, Maru DM, Vauthey J. Management of chemotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity in colorectal liver metastases. Lancet Oncology(10):278-286, 2009.
- Maru DM. Barrett esophagus: Review of diagnostic challenges and new developments. Annals of Diagnostic Pathology(13):212-221, 2009.
- Blazer DG 3rd, Kishi Y, Maru DM, Kopetz S, Chun YS, Overman MJ, Fogelman D, Eng C, Chang DZ, Wang H, Zorzi D, Ribero D, Ellis LM, Glover KY, Wolff RA, Curley SA, Abdalla EK, Vauthey JN. Pathologic response to preoperative chemotherapy: A new outcome end point after resection of Hepatic Colorectal Metastasis. Journal of Clinical Oncology 26(33):5344-51, 2008. PMID: 18936472.
- Maru D, Khurana H, Rashid A, Correa A, Anandasabapathy S, Krishnan S, Komaki R, Ajani J, Swisher S, Hofstetter W. Retrospective study of clinicopathologic features and prognosis of high-grade Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the esophagus. American Journal of Surgical Pathology 32(9):1404-11, 2008. PMID: 18670347.
- Anandasabapathy S, Maru D, Klump S, Bhutani M. Evaluation of a new flexible fiber CO2 laser for gastrointestinal cutting: Notes and mucosectomy in a Porcine Mode. Endoscopy 40(Suppl 2):E200-1, 2008. PMID: 18709617.
- Maru DM, Middleton LP, Wang S, Valero V, Sahin A. HER-2/neu and p53 overexpression as biomarkers of breast carcinoma in women age 30 years and Younger. Cancer 103(5):900-905, 2005.
- Maru DM, Wu TT, Canada A, Houlihan P, Cleary K, Hamilton S, Rashid A. Frequent loss of chromosome 18q and DPC4 mutations in mucinous and non-mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinomas. Oncogene 23(3):859-864, 2004.
- Neipp M, Exner BG, Maru DM, Haber M, Gammie JS, Pham SM, Ildstad ST. T-cell depletion of allogeneic bone marrow using anti-alphabetaTCR monoclonal antibodies: Prevention of graft versus host disease without affecting the engraftment potential in rats. Experimental Hematology 27(5):860-867, 1999.
Invited Articles
- Chun Y, Laurent AL, Maru DM, Vauthey J. Management of chemotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity in colorectal liver metastases. Lancet Oncology 10:278-86, 2009.
- Maru DM. Barretts esophagus: Review of diagnostic challenges and new developments. Annals of Diagnostic Pathology 13:212-21, 2009.
- Maru DM. Sporadic microsatellite instability-high colon carcinoma with hMLH1 Promoter Methylation. American Society of Clinical Pathology, Check Sample, 2008.
Book Chapters
- Maru DM. Histopathologic evaluation and neoadjuvant treatment response and tumor regression grade. In: Rectal Cancer:Modern Approaches to Treatment. Springer, 2017.
- Maru DM. How will histopathology affect the management of the multidisciplinary team?. In: Colorectal Cancer: Diagnosis and Management. Wiley-Blackwell: Oxford, UK, 2013.
- Contreras CM, Brouquet A, Maru DM, and Vauthey J-N. Hepatic steatosis, steatohepatitis, and chemotherapy-related liver injury. In: Blumgart's Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract, and Pancreas. 5th. Elsevier-Health Sciences Division, 999-1005, 2011.
- Maru DM, Fenoglio-Preiser C. AIDS related gastrointestinal diseases. In: AFIP Fascicle for Non- neoplastic Gastrointestinal Diseases. American Registry of Pathology, 2007.
- Maru DM, Fenoglio-Preiser C. Benign gastric diseases. In: AFIP Fascicle for Non- neoplastic Gastrointestinal Diseases. American Registry of Pathology, 2007.
- Maru DM. Ischemic bowel diseases. In: AFIP Fascicle for Non-neoplastic Gastrointestinal Diseases. American Registry of Pathology, 2007.
- Maru DM. Malabsorption syndrome. In: AFIP Fascicle for Non-neoplastic Gastrointestinal Diseases. American Registry of Pathology, 2007.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Central Pathology Review-An Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized, Phase 3 Study of S-1 and Cisplatin Compared to 5-FU and Cisplatin in Patients with Metastatic Diffuse Gastric Cancer Previously Untreated with Chemotherapy |
| Funding Source: | Taiho Pharma Inc. USA and Food and Drug Administration |
| Role: | Project Leader |
| Title: | CDK Inhibitors as Adjunctive to 5-FU and/or Radiation in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma- Assessment of Efficacy and Predictive Biomarkers |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Therapeutic Strategies for Patients with BRAF Mutant Colorectal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | Assay Development and Validation for Novel Consensus Classification of Colorectal Cancer, Colorectal Cancer Moon Shot, |
| Funding Source: | MD Anderson |
| Role: | Project Leader |
| Title: | Colorectal Cancer Molecular Subtype Assay Development and Validation |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Cyclin Dependent Kinase 9, a potential therapeutic target in Gastric Adenocarcinoma |
| Funding Source: | DOD/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (DOD/CDMRP) |
| Role: | Mentor |
| Title: | MD Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Gastrointestinal Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Biospecimen and Pathology Core Leader |
| Title: | Clinical trials of C188-9, an oral inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | Phase I/II clinical trial of a TGF-beta inhibitor, M7824 in microsatellite instability (MSI) or Consensus Molecular Subtype (CMS) 4 metastatic colorectal cancer |
| Funding Source: | EMD-Serono |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Longitudinal therapeutic monitoring of colorectal cancer patients using exosome-based liquid biopsies |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Cancer Center Support (CORE) Grant |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Director, Tissue Biospecimen and Pathology Resource |
| Title: | AstraZenecca-MedImmune and MD Anderson Translational Molecular Pathology Alliance |
| Funding Source: | AstraZenecca-MedImmune |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Molecular and Therapeutic Characterization of HER3 as a Target for U3 1402 (an anti-HER3 ADC) in GI cancers |
| Funding Source: | DAIICHI SANKYO CO LTD |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified May 30, 2024