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George J. Chang, MD, MS, FACS, FASCRS

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Medical Director, Colorectal Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Director of Clinical Operations, Minimally Invasive and New Technologies in Oncologic Surgery Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

Research Interests

Cancer treatment outcomes research.  Clinical epidemiology of cancer treatment outcomes.  Decision modeling for cancer treatment.

Clinical trials in cancer therapy.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2007 The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, TX, MS, Masters of Science in Clinical Research
1995 University of California, Los Angeles, CA, MD, Doctor of Medicine
1991 University of California, Berkeley, CA, BA, Magna cum Laude, Biochemistry

Postgraduate Training

7/2003-6/2004 Clinical Fellow, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
7/2002-6/2003 Chief Resident, Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
7/1998-6/2001 Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
7/1996-6/2002 Resident, Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
7/1995-6/1996 Intern, Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA

Board Certifications

2005 American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery
2004 American Board of Surgery

Honors and Awards

2010-2011 America's Top Surgeons, Consumers Research Council of America
2007-present Best Doctors in America

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Abbott DE, Cantor SB, Hu CY, Aloia TA, You YN, Nguyen S, Chang GJ. Optimizing clinical and economic outcomes of surgical therapy for patients with colorectal cancer and synchronous liver metastases. J Am Coll Surg 215(2):262-70, 8/2012. e-Pub 5/4/2012. PMID: 22560316.
2. Park IJ, You YN, Agarwal A, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Eng C, Feig BW, Das P, Krishnan S, Crane CH, Hu CY, Chang GJ. Neoadjuvant treatment response as an early response indicator for patients with rectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 30(15):1770-6, 5/20/2012. e-Pub 4/9/2012. PMCID: PMC3383178.
3. Overman MJ, Hu CY, Kopetz S, Abbruzzese JL, Wolff RA, Chang GJ. A Population-Based Comparison of Adenocarcinoma of the Large and Small Intestine: Insights Into a Rare Disease. Ann Surg Oncol 19(5):1439-45, 5/2012. e-Pub 12/21/2011. PMID: 22187121.
4. Hyngstrom JR, Hu CY, Xing Y, You YN, Feig BW, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Cormier JN, Chang GJ. Clinicopathology and outcomes for mucinous and signet ring colorectal adenocarcinoma: analysis from the National Cancer Data Base. Ann Surg Oncol. e-Pub 4/4/2012. PMID: 22476818.
5. Chang GJ, You YN, Park IJ, Kaur H, Hu CY, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Skibber JM, Ernst RD. Pretreatment high-resolution rectal MRI and treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Dis Colon Rectum 55(4):371-7, 4/2012. PMID: 22426259.
6. Chagpar R, Xing Y, Chiang YJ, Feig BW, Chang GJ, You YN, Cormier JN. Adherence to Stage-Specific Treatment Guidelines for Patients With Colon Cancer. J Clin Oncol 30(9):972-9, 3/20/2012. e-Pub 2/21/2012. PMCID: PMC3341110.
7. Bujko K, Rutkowski A, Chang GJ, Michalski W, Chmielik E, Kusnierz J. Is the 1-cm Rule of Distal Bowel Resection Margin in Rectal Cancer Based on Clinical Evidence? A Systematic Review. Ann Surg Oncol 19(3):801-8, 3/2012. e-Pub 8/31/2011. PMCID: PMC3278608.
8. Katz MH, Hu CY, Fleming JB, Pisters PW, Lee JE, Chang GJ. Clinical Calculator of Conditional Survival Estimates for Resected and Unresected Survivors of Pancreatic Cancer. Arch Surg. e-Pub 2/20/2012. PMID: 22351874.
9. You YN, Xing Y, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Cormier JN. Young-onset Colorectal Cancer: Is It Time to Pay Attention? Arch Intern Med 172(3):287-9, 2/13/2012. e-Pub 12/12/2011. PMID: 22157065.
10. Park IJ, You YN, Schlette E, Nguyen S, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Chang GJ. Reverse-hybrid robotic mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Dis Colon Rectum 55(2):228-33, 2/2012. PMID: 22228169.
11. Al-Refaie WB, Hu CY, Pisters PW, Chang GJ. Gastric Adenocarcinoma in Young Patients: a Population-Based Appraisal. Ann Surg Oncol 18(10):2800-7, 10/2011. e-Pub 3/2011. PMCID: PMC3266841.
12. Tsai CJ, Crane CH, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Chang GJ, Feig BW, Eng C, Krishnan S, Maru DM, Das P. Number of lymph nodes examined and prognosis among pathologically lymph node-negative patients after preoperative chemoradiation therapy for rectal adenocarcinoma. Cancer 117(16):3713-22, 8/15/2011. e-Pub 2/15/2011. PMCID: PMC3266661.
13. You YN, Habiba H, Chang GJ, Rodriguez-bigas MA, Skibber JM. Prognostic value of quality of life and pain in patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 18(4):989-96, 4/2011. e-Pub 12/4/2010. PMCID: PMC3187928.
14. Blanke CD, Goldberg RM, Grothey A, Mooney M, Roach N, Saltz LB, Welch JJ, Wood WA, Meropol NJ, NCI GI Steering Committee Colon Cancer Task Force. KRAS and colorectal cancer: ethical and pragmatic issues in effecting real-time change in oncology clinical trials and practice. Oncologist 16(8):1061-8, 2011. e-Pub 7/7/2011. PMID: 21737577.
15. Kwon DS, Chang GJ. The role of minimally invasive surgery and outcomes in colorectal cancer. Perm J 15(3):61-6, 2011. PMCID: PMC3200102.
16. Overman MJ, Hu CY, Wolff RA, Chang GJ. Prognostic value of lymph node evaluation in small bowel adenocarcinoma: analysis of the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database. Cancer 116(23):5374-82, 12/1/2010. e-Pub 8/16/2010. PMID: 20715162.
17. Lee JH, Ross WA, Davila R, Chang G, Lin E, Dekovich A, Davila M. Self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) can serve as a bridge to surgery or as a definitive therapy in patients with an advanced stage of cancer: clinical experience of a tertiary cancer center. Dig Dis Sci 55(12):3530-6, 12/2010. e-Pub 8/19/2010. PMID: 20721627.
18. Silberfein EJ, Kattepogu KM, Hu CY, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig B, Das P, Krishnan S, Crane C, Kopetz S, Eng C, Chang GJ. Long-Term Survival and Recurrence Outcomes Following Surgery for Distal Rectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 17(11):2863-9, 11/2010. e-Pub 6/15/2010. PMCID: PMC3071558.
19. Bowles TL, Xing Y, Hu CY, Mungovan KS, Askew RL, Chang GJ, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Mansfield PF, Ross MI, Cormier JN. Conditional survival estimates improve over 5 years for melanoma survivors with node positive disease. Ann Surg Oncol 17(8):2015-23, 8/2010. e-Pub 4/2010. PMID: 20369298.
20. Brouquet A, Mortenson MM, Vauthey JN, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Overman MJ, Chang GJ, Kopetz S, Garrett C, Curley SA, Abdalla EK. Surgical strategies for synchronous colorectal liver metastases in 156 consecutive patients: classic, combined or reverse strategy? J Am Coll Surg 210(6):934-41, 6/2010. PMID: 20510802.
21. Xing Y, Chang GJ, Hu CY, Askew RL, Ross MI, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Mansfield PF, Lucci A, Cormier JN. Conditional survival estimates improve over time for patients with advanced melanoma: results from a population-based analysis. Cancer 116(9):2234-41, 5/2010. PMCID: PMC2860044.
22. Das P, Delclos ME, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Eng C, Bedi M, Krishnan S, Crane CH. Hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy for rectal cancer in patients with prior pelvic irradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 77(1):60-5, 5/2010. e-Pub 8/2009. PMID: 19695792.
23. Bedrosian I, Hu CY, Chang GJ. Population-based study of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and survival outcomes of breast cancer patients. J Natl Cancer Inst 102(6):401-9, 3/17/2010. e-Pub 2/25/2010. PMID: 20185801.
24. Rao G, Chang GJ, Suk I, Gokaslan Z, Rhines LD. Midsacral amputation for en bloc resection of chordoma. Neurosurgery 66(3 Suppl Operative):41-4, 3/2010. PMID: 20124926.
25. Crane CH, Eng C, Feig BW, Das P, Skibber JM, Chang GJ, Wolff RA, Krishnan S, Hamilton S, Janjan NA, Maru DM, Ellis LM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. Phase II trial of neoadjuvant bevacizumab, capecitabine, and radiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3):824-30, 3/2010. e-Pub 5/2009. PMID: 19464823.
26. Smith KD, Tan D, Das P, Chang GJ, Kattepogu K, Feig BW, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. Clinical significance of acellular mucin in rectal adenocarcinoma patients with a pathologic complete response to preoperative chemoradiation. Ann Surg 251(2):261-4, 2/2010. PMID: 19864936.
27. Schmeler KM, Daniels MS, Soliman PT, Broaddus RR, Deavers MT, Vu TM, Chang GJ, Lu KH. Primary peritoneal cancer after bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in two patients with Lynch syndrome. Obstet Gynecol 115(2 Pt 2):432-4, 2/2010. PMID: 20093870.
28. Chang GJ, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Eng C, Skibber JM. Lymph node status after neoadjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer is a biologic predictor of outcome. Cancer 115(23):5432-40, 12/1/2009. e-Pub 8/2009. PMID: 19673001.
29. Chang GJ, Hu CY, Eng C, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. Practical application of a calculator for conditional survival in colon cancer. J Clin Oncol 27(35):5938-43, 12/10/2009. e-Pub 10/5/2009. PMID: 19805670.
30. Chang GJ, Gonzalez RJ, Skibber JM, Eng C, Das P, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. A twenty-year experience with adenocarcinoma of the anal canal. Dis Colon Rectum 52(8):1375-80, 8/2009. PMID: 19617747.
31. Badgwell B, Chang GJ, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Smith K, Lupo PJ, Frankowski RF, Delclos G, Du XL, Cormier JN. Management and outcomes of anorectal infection in the cancer patient. Ann Surg Oncol 16(10):2752-8, 8/2009. PMID: 19649556.
32. Herman MP, Kopetz S, Bhosale PR, Eng C, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Crane CH, Das P. Sacral insufficiency fractures after preoperative chemoradiation for rectal cancer: incidence, risk factors, and clinical course. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 74(3):818-23, 7/1/2009. e-Pub 1/13/2009. PMID: 19147305.
33. Kopetz S, Chang GJ, Overman MJ, Eng C, Sargent DJ, Larson DW, Grothey A, Vauthey JN, Nagorney DM, McWilliams RR. Improved Survival in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Is Associated With Adoption of Hepatic Resection and Improved Chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol 27(22). e-Pub 5/26/2009. PMCID: PMC2720081.
34. Kesmodel SB, Ellis LM, Lin E, Chang GJ, Abdalla EK, Kopetz S, Vauthey JN, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Curley SA, Feig BW. Preoperative bevacizumab does not significantly increase postoperative complication rates in patients undergoing hepatic surgery for colorectal cancer liver metastases. J Clin Oncol 26(32). e-Pub 10/14/2008. PMID: 18854565.
35. Yu TK, Bhosale PR, Crane CH, Iyer RB, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Eng C, Wolff RA, Janjan NA, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Das P. Patterns of locoregional recurrence after surgery and radiotherapy or chemoradiation for rectal cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71(4):1175-80, 2008. e-Pub 1/2008. PMID: 18207667.
36. Camp RE, Chang GJ. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis following systemic chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Surgical Rounds 31(3):137-39, 2008.
37. Lim SJ, Feig BW, Wang H, Hunt KK, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Skibber JM, Ellis V, Cleary K, Chang GJ. Sentinel lymph node evaluation does not improve staging accuracy in colon cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 15(1). e-Pub 11/6/2007. PMID: 17985187.
38. Badgwell B, Feig BW, Ross MI, Mansfield PF, Wen S, Chang GJ.. Pneumoperitoneum in the Cancer Patient. Ann Surg Oncol 14(11):3141-7, 11/2007. e-Pub 8/2007. PMID: 17680315.
39. Chang GJ, Skibber JM, Feig BW, Rodriguez-Bigas M. Are we undertreating rectal cancer in the elderly? An epidemiologic study. Ann Surg 246(2):215-21, 2007. PMID: 17667499.
40. Chang GJ, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Moyer VA. Lymph node evaluation and survival after curative resection of colon cancer: Systematic Review. J Nat Can Inst 99(6):433-41, http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/99/6/433, 2007.
41. Gannon CJ, Zager JS, Chang GJ, Feig BW, Wood CG, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA. Pelvic exenteration affords safe and durable treatment for locally advanced rectal carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 14(6):1870-7, 2007. PMID: 17406945.
42. Das P, Bhatia S, Eng C, Ajani JA, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Chang GJ, Bhosale P, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Janjan NA, Crane CH. Predictors and patterns of recurrence after definitive chemoradiation for anal cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 68(3):794-800, 2007. PMID: 17379452.
43. Das P, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Wolff RA, Eng C, Krishnan S, Janjan NA, Crane CH. Predictors of tumor response and downstaging in patients who receive preoperative chemoradiation for rectal cancer. Cancer 109(9):1750-5, 2007. PMID: 17387743.
44. Mullen JT, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Chang GJ, Barcenas CH, Crane CH, Skibber JM, Feig BW.. Results of surgical salvage after failed chemoradiation therapy for epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal. Ann Surg Oncol 14(2):478-83, 2007. PMID: 17103253.
45. Das P, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Hoff PM, Eng C, Wolff RA, Janjan NA, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Levy LB, Ellis LM, Crane CH.. Clinical and pathologic predictors of locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, and overall survival in patients treated with chemoradiation and mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 29(3):219-24, 2006. PMID: 16755173.
46. Krishnan S, Janjan NA, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Wolff RA, Das P, Delclos ME, Chang GJ, Hoff PM, Eng C, Brown TD, Crane CH, Feig BW, Morris J, Vadhan-Raj S, Hamilton SR, Lin EH.. Phase II study of capecitabine (Xeloda) and concomitant boost radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 66(3):762-71, 2006. PMID: 17011451.
47. Das P, Lin EH, Bhatia S, Skibber JM, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Feig BW, Chang GJ, Hoff PM, Eng C, Wolff RA, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Janjan NA, Crane CH.. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine versus protracted infusion 5-fluorouracil for rectal cancer: a matched-pair analysis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 66(5):1378-83, 2006. PMID: 17056196.
48. Chang GJ, Mahanty HD, Ascher NL, Roberts JP. Expanding the donor pool: can the Spanish model work in the United States? Am J Transplant 3(10):1259-63, 2003. PMID: 14510699.
49. Chang GJ, Berry JM, Jay N, Palefsky JM, Welton ML. Surgical treatment of high-grade anal squamous intraepithelial lesions: a prospective study. Dis Colon Rectum 45(4):453-8, 2002. PMID: 12006924.
50. Chang GJ, Liu T, Feng S, Bedolli M, O'Rourke R W, Schmidt G, Roberts JP, Stock PG. Targeted gene therapy with CD40Ig to induce long-term acceptance of liver allografts. Surgery 132(2):149-56, 2002. PMID: 12219005.

Last updated: 3/13/2013