Meet Jessica Suarez Colen, M.D.
Jessica Suarez Colen, M.D., MPH
Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
2026 Co-Director, West Houston Breast Interdisciplinary Rounds, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Professor, Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Associate Professor, Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2025 | International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM), US, ICHOM Certificate Course |
| 2007 | University of Texas of Public Health, Houston, Texas, US, Public Health, MPH |
| 2004 | University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas, US, MD |
| 2000 | University of Texas, Austin, Texas, US, Psychology and Liberal Arts, BA |
Postgraduate Training
| 2010-2011 | Clinical Fellowship, Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2004-2010 | Clinical Residency, General Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2012 | American Board of Surgery |
| 2010 | Texas Medical Board |
| null | ICHOM Education |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2011 - 2019
Other Professional Positions
Consultant, MD Anderson Physicians Network, Houston, Texas, 2016 - Present
Member, Residents Council, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2010
Administrative Chief Resident, Baylor Residency Program, Houston, TX, 2009 - 2010
President, Physicians for Human Rights, Student Chapter, University of Texas SW MS, Dallas, TX, 2003 - 2004
Vice President, Texas Medical Student Association - University of Texas, Dallas, TX, 2002
Intramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Northwest Surgical Services OR Access Group, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - 2023
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Participant, BSO Fellowship Clinical Competency Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Moderator, Faculty Champion for the BSO APP DI Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Member, OR Access Group w/Clinical Readiness Co Chairs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Representative for Breast Surgical Oncology, Value Analysis Team (VAT), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - Present
Member, Division of Surgery HAL Strategic Growth Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Division of Surgery Diversity and Inclusion Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2022
Member, Memorial Breast Cancer Subcommittee, Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital, 2012 - 2022
Member, Memorial Hermann Cancer Committee, Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital, 2012 - 2022
member, Christus St. Catherine Breast Cancer Commitee, Christus St. Catherine, 2012 - 2020
Member, Christus St. Catherine Cancer Committee, Christus St. Catherine Hospital, 2012 - 2020
Member, National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2012 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2025 - Present | Top 1% Provider and Team Fiscal Year 2025 |
| 2021 - 2022 | Shark Tank Award, Gecko Grip |
| 2017 | 1% Top Performer Nationally, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2011 | Corynne S. Uhl Award, Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2006 | Outstanding New Student Tuition Scholarship, University of Texas School of Public Health |
| 1996 - 2000 | Texas Scholarship for Academic Achievement, University of Texas- Austin |
| 1996 - 2000 | University and Departmental Honors, University of Texas- Austin |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2025. Breast Cancer Reduce Your Risks. Invited. Missouri City Chapter of the Links, Incorporated. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Breast Cancer Reduce Your Risks. Invited. BakerRipley Leonel Castillo Community Center. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2022. MD Anderson Breast Integration Retreat - Panel Participant. Conference. MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Breast Cancer: Learn How To Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Katy Area Chamber of Commerce. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Panelist, Multidisciplinary Care Discussion. Conference. MD Anderson Cancer Network. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Keynote Speaker, "Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention". Conference. Health and Human Services Facet of the Missouri City chapter of the Links, Inc. Houston, TX, US.
- 2020. Career Talk: Healthcare Heroes. Conference. Harmony Public Schools Houston South/West. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2017. Reduciendo Sus Riesgos - Cancer del ceno. Conference. Breast Friends Support Group, TX, US.
- 2017. El temor entre las pacientes de cáncer, muchas veces es la Recurrencia. Conference. Vivas las Rosas, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2008. In the MELD Era, does the incidental finding of hepatocellular carcinoma during liver transplantation due to Hepatitis C predict poor patient survival. Conference. 3rd Annual Academic Surgical Congress of the Association for Academic Surgery and the Society of University Surgeons. Huntington Beach, CA, US.
- 2008. Outcomes analysis of pediatric orthotopic liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari Syndrome. Conference. 3rd Annual Academic Surgical Congress of the Association for academic surgery and the society of university surgeons. Huntington Beach, CA, US.
- 2008. Complicated gallstone disease in a large urban hospital. Conference. 3rd Annual academic surgical congress of the association for academic surgery and the society of university surgeons. Huntington Beach, CA, US.
International Presentations
- 2021. Multidisciplinary Treatment in Breast Cancer Early Stage. Invited. Hemato Oncologos, Oncology Institute. Cali, CO.
Formal Peers
- 2022. Value-Based Health Care Delivery Virtual Intensive Seminar. Invited. Boston, MA, US.
- 2020. Career Talk: Healthcare Heroes. Invited. Houston, TX, US.
- 2014. Disparities in Utilization of Breast Conserving Therapy Among Breast Cancer Patients. Invited. Texarkana, TX, US.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Kuerer, HM, Valero, V, Smith, BD, Krishnamurthy, S, Diego, EJ, Johnson, HM, Lin, Y, Shen, Y, Lucci, A, Shaitelman, SF, Mitchell, MP, Boughey, JC, White, RL, Hunt, KK, Yang, WT, Rauch, GM, Moseley, T, Leung, J, Huang, ML, Candelaria, RP, Adrada, BE, Arribas, E, van la Parra, RF, Ramirez, DL, Teshome, M, Hwang, RF, Miggins, MV, Piotrowski, MJ, Correa Refinetti, AP, Ehlers II, RA, Mouabbi, JA, Colen, JS, Loveland-Jones, C, Lesnikowski, BA, Samiian, L, Chong, C, Black, DM, Desyder, SM, Sun, SX, Nguyen, TM. Selective Elimination of Breast Surgery for Invasive Breast Cancer A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncology 11(5):529-534, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40152443.
- Schaverien MV, Singh P, Smith BD, Qiao W, Akay CL, Bloom ES, Chavez-MacGregor M, Chu CK, Clemens MW, Colen JS, Ehlers RA, Hwang RF, Joyner MM, Largo RD, Mericli AF, Mitchell MP, Shuck JW, Tamirisa N, Tripathy D, Villa MT, Woodward WA, Zacharia R, Kuerer HM, Hoffman KE. Premastectomy Radiotherapy and Immediate Breast Reconstruction: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 7(4):e245217, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38578640.
- Johnson HM, Lin H, Shen Y, Diego EJ, Krishnamurthy S, Yang WT, Smith BD, Valero V, Lucci A, Sun SX, Shaitelman SF, Mitchell MP, Boughey JC, White RL, Rauch GM, Kuerer HM. Patient-Reported Outcomes of Omission of Breast Surgery Following Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 6(9):e2333933, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37707811.
- Kuerer HM, Smith BD, Krishnamurthy S, Yang WT, Valero V, Shen Y, Lin H, Lucci A, Boughey JC, White RL, Diego EJ, Rauch GM, Trials Group ERC, Colen Jessica S, et al. Eliminating breast surgery for invasive breast cancer in exceptional responders to neoadjuvant systemic therapy: a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol 23(12):1517-1524, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36306810.
- Corkum J, Zhu V, Agbafe V, Sun SX, Chu C, Colen JS, Greenup R, Offodile AC. Area Deprivation Index and Rurality in Relation to Financial Toxicity among Breast Cancer Surgical Patients: Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study of Geospatial Differences in Risk Profiles. J Am Coll Surg 234(5):816-826, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35426394.
- Santiago L, Volk RJ, Checka CM, Black D, Lee J, Colen JS, Akay C, Caudle A, Kuerer H, Arribas EM. Acceptability of 3D-printed breast models and their impact on the decisional conflict of breast cancer patients: A feasibility study. J Surg Oncol. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33577715.
Invited Articles
- Rose J, Colen J, Ellsworth W. Reduction and Mastopexy Techniques for Optimal Results in Oncoplastic Breast Reconstruction. Seminars Plastic Surgery(29):102-109, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Suarez J, Arthur D, Woodward W, Kuerer HM. Breast Preservation in patients with local recurrence after breast conserving therapy. Current Breast Cancer Reports 3(2):88-96, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
Editorials
- Suarez J, Kuerer, HM. Influence of Margin Status on Outcomes in Lobular Carcinoma: Experience of the European Institute of Oncology. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly, 2011.
Abstracts
- Leonard L, Sun J, Basset R, Ehlers R, Refinetti A, Johnson H, Akay C, Suarez Colen J, Bedrosian I, Hunt K, Tamirisa N. Surgeon Interpretation of Margin Status Utilizing Intraoperative 3D Tomosynthesis During Breast Conserving Surgery. The American Society of Breast Surgeons. e-Pub 2024.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 24, 2026