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Mary Kaye Martel, Ph.D., FAAPM, FASTRO

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, multi-year appointment, Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Deputy Chief of Clinical Services, Department of Radiation Physics, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Research Interests

Dr. Martel's current research interests are in radiation dose-response studies, outcome analysis and biological modeling.  She is interested in normal tissue toxicity risk assessment in anatomical sites such as the thorax, head, and head and central nervous system.  She is also interested in tumor control probability modeling.  This work includes information from functional imaging, genetic information such as SNP's, and other biological information such as cytokines.  Her research group is developing a novel program to treat advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer with personalized adaptive radiation.

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1982 Clark University, Worcester, MA, PHD, Nuclear Chemistry

Postgraduate Training

1/2010-4/2010 Heart of Leadership Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
12/2009 Mid-career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar, Association of American Medical Colleges/Harvard Medical School, Scottsdale, AZ
9/1982-8/1984 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York City, NY, Mentor: Dr. John Laughlin

Board Certifications

1986 American Board of Radiology

Experience/Service

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Faculty Member, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX, 8/2008

Institutional Committee Activities

Senator (elected), Faculty Senate Travel Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009-present
Member, 2008-present; Chair, Credentialing Committee, Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009
Member, Medical Physics Residency Steering Committee, Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2008-present
Member, Radiation Oncology Access Database Committee, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2008-present
Senator (elected), Faculty Senate, Institutional Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2008-present
Member, Physicist-Scientist Oversight Committee, Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2008-present
Member, Research Mentorship Committee, Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2007-present
Member, Research Funding Review Panel, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2007-present
Member, Leadership Council, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2007-present
Member, Clinical Operations Committee, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2007-present

Honors and Awards

2008 Fellow, American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
2008 Society of Pediatric Radiology Presidential Recognition Award
2001 Fellow, American Association of Physicists in Medicine

Professional Memberships

American Board of Radiology
Oral Board Examiner, 2008-present
American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Program Committee, 2005
Medical Physics Committee, 2004-present
Research Review Committee, 2004-present
Research Proposal Committee, 2003-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Liao ZX, Komaki RR, Thames HD, Liu HH, Tucker SL, Mohan R, Martel MK, Wei X, Yang K, Kim ES, Blumenschein G, Hong WK, Cox JD. Assessing the impact of technologic advancement on outcome for patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving concomitant chemo radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3):775-81, 2010. PMID: 19515503.
2. Tucker SL, Jin H, Wei X, Wang S, Martel MK, Komaki R, Liu HH, Mohan R, Chen Y, Cox JD, Liao Z. Impact of Toxicity grade and scoring system on the relatioinship between mean lung dose and risk of radiation pneumonitis in a large cohort of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 77(3):691-8, 2010. PMID: 19836159.
3. Marks LB, Bentzen SM, Deasy JO, Kong FM, Bradley JD, Vogelius IS, El Naqa I, Hubbs JL, Lebesque JV, Timmerman RD, Martel MK, Jackson A. Radiation dose volume effects in the lung. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3 Suppl):70-76, 2010. PMID: 20171521.
4. Mayo C, Martel MK, Marks LB, Flickinger J, Nam J, Kirkpatrick J. Radiation dose volume effects of optic nerves and chiasm. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3 Suppl):28-35, 2010. PMID: 20171514.
5. Jin H, Tucker SL, Liu HH, Wei X, Yom SS, Wang S, Komaki R, Chen Y, Martel MK, Mohan R, Cox JD, Liao Z. Dose-volume thresholds and smoking status for the risk of treatment-related pneumonitis in inoperable non-small cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy. Radiother Oncol 91(3):427-32, 6/2009. PMID: 18937989.
6. Cao J, Roeske JC, Chmura SJ, Salama JK, Shoushtari AN, Boyer AL, Martel MK. Calculation and prediction of the effect of respiratory motion on whole breast radiation therapy dose distributions. Med Dosim 34(2):126-132, 2009. PMID: 19410141.
7. Yuan X, Liao Z, Liu Z, Wang LE, Tucker SL, Mao L, Wang XS, Martel M, Komaki R, Cox JD, Milas L, Wei Q. Single nucleotide polymorphism at rs1982073:T869C of the TGFbeta 1 gene is associated with the risk of radiation pneumonitis in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with definitive radiotherapy. J Clin Oncol 27(20):3370-8, 2009. PMID: 19380441.
8. Tucker SL, Liu HH, Liao Z, Wei X, Wang S, Jin H, Komaki R, Martel MK, Mohan R. Analysis of radiation pneumonitis risk using a generalized lyman model. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(2)(2):568-574, 2008. PMID: 18793959.
9. Wang X, Krishnan S, Zhang X, Dong L, Briere T, Crane CH, Martel M, Gillin M, Mohan R, Beddar S. Proton radiotherapy for liver tumors: dosimetric advantages over photon plans. Med Dosim 33(4)(4):259-267, 2008. PMID: 18973852.
10. Belderbos JS, Kepka L, Spring Kong FM, Martel MK, Videtic GM, Jeremic B. Report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consultants' meeting on elective nodal irradiation in lung cancer: non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(2)(2):335-342, 2008. PMID: 18793953.
11. Videtic GM, Belderbos JS, Spring Kong FM, Kepka L, Martel MK, Jeremic B. Report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consultants' meeting on elective nodal irradiation in lung cancer: small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(2)(2):327-334, 2008. PMID: 18793952.
12. Aristophanous M, Penney BC, Martel MK, Pelizzari CA. A Gaussian mixture model for definition of lung tumor volumes in positron emission tomography. Med Phys 34(11)(11):4223-4235, 2007. PMID: 18072487.
13. Jani AB, Gratzle J, Muresan E, Farrey K, Martel MK. Analysis of acute toxicity with the use of transabdominal ultrasound for prostate positioning during intensity-modulated radiotherapy treatment. Urology 65(3):504-8, 2005. PMID: 15780365.
14. Jani AB, Gratzle J, Muresan E, Martel MK. Impact on late toxicity on using transabdominal ultrasound for prostate cancer patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy. Technol Cancer Res Treat 4(1):115-20, 2005. PMID: 15649095.
15. Martel MK. Advanced radiation treatment planning and delivery approaches for treatment of lung cancer. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 18(1):231-243, 2004. PMID: 15005291.
16. Narayan S, Henning GT, Ten Haken RK, Sullivan MA, Martel MK, Hayman JA. Results following treatment to doses of 92.4 or 102.9 Gy on a phase I does escalation study for non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 44(1):79-88, 2004. PMID: 15013586.
17. Allen A, Henning G, Ten Haken RK, Hayman J, Martel MK. Do volume metrics predict long term pulmonary function changes in lung irradiation? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 55(4):921-929, 2003.
18. Seppenwoolde Y, Lebesque JV, de Jaeger K, Belderbos JS, Boersma LJ, Schilstra C, Henning GT, Hayman JA, Martel MK, Ten Haken RK. NTCP models and the incidence of radiation pneumonitis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 55(3):724-735, 2003. PMID: 12573760.
19. Pierce LJ, Butler JB, Martel MK, Normolle DP, Koelling T, Marsh RB, Lichter AS, Fraass BA. Post mastectomy radiotherapy of the chest wall: dosimetric comparison of common techniques. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 52(5)(5):1220-30, 2002. PMID: 11955732.
20. Graves MN, Thompson AV, Martel MK, McShan DL, Fraass BA. Calibration and quality assurance for rounded leaf-end MLC systems. Med Phys 28(1):2227-33, 2001.
21. Hayman JA, Martel MK. Ten Haken RK, Normolle, DP, Todd RF 3rd, Littles JF, Sullivan MA, Possert PW, Turrisi AT, Lichter AS. Dose escalation in non-small-cell lung cancer using three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy: update of a phase I trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology 19(1):127-36, 2001.
22. Dawson la, Anzai Y, Marsh L, Martel MK, Paulino A, Ship JA, Eisbruch A. Patterns of local regional recurrence following parotid-sparing conformal and segmental intensity-modulated radiotheraphy for head and neck cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 46(5):1117-1126, 2000.
23. Eisbruch A, Dawson LA, Kim HM, Bradford CR, Terrell JE, Chepeha DB, Teknos TN, Anzai Y, Marsh LH, Martel MK, Ten Haken RK, Wolf FT, Ship JA. Conformal and intensity modulated irradiation of head and neck cancer: the potential for improved target irradiation, salivary gland function, and quality of life. Acta Oto-Rhino-Laryngologica Belgica 53(3):271-5, 1999.
24. Martel MK, Ten Haken RK, Hazuka MB, Kessler ML, Strawderman M, Turrisi AT, Lawrence TS, Fraass BA, Lichter AS. Estimation of tumor control probability model parameters from 3D dose distributions of nonsmall cell lung cancer patients. Lung Cancer 24(1):31-37, 1999.
25. Lee SW, Fraass BA, Marsh LH, Herbort K, Gebarski SS, Martel MK, Radany EH, Lichter AS, Sandler HM. Patterns of failure following high-dose 3D conformal radiotherapy for high-grade astrosytomas: a quantitative dosimetric study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 43:79-88, 1999.
26. Martel MK, Narayana V. Brachytherapy for the next centennial: Efficacy of image-based brachytherapy. Radiation Research 150:178-188, 1998.
27. Eisbruch A, Martel MK, Marsh LH, Ship JA, Ten Haken RK, Lichter AS. Conformal CT-based bilateral neck irradiation (RT) for patients with head and neck cancer: potential gains in target coverage and noninvolved tissue sparing. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 41:559-568, 1998.
28. Martel MK, Eisbruch A, Lawrence TS, Fraass BA, Ten Haken RK, Lichter AS. Cord dose from standard head and neck treatments: implications for conformal treatment plans. Radiother Oncol 47:185-189, 1998.
29. Eisbruch A, Johnston CM, Martel MK, Reynolds KR, Robertson JM, Marsh LH, Roberts JA. Customized gynecologic interstitial implants: CT-based planning, dose evaluation and optimization aided by laparatomy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 40:1087-1093, 1998.
30. Kwa SLS, Lebesque JV, Theuws JCM, Lichter AS, Martel MK, Ten Haken RK. Radiation pneumonitis as a function of mean dose: an analysis of pooled data of 540 patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 42:1-9, 1998.
31. Fukunaga-Johnson N, Sandler HS, Marsh R, Martel MK. The use of 3-D conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) to spare the cochlea in patients with meulloblastoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 41:77-82, 1998.
32. Robertson JM, Ten Haken RK, Hazuka MB, Turrisi AT, Martel MK, Pu AT, Littles JF, Martinez FJ, Francis IR, Quint LE, Lichter AS. Dose escalation for nonsmall cell lung cancer using conformal radiation therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 37(5):1079-1085, 1997. PMID: 9169816.
33. Martel MK, Sandler HM, Cornblath WT, Marsh LH, Hazuka MB, Roa WH, Fraass BA, Lichter AS. Dose-volume complication analysis for visual pathway structures of patients with advanced paranasal sinus tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 38(2):273-84, 1997. PMID: 9226313.
34. Moran, JM, Martel MK, Fraass BA. Evaluation of multileaf collimator dose distribution with and without applicators for electron beams. Med Phys 25:1491-1498, 1997.
35. Martel MK, Sahijdak WM, Ten Haken RK, Kessler ML, Turrisi AT. Fraction size and dose parameters related to the incidence of pericaridal effusions. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 40:151-155, 1997.
36. Martel MK, Strawderman M, Hazuka MB, Turrisi AT, Fraass BA, Lichter AS. Volume and dose parameters for survival of nonsmall cell lung cancer patients. Radiother Oncol 44(1):23-30, 1997. PMID: 9288853.
37. Watson B, Robertson JM, Marsh LM, Martel MK, Lawrence T. A 3-D approach for re-irradiation of recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma. Med Dosim 21:79-82, 1996.
38. Eisbruch A, Ship JA, Martel MK, Jones RE, Marsh LH, Watson BA, Ten Haken RK, Lichter AS. Bilateral neck techniques for head and neck cancer: utilizing conformal radiation techniques to spare a parotid gland. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 36:469-480, 1996.
39. Marsh L, Eisbruch A, Watson B, Martel MK. Treatment planning for parotid sparing int he patient requiring bilateral neck irradiation. Med Dosim 21(1):7-13, 1996. PMID: 8679070.
40. Thompson AV, Lam KL, Balter JM, McShan DL, Martel MK, Weaver TA, Fraass BA, Ten Haken RK. Mechanical and dosimetric quality control for computer controlled radiotherapy treatment units. Med Phys 22:563-566, 1995.
41. Martel MK, Ten Haken RK, Hazuka MB, Turrisi, AT, Fraass BA, Lichter AS. Dose-volume histogram and 3-D treatment planning evaluation of patients with pneumonitis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 28:575-581, 1994.
42. Roa WHY, Hazuka MB, Martel MK, Sandler HM, Thornton AF, Turrisi AT, Urba S, Wolf GT, Lichter AS. Results of primary and adjuvant 3-diomensional radiotherapy for malignant tumors of the paranasal sinus. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 28:857-865, 1994.
43. Schoeppel SL, LaVigne ML, Martel MK, McShan DL, Fraass BA, Roberts JA. Three-dimensional treatment planning of intracavitary gynecologic implants: analysis of ten cases and implications for dose specification. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 28:277-283, 1994.
44. Ten Haken RK, Balter JM, Martel MK, Fraas BA. Tissue inhomogeneity in the chest: implications for 3-D treatment planning. Front Radiat Ther Oncol, 1994.
45. Hazuka MB, Martel MK, Marsh L, Lichter AS, Wolf GT. Preservation of parotid function after external beam irradiation in head and neck cancer patients: a feasibility study using 3-dimensional treatment planning. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 27:731-737, 1993.
46. Hazuka MB, Lutz, ST, Turrisi AT, Martel MK, Ten Haken RK, Borema LP, Lichter AS. Results of high dose thoracic irradiation (RT) using computed tomography (CT)-based treatment planning and beams eye view (BEV) display in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 27:273-284, 1993.
47. Ten Haken RK, Martel MK, Kessler ML, Hazuka MB, Lawrence TS, Robertson JM, Turrisi AT, Lichter AS. Use of Veff and iso-NTCP in the implementation of dose escalation protocols. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 27:689-695, 1993.

Book Chapters
1. Kong FM, Bradley JD, Martel MK, Senan S. Cancers of the Thorax. In: Treatment Planning in Radiation Oncology, Second. Ed(s) FM Khan. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: New York, 2006.
2. Martel MK. QA of the Treatment Planning Process. In: Proceedings of the Quality Assurance in Novel Technologies in Radiation Medicine (QANTRM). IAEA: Vienna, 2006.
3. Connell P, Martel MK, Hellman S. Principles of Radiation Oncology. In: Principles and Practice of Oncology. Ed(s) VT DeVita, S Hellman, SA Rosenberg. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2004.
4. Martel MK. Treatment planning and Conformal Radiotherapy. In: Advances in Radiation Oncology in Lung Cancer. Ed(s) B Jeremic. Springer-Verlag, 2004.
5. Martel MK, Graham MV. Dose volume histograms and normal tissue complication probabilities and their clinical applications. In: Treatment Optimization for Lung Cancer: from classical to innovative procedures. Ed(s) F Mornex, P van Houtte. Elsevier: Paris, France, 1998.
6. Rosenman J, Hazuka MB, Martel MK. 3-D Treatment Planning for Lung Cancer. In: Lung Cancer: Principles and Practice. Ed(s) AT Turrisi. Lippincott Publishers, 1995.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Optimizing Proton Radiation Therapy
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator/PI
Principal Investigator: Delaney
Duration: 7/1/2008 - 6/30/2013

Last updated: 11/19/2010