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Merrill S. Kies, M.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Deputy Division Head, Global Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor, Department of Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Merrill S. Kies, MD, is Professor of Medicine in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. His past positions include Professor of Medicine and Clinical Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery of the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He  is also the Director of Clinical Programs for the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology; M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. 

Dr. Kies received his medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. His postgraduate training included an internship and residency in internal medicine at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Brooke Army Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Dr. Kies is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and holds subspecialty certification in medical oncology. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. 

Dr. Kies’s research interests include combined modality treatment of head/neck cancer and non–small-cell lung cancer, new drug development, and rehabilitation in head and neck cancer. He has lectured nationally and internationally on topics related to head and neck cancers. Dr. Kies is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and The American Head and Neck Society.  

Office Address

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1515 Holcombe Blvd,
Unit Number: Unit 432
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: FC9.3058
Phone: 713-792-6363
Fax: 713/792-1220

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1973 Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, MD, Medicine

Postgraduate Training

1976-1978 Research Fellowship, Hematology/Oncology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX
1974-1976 Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, DC
1973-1974 Clinical Internship, Walter Reed General Hospital, Washington, DC

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Hanrahan EO, Kies MS, Glisson BS, Khuri FR, Feng L, Tran HT, Ginsberg LE, Truong MT, Hong WK, Kim ES. A Phase II Study of Lonafarnib (SCH66336) in Patients With Chemorefractory, Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck. Am J Clin Oncol. e-Pub 5/2009. PMID: 19433965.
2. Barringer DA, Hutcheson KA, Sturgis EM, Kies MS, Lewin JS. Effect of induction chemotherapy on speech and swallowing function in patients with oral tongue cancer. Head Neck 31(5):611-617, 5/2009. PMID: 19107949.
3. Salama JK, Haddad RI, Kies MS, Busse PM, Dong L, Brizel DM, Eisbruch A, Tishler RB, Trotti AM, Garden AS. Clinical Practice Guidance for Radiotherapy Planning After Induction Chemotherapy in Locoregionally Advanced Head-and-Neck Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. e-Pub 4/2009. PMID: 19362781.
4. Holsinger FC, Kies MS, Diaz EM, Gillenwater AM, Lewin JS, Ginsberg LE, Glisson BS, Garden AS, Ark N, Lin HY, Lee JJ, El-Naggar AK, Hong WK, Shin DM, Khuri FR. Durable Long-Term Remission With Chemotherapy Alone for Stage II to IV Laryngeal Cancer. J Clin Oncol 27(12):1976-82, 4/2009. e-Pub 3/2009. PMID: 19289628.
5. Sulman EP, Schwartz DL, Le TT, Ang KK, Morrison WH, Rosenthal DI, Ahamad A, Kies M. Glisson B, Weber R, Garden AS. Imrt Reirradiation of Head and Neck Cancer-Disease Control and Morbidity Outcomes. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73(2):399-409, 2/2009. PMID: 18556144.
6. Zinner RG, Komaki R, Cox JD, Glisson BS, Pisters KM, Herbst RS, Kies M, Liao Z, Hong WK, Fossella. Dose Escalation of Gemcitabine Is Possible with Concurrent Chest Three-Dimensional rather than Two-Dimensional Radiotherapy: A Phase I Trial in Patients with Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73(1):119-27, 1/2009. PMID: 18556142.
7. Rice D, Swisher S, Pisters K, Fossella F, Herbst R, Hofstetter W, Kies M, Komaki R, Lippman S, Mehran R, Roth J, Stewart D, Vaporciyan A, Walsh G, Cox J. Comment on "Treatment of non-small cell lung cancer stage IIIA: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (2nd edition)". Chest 134(6):1349; author reply 1350, 12/2008. PMID: 19059972.
8. Rapidis A, Sarlis N, Lefebvre JL, Kies M. Docetaxel in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Ther Clin Risk Manag 4(5):865-886, 11/2008. PMCID: PMC2621396.
9. Galer CE, Kies MS. Evaluation and management of the unknown primary carcinoma of the head and neck. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 6(10):1068-75, 11/2008. PMID: 19176202.
10. Figlin RA, Brown E, Armstrong AJ, Akerley W, Benson AB, Burstein HJ, Ettinger DS, Febbo PG, Fury MG, Hudes GR, Kies MS, Kwak EL, Morgan RJ, Mortimer J, Reckamp K, Venook AP, Worden F, Yen Y. NCCN Task Force Report: mTOR inhibition in solid tumors. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 6 Suppl 5:S1-S20; quiz S21-S22, 9/2008. PMID: 18926092.
11. Forastiere AA, Ang KK, Brizel D, Brockstein BE, Burtness BA, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Goepfert H, Hicks WL, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Martins R, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pfister DG, Pinto HA, Posner MR, Ridge JA, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A 3rd, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F. Head and Neck Cancers. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 6(7):646-95, 8/2008. PMID: 18691457.
12. Cohen EE, Rosen LS, Vokes EE, Kies MS, Forastiere AA, Worden FP, Kane MA, Sherman E, Kim S, Bycott P, Tortorici M, Shalinsky DR, Liau KF, Cohen RB. Axitinib Is an Active Treatment for All Histologic Subtypes of Advanced Thyroid Cancer: Results From a Phase II Study. J Clin Oncol 26(29):4708-13, 6/2008. e-Pub 6/2008. PMID: 18541897.
13. Rosenthal DI, Chambers MS, Fuller CD, Rebueno NC, Garcia J, Kies MS, Morrison WH, Ang KK, Garden AS. Beam Path Toxicities to Non-Target Structures During Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Head And Neck Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(3):747-55, 5/2008. e-Pub 5/2008. PMID: 18455324.
14. Lee ES, Issa JP, Roberts DB, Williams MD, Weber RS, Kies MS, El-Naggar AK. Quantitative promoter hypermethylation analysis of cancer-related genes in salivary gland carcinomas: comparison with methylation-specific PCR technique and clinical significance. Clin Cancer Res 14(9):2664-72, 5/2008. PMID: 18451230.
15. Rosenthal DI, Mendoza TR, Chambers MS, Burkett VS, Garden AS, Hessell AC, Lewin JS, Ang KK, Kies MS, Gning I, Wang XS, Cleeland CS. The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Head and Neck Module, A Patient-Reported Outcome Instrument, Accurately Predicts The Severity of Radiation-Induced Mucositis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(5):1355-61, 5/2008. e-Pub 5/2008. PMID: 18501527.
16. Blumenschein GR, Kies MS, Papadimitrakopoulou VA, Lu C, Kumar AJ, Ricker JL, Chiao JH, Chen C, Frankel SR. Phase II trial of the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (Zolinza, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, SAHA) in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer. Invest New Drugs 26(1):81-7, 2/2008. e-Pub 10/2007. PMID: 17960324.
17. Blumenschein GR Jr, Kies MS, Papadimitrakopoulou VA, Lu C, Duman AJ, Ricker JL, Chiao JH, Chen C, Frankel SR. Phase II trial of the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (Zolinzatrade mark, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, SAHA) in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer. Invest New Drugs (1):81-7, 2008.
18. Holsinger FC, Kies MS, Weinstock YE, Lewin JS, Hajibashi S, Nolen DD, Weber R, Laccourreye O. Videos in clinical medicine. Examination of the larynx and pharynx. N Engl J Med 358(3):e2(3):e2, 2008. PMID: 18199857.
19. Kies MS. Induction chemotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (SCCHN). Curr Treat Options Oncol 8(3):252-60, 6/2007. PMID: 17952388.
20. Nash JW, Barrett TL, Kies M, Ross MI, Sneige N, Diwan AH, Lazar AJ. Metastatic hidradenocarcinoma with demonstration of Her-2/neu gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization: potential treatment implications. J Cutan Pathol 34(1):49-54, 1/2007. PMID: 17214855.
21. Williams MD, Roberts D, Blumenschein GR, Temam S, Kies MS, Rosenthal DI, Weber RS, El-Naggar AK. Differential expression of hormonal and growth factor receptors in salivary duct carcinomas: biologic significance and potential role in therapeutic stratification of patients. Am J Surg Pathol 31(11):1645-52(11):1645-52, 2007. PMID: 18059220.
22. Rosenthal DI, Mendoza TR, Chambers MS, Asper JA, Gning I, Kies MS, Weber RS, Lewin JS, Garden AS, Ang KK, S Wang X, Cleeland CS. Measuring head and neck cancer symptom burden: The development and validation of the M. D. Anderson symptom inventory, head and neck module. Head Neck 29(10):923-31, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17358040.
23. Nash JW, Barrett TL, Kies M, Ross MI, Sneige N, Diwan AH, Lazar AJ. Metastatic hidradenocarcinoma with demonstration of Her2/neu gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization: potential treatment implications. J Cutan Pathol 34:49-54, 2007.
24. Langer CJ, Harris J, Horwitz EM, Nicolaou N, Kies M, Curran W, Wong S, Ang K. Phase II study of low-dose paclitaxel and cisplatin in combination with split-course concomitant twice-daily reirradiation in recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: results of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Protocol 9911. J Clin Oncol 25(30):4800-5(30):4800-5, 2007. PMID: 17947728.
25. Curran D, Giralt J, Harari PM, Ang KK, Cohen RB, Kies MS, Jassem J, Baselga J, Rowinsky EK, Amellal N, Comte S, Bonner JA. Quality of life in head and neck cancer patients after treatment with high-dose radiotherapy alone or in combination with cetuximab. J Clin Oncol 25(16)(16):2152-2155, 2007. PMID: 17538164.
26. Cohen EE, Haraf DJ, List MA, Kocherginsky M, Mittal BB, Rosen F, Brockstein B, Williams R, Witt ME, Stenson KM, Kies MS, Vokes EE. High survival and organ function rates after primary chemoradiotherapy for intermediate-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated in a multicenter phase II trial. J Clin Oncol 24(21):3438-44, 7/2006. PMID: 16849759.
27. Thomas SK, Fossella FV, Liu D, Schaerer R, Tsao AS, Kies MS, Pisters KM, Blumenschein GR, Jr, Glisson BS, Lee JJ, Herbst RS, Zinner RG. Asian ethnicity as a predictor of response in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer treated with gefitinib on an expanded access program. Clin Lung Cancer 7(5):326-31, 2006. PMID: 16640804.
28. Oh SH, Kim WY, Kim JH, Younes MN, El-Naggar AK, Myers JN, Kies M, Cohen P, Khuri F, Hong WK, Lee HY. Identification of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 as a farnesyl transferase inhibitor SCH66336-induced negative regulator of angiogenesis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 12:653-61, 2006. PMID: 16428512.
29. Williams MD, Chakravarti N, Kies MS, Maruya S, Myers JN, Haviland JC, Weber RS, Lotan R, El-Naggar AK. Implications of methylation patterns of cancer genes in salivary gland tumors. Clin Cancer Res 12(24):7353-8, 2006. PMID: 17189407.
30. Yom SS, Rosenthal DI, El-Naggar AK, Kies MS, Hessel AC. Merkel cell carcinoma of the tongue and head and neck oral mucosal sites. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 101(6):761-8, 2006. e-Pub 3/2006. PMID: 16731397.
31. Carducci MA, Musib L, Kies MS, Pili R, Truong M, Brahmer JR, Cole P, Sullivan R, Riddle J, Schmidt J, Enas N, Sinha V, Thornton DE, Herbst RS. Phase I dose escalation and pharmacokinetic study of enzastaurin, an oral protein kinase C beta inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer. J Clin Oncol 24(25)(25):4054-4055, 2006. PMID: 16943527.
32. Tsao AS, Garden AS, Kies MS, Morrison W, Feng L, Lee JJ, Khuri F, Zinner R, Myers J, Papadimitrakopoulou V, Lewin J, Clayman GL, Ang KK, Glisson BS. Phase I/II study of docetaxel, cisplatin, and concomitant boost radiation for locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. J Clin Oncol 24(25):4163-9, 2006. PMID: 16943532.
33. Mrozek E, Kloos RT, Ringel MD, Kresty L, Snider P, Arbogast D, Kies M, Munden R, Busaidy N, Klein MJ, Sherman SI, Shah MH. Phase II study of celecoxib in metastatic differentiated thyroid carcinoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91(6)(6):2201-2204, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16522694.
34. Gilbert J, Li Y, Pinto HA, Jennings T, Kies MS, Silverman P, Forastiere AA. Phase II trial of taxol in salivary gland malignancies (E1394): A trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Head Neck 28(3)(3):197-204, 2006. PMID: 16470745.
35. Bonner JA, Harari PM, Giralt J, Azarnia N, Shin DM, Cohen RB, Jones CU, Sur R, Raben D, Jassem J, Ove R, Kies MS, Baselga J, Youssoufian H, Amellal N, Rowinsky EK, Ang KK. Radiotherapy plus cetuximab for squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck. N Engl J Med 9:354(6)(6):567-578, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16467544.
36. Esmaeli B, Golio D, Kies M, DeMonte F. Surgical management of locally advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg 22:366-70, 2006. PMID: 16985421.
37. Herbst RS, Arquette M, Shin DM, Dicke K, Vokes EE, Azarnia N, Hong WK, Kies MS. Phase II multicenter study of the epidermal growth factor receptor antibody cetuximab and cisplatin for recurrent and refractory squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. J Clin Oncol 23(24):5578-87, 8/2005. e-Pub 7/2005. PMID: 16009949.
38. Liao Z, Komaki R, Milas L, Yuan C, Kies M, Chang JY, Jeter M, Guerrero T, Blumenschien G, Smith CM, Fossella F, Brown B, Cox JD. A phase I clinical trial of thoracic radiotherapy and concurrent celecoxib for patients with unfavorable performance status inoperable/unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. Clin Cancer Res 11(9):3342-8, 2005. PMID: 15867233.
39. Maruya S, Kies MS, Williams M, Myers JN, Weber RS, Batsakis JG, El-Naggar AK. Differential expression of p63 isotypes (DeltaN and TA) in salivary gland neoplasms: biological and diagnostic implications. Hum Pathol 36(7):821-7, 2005. PMID: 16084953.
40. Forastiere AA, Ang K, Brizel D, Brockstein BE, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Goepfert H, Hicks WL, Jr, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pfister DG, Pinto HA, Posner MR, Ridge JA, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A, 3rd, Wheeler RH, 3rd, Wolf GT, Worden F, Yueh B. Head and neck cancers. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 3(3):316-91, 2005. PMID: 16002004.
41. Sturgis EM, Moore BA, Glisson BS, Kies MS, Shin DM, Byers RM. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue in young adults: a case series. Head Neck 27(9):748-56, 2005. PMID: 16086413.
42. Vadlamudi RK, Balasenthil S, Sahin AA, Kies M, Weber RS, Kumar R, El-Naggar AK. Novel estrogen receptor coactivator PELP1/MNAR gene and ERbeta expression in salivary duct adenocarcinoma: potential therapeutic targets. Hum Pathol 36(6):670-5, 2005. PMID: 16021574.
43. Papadimitrakopoulou V, Agelaki S, Tran HT, Kies M, Gagel R, Zinner R, Kim E, Ayers G, Wright J, Khuri F. Phase I study of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor BMS-214662 given weekly in patients with solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res 11(11):4151-9, 2005. PMID: 15930351.
44. Rugo HS, Herbst RS, Liu G, Park, JW, Kies MS, Steinfeldt HM, Pithavala YK, Reich SD, Freddo JL, Wilding G. Phase I trial of the oral antiangiogenesis agent AG-013736 in patients with advanced solid tumors: Pharmacokinetic and clinical results. . J Clin Oncol 18(24):5474-83, 2005. e-Pub 7/2005. PMID: 16027439.
45. Kim ES, Kies MS, Fossella FV, Glisson BS, Zaknoen S, Statkevich P, Munden RF, Summey C, Pisters KM, Papadimitrakopoulou V, Tighiouart MRogatko A, Khuri FR. Phase II study of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor lonafarnib with paclitaxel in patients with taxane-refractory/resistant nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Cancer 18(3):561-569, 2005. PMID: 16028213.

Last updated: 9/22/2009