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Raphael E. Pollock, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center Houston, Houston, TX
Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Distinguished Member, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1400 Pressler
Unit 1484
Unit Number: 1447
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: FCT17.6022
Phone: (713) 792-6928
Fax: (713) 563-4637

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1990 University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, PHD, Dissertation Title: "Mechanisms of Surgical Stress Impairment of Murine Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity"
1977 St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, MD, Medicine
1972 Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, BA, High Honors, History

Postgraduate Training

7/1982-6/1984 Clinical Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute, Houston, TX
1/1980-6/1982 Clinical Residency, Surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, IL
7/1977-12/1979 Clinical Residency, Surgery, University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics, Chicago, IL

Board Certifications

2004 American Board of Surgery Certificate
1/1978 National Board of Medical Examiners Certificate

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Senator A. M. Aiken, Jr. Distinguished Chair, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 9/1997-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Colombo, C, Foo WC, Whiting D, Young ED, Lusby K, Pollock RE, Lazar AJ, Lev D. FAP related desmoid tumors: a series of 44 patients evaluated in a cancer referral center 27:641-649, 2012.
2. Bilimoria KY, Wayne JD, Merkow RP, Abbott DE, Cormier J, Feig BW, Hunt KK, Pisters PWT, Pollock RE, Bentrem DJ. Incorporation of adjuvant systemic therapy into the management of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the stomach. Ann Surg Onc 19:184-191, 2012. e-Pub 2011.
3. Zhang P, Bill K, Liu J, Young E, Peng T, Bolshakov S, Hoffman A, Creighton CJ, Anderson ML, Lazar AJ, Calin G, Pollock RE, Lev D. miR-155 is a liposarcoma tumor oncogene that targets casein kinase 1α (CK1α) and enhances β-catenin signaling. Cancer Res 72:1751-1752, 2012.
4. Wang WL, Valentin RAB, Prieto VG, Pollock RE, Lev DC, Lazar AJ. Sarcoma Metastases to the Skin: A Clinicopathological Study of 65 Cases. Cancer 118:2900-2904, 2012.
5. Ghadimi MP,Lopez G, Torres K, Belousov R, Young E, Liu J, Hoffman A, Lusby K, Pollock RE, Lev D. Targeting the P13K/mTOR axis, along and in combination with autophagy blockage, for the treatment of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Mole Can Ther. e-Pub 2012.
6. Bovalot, S, Raut CP, Pollock RE, Rutkoski P, Strauss DC, Hayes AJ, Van Coevorden F, Fiore M, Stoeckle E, Hohenberger P and Gronchi A. Technical considerations in surgery for retroperitoneal sarcomas. Position paper from e-SURGE, a masterclass in sarcoma surgery, and EORTC-STBSG. Ann of Surg Oncol. e-Pub 2012.
7. Berri R, Baumann D, Madewell J, Lazar A, Pollock RE. Desmoid tumor: Current multidisciplinary approaches. Ann Plast Surg(16):551-564, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
8. Sakarpe A, Lahat G, Gulamhusein T, Liu P, Bolshakov S, Ngyen T, Zhang P, Belousov R, Young E, Xie X, Rao P, Hornick J, Lazar A, Pollock RE, Lev, D. Epithelioid sarcoma and unclassified sarcoma with epithelioid features: clinicopathological variables. Molecular Markers, and a New Experimental Model. Oncologist 16:512-522, 2011.
9. Hoffman A, Lazar AJ, Pollock RE, Lev D. New frontiers in the treatment of liposarcoma, a therapeautically resistant malignant cohort. Drug Resistance Updates:52-66, 2011.
10. Ghadimi M, Liu P, Peng T, Bolshakov S, Young ED, Colombo C, Torres K, Hoffman A, Broccoli D, Hornick JL, Lazar AJ, Pisters P, Pollock RE, Lev D. Pleomorphic liposarcoma: clinical observations and molecular variables. Cancer, 2011. e-Pub 2011.
11. Reynoso, D, Subbiah V, Trent J, Guadagnolo BA, Pollock RE, Lazar A, Benjamin R, Ludwig J. Neoadjuvant treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma: A Multimodality Approach. J Surg Onc(101):327-333, 2010.
12. *McAuliffe JC, Hunt KK, Lazar AJF, Choi H, Qiao W, Thall P, Pollock RE, Benjamin RS, Trent JC. A randomized, phase II study of preoperative plus postoperative imatinib in GIST: Evidence of rapid radiographic response and temporal induction of tumor cell apoptosis. Ann Surg Oncol(16):910-919, 2009.
13. *Lahat G, Madewell JE, Anaya DE, Qiao W, Tuvin D, Benjamin RS, Lev D, Pollock RE. CT scan-driven selection of treatment or retroperitoneal liposarcoma histological subtypes. Cancer(115):1081-90, 2009.
14. *Yang D, Wang S, Brooks C, Dong Z, Schoenlein P, Kumar V, Ouyang X, Xiong H, Lahat G, Hayes-Jordan A, Lazar A, Pollock R, Lev, D, Liu K. IRF8 Sensitizes Soft Tissue Sarcoma Cells in Intrinsic Apoptosis Through Repression of FLIP Expression. Cancer Res(69):1080-1088, 2009.
15. Blackmon SH, Shah N, Roth J, Correa AM, Vaporciyan AA, Rice DC, Hofstetter W, Walsh GL, Benjamin R, Pollock RE, Swisher SG, Mehran, R. Resection of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary sarcomatous metastases is associated with long-term survival. Ann Thorac Surg 88:877-885, 2009.
16. Guadagnolo BA, Zagars GK, Ballo MT, Patel SR, Lewis VO, Benjamin RS, Pollock RE. Excellent local control rates and distinctive patterns of failure in myxoid liposarcoma treated with conservation surgery and radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 70:760-765, 2008.
17. *Lahat G, Anaya D, Wang X, Tuvin D, Lev D, Pollock RE. Resectable well differentiated versus dedifferentiated liposarcomas: two different diseases possibly requiring different treatment approaches. Ann Surg Onc 15:1585-1593, 2008.
18. Pollock RE. Value-based health care: the MD Anderson experience. Ann Surg(248):510-516, 2008.
19. Guadagnolo BA, Zagars GK, Ballo MT, Patel SR, Lewis VO, Pisters PW, Benjamin PM, Pollock RE. Long-term results of prospective trial of surgery and radiotherapy. Int. J. Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 15:1173-1180, 2007.
20. Demetri CD, Baker LH, Benjamin RS, Casper ES, Conrad EU 3rd, D'Amato GZ, Delaney TF, Ettinger DS, Heck R Jr, Heslin MJ, Hutchinson RJ, Jacobs CD, Kiel K, Kraybill WG, Letson GD, O'donnell RJ, Paz IB, Pfeifer J, Pollock RE, Sasson AR, Schupak KD, Tyler DS, Mehren M, Wayne J. Soft tissue sarcoma. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 5:364-99, 2007.
21. Skibber JM, Swanson DA, Ames FC, Ota DM, Pollock RE. Complications of intestinal anastomosis in patients with right colectomy and ileal conduit: the M. D. Anderson experience. Journal of Pelvic Surgery 2:234-238, 1996.
22. *Corpron CA, Black CT, Raney RB, Pollock RE, Lally KP, Andrassy RJ. Malignant fibrous histiocytoma in children. J Pediatr Surg 31:1080-3, 1996. PMID: 8863238.
23. *Gutman H, Pollock RE, Janjan NA, Johnston DA. Biologic distinctions and therapeutic implications of sarcomatoid metaplasia of epithelial carcinoma of the breast. J Am Coll Surg 180:193-9, 1995. PMID: 7850054.
24. Pollock RE, Curley SA, Lotzova E. Ethics of research training for NIH T32 surgical investigators. J Surg Res 58:247-51, 1995. PMID: 7861780.
25. Rao VH, Bridge JA, Neff JR, Schaefer GB, Buehler BA, Vishwanatha JK, Pollock RE, Nicolson GL, Yamamoto M, Gokaslam ZL, et al. Expression of 72 kDa and 92 kDa type IV collagenases from human giant-cell tumor of bone. Clin Exp Metastasis 13:420-6, 1995. PMID: 7586800.
26. *Hu M, Pollock RE, Nakamura T, Nicolson GL. Human peri-tumoral and lung fibroblasts produce paracrine motility factors for recently established human sarcoma cell strains. Int J Cancer 62:585-92, 1995. PMID: 7665230.
27. Mackay B, Ordonez NG, Salter JE, Jr, Pollock RE. Myofibroblastoma of the axilla. Ultrastruct Pathol 19:265-8, 1995. PMID: 7571083.
28. *Meterissian SH, Reilly JA, Jr, Murphy A, Romsdahl MM, Pollock RE. Soft-tissue sarcomas of the shoulder girdle: factors influencing local recurrence distant metastases, and survival. Ann Surg Oncol 2:530-6, 1995. PMID: 8591084.
29. Rubenstein EB, Fender A, Rolston KV, Elting LS, Prasco P, Palmer J, Road I, Pollock RE, Frisbee-Hume S, Laurence D, et al. Vascular access by physician assistants: evaluation of an implantable peripheral port system in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 13:1513-9, 1995. PMID: 7751900.
30. El-Naggar A, Barlogie B, McCabe K, Teague K, Ensign LG, Pollock RE. Acridine orange DNA/RNA content analysis of soft tissue tumor: correlates with clinical pathological factor and biological behavior. Int J Cancer Molecular Biology 1:213-222, 1994.
31. Janjan NA, Pollock RE, Rebeiro E. Cancer education in Vietnam: a need for foreign input. J Cancer Educ 9:82-85, 1994.
32. Janjan NA, Yasko AW, Reece GP, Miller MJ, Murray JA, Ross MI, Romsdahl MM, Oswald MJ, Ochran TG, Pollock RE. Comparison of charges related to radiotherapy for soft-tissue sarcomas treated by preoperative external-beam irradiation versus interstitial implantation. Ann Surg Oncol 1:415-22, 1994. PMID: 7850543.
33. Caraway NP, Staerkel GA, Fanning CV, Varma DG, Pollock RE. Diagnosing intramuscular myxoma by fine-needle aspiration: a multidisciplinary approach. Diagn Cytopathol 11:255-61, 1994. PMID: 7867468.
34. Reece GP, Schusterman MA, Pollock RE, Kroll SS, Miller MJ, Baldwin BJ, Romsdahl MM, Janjan NA. Immediate versus delayed free-tissue transfer salvage of the lower extremity in soft tissue sarcoma patients. Ann Surg Oncol 1:11-7, 1994. PMID: 7834422.
35. *Tanabe KK, Pollock RE, Ellis LM, Murphy A, Sherman N, Romsdahl MM. Influence of surgical margins on outcome in patients with preoperatively irradiated extremity soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer 73:1652-9, 1994. PMID: 8156492.
36. Reece GP, Kroll SS, Miller MJ, Baldwin BJ, Pollock RE, Romsdahl MM, Ross MI, Janjan NA, Schusterman MA. Lower extremity salvage in cancer patients using free tissue transfer. Riv Chir Plas 25:441-446, 1994.
37. *Beitsch P, Lotzová E, Hortobagyi G, Pollock R. Natural immunity in breast cancer patients during neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. Surg Onc 3:211-219, 1994.
38. Sherman N, Vavilalla M, Pollock R, Romsdahl M, Jaffe N. Radiation therapy for alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Med Pediatr Oncol 22:380-383, 1994.
39. Janjan NA, Pollock R, Rebeiro E. Reflections on radiotherapy in Vietnam: political lessons still to be learned. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 28:773-775, 1994.
40. Kroll SS, Tavollali M, Castello-Sendra J, Pollock RE. Risk of dissemination of cancer to flap donor sites during immediate reconstructive surgery. Ann Plast Surg 33:573-5, 1994. PMID: 7880044.
41. *Gutman H, Pollock RE, Ross MI, Benjamin RS, Johnston DA, Janjan NA, Romsdahl MM. Sarcoma of the breast: implications for extent of therapy. The M. D. Anderson experience. Surgery 116:505-9, 1994. PMID: 8079181.
42. Mavligit GM, Pollock RE, Evans HL, Wallace S. Durable hepatic tumor regression after arterial chemoembolization-infusion in patients with islet cell carcinoma of the pancreas metastatic to the liver. Cancer 72:375-80, 1993. PMID: 8391377.
43. *Gutman H, Risin D, Pollock RE, Pellis NR. Effect of surgery on peripheral blood lymphocyte locomotion through type I collagen. Cancer 71:2833-7, 1993. PMID: 8467461.
44. *Thomas SM, Fitzgerald JB, Pollock RE, Evans DB. Isolated splenic metastases from colon carcinoma. Eur J Surg Oncol 19:485-90, 1993. PMID: 8405487.
45. *Pezzi CM, Rawlings MS, Jr, Esgro JJ, Pollock RE, Romsdahl MM. Prognostic factors in 227 patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Cancer 69:2098-103, 1992. PMID: 1311983.
46. *NG E-H, Pollock RE, Munsell MF, Atkinson EN, Romsdahl MM. Prognostic factors influencing survival in gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomas. Implications for surgical management and staging. Ann Surg 215:68-77, 1992. PMID: 1731651.
47. *NG E-H, Pollock RE, Romsdahl MM. Prognostic implications of patterns of failure for gastrointestinal leiomyosarcomas. Cancer 69:1334-41, 1992. PMID: 1540870.
48. Pollock RE, Lotzova E, Stanford SD. Surgical stress impairs natural killer cell programming of tumor for lysis in patients with sarcomas and other solid tumors. Cancer 70:2192-202, 1992. PMID: 1394051.
49. *McCready D, Broadwater R, Ross M, Pollock R, Ota D, Balch C. A case-control comparison of durability and cost between implanted reservoir and percutaneous catheters in cancer patients. J Surg Res 51:377-381, 1991.
50. *Fuchshuber PR, Lotzova E, Pollock RE. Antitumor activity, growth, and phenotype of long-term IL-2 cultures of human NK and T lymphocytes. Lymphokine Cytokine Res 10:51-9, 1991. PMID: 1651770.
51. *Whitworth PW, Pollock RE, Mansfield PF, Couture J, Romsdahl MM. Extremity epithelioid sarcoma. Amputation vs local resection. Arch Surg 126:1485-9, 1991. PMID: 1842177.
52. Pollock RE, Lotzova E, Stanford SD. Mechanism of surgical stress impairment of human perioperative natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Arch Surg 126:338-42, 1991. PMID: 1825598.
53. Roh MS, Wang L, Oyedeji C, LeRoux ME, Curley SA, Pollock RE, Klostergaard J. Human Kupffer cells are cytotoxic against human colon adenocarcinoma. Surgery 108:400-4; discussion 404-5, 1990. PMID: 2382233.
54. Lotzova E, Savary CA, Pollock RE, Fuchshuber P. Immunologic and clinical aspects of natural killer cells in human leukemia. Nat Immun Cell Growth Regul 9:173-81, 1990. PMID: 2370877.
55. Pollock RE, Zimmerman SO, Fuchshuber P, Lotzova E. Lytic units reconsidered: pitfalls in calculation and usage. J Clin Lab Anal 4:274-82, 1990. PMID: 2391582.
56. *Pezzi CM, Pollock RE, Evans HL, Lorigan JG, Pezzi TA, Benjamin RS, Romsdahl MM. Preoperative chemotherapy for soft-tissue sarcomas of the extremities. Ann Surg 211:476-81, 1990. PMID: 2157378.
57. Pollock RE, Lotzova E, Stanford SD. Surgical stress impairment of murine natural killer cell cytotoxicity involves pre- and postbinding events. J Immunol 143:3396-403, 1989. PMID: 2809208.
58. Pollock RE, Balch CM. The NIH clinician-investigator award: how to write a training grant application. J Surg Res 46:1-3, 1989. PMID: 2915532.
59. Kroll SE, Pollock RE, Jessup JM, Ota D. Transpelvic rectus abdominis flap reconstruction of defects following abdominal-perineal resection. Am Surg 55:632-637, 1989.

Invited Articles
1. Cormier JN, Cromwell KD, Pollock RE. Value Based Healthcare: A Surgical Oncologist’s Perspective. Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America 121:497-506, 2012.
2. Gronchi A and Pollock RE. Surgery in retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma: A call for a consensus between Europe and North America. Ann Surg Onc 18:2107-2110, 2011.
3. Lev D, Pollock RE. Managing elderly soft tissue sarcoma patients-should age drive treatment? Ann Surg Onc 17:1725-1726, 2010.
4. Kotiligam D, Lazar A, Pollock RE, Lev D. Desmoid tumor: a disease opportune for molecular insights. Histology and Histopathyology 1:117-26, 1/2008.
5. Pollock RE. Board certification in surgical oncology: does it make sense? J Surg Onc 98:1-2, 2008.

Book Chapters
1. Torres KE, Pollock RE. Gene Therapy for Sarcoma. In: Gene-Based Therapies for Cancer. Springer: New York, New York, 2010.
2. Pollock RE. Surgical oncology in multimodality cancer care: History and Scope. In: Advanced Therapy of Surgical Oncology. Ed(s) Pollock RE, Curley SA, Ross MI, Perrier ND. B.C. Decker, Inc. Hamilton, Ontario, 2007.

Last updated: 3/19/2013