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Scott B. Cantor

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Division of Quantitative Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Adjunct Professor, Division of Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Adjunct Professor, Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX
Faculty Member, Program in Biomathematics and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

 

Scott B. Cantor, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Section of Health Services Research in the Department of Biostatistics at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He has adjunct appointments and taught courses and guest lectures in the Department of Statistics at Rice University and the Division of Biostatistics at The University of Texas School of Public Health.

Scott is a clinical decision analyst, having received his bachelor’s degree from Yale in Applied Mathematics and his doctorate from Harvard in Decision Sciences. From 2003-2004, he was President of the Society for Medical Decision Making, a professional society dedicated to promoting rational and systematic approaches to decision making that will improve the health and clinical care of individuals and assist health policy formation.

Dr. Cantor’s research focuses on theoretical issues concerning cost-effectiveness analysis and diagnostic testing, and on clinical issues in cancer prevention, particularly prostate cancer screening and cervical pre-cancer diagnosis.

When not in the office, Dr. Cantor enjoys spending time with his family and playing the piano. He also loves to sing – he was a finalist in the recent Anderson Idol Talent Shows. Jump to the 7:30 mark to view his performance in the 2008 show [click here] or the 13:30 mark to view his performance in the 2009 show [click here].

Research Interests

  • Theoretical issues of cost-effectiveness analysis and diagnostic testing
  • Clinical issues of cancer prevention, particularly prostate cancer screening and diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
  • Outcomes preferences in cancer screening and treatment, and the economic evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions

Office Address

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Department of Biostatistics, Section of Health Services Research
P.O. 301402
Unit Number: 1411
Houston, TX 77230-1402
Room Number: FCT 4.6026
Phone: 713-745-5984
Fax: 713-563-4243
Email: sbcantor@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1991 Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, PhD, Decision Sciences
1987 Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, SM, Applied Mathematics
1981 Yale University, New Haven, CT, BA, cum laude, Applied Mathematics

Honors and Awards

2003-2004 President, Society for Medical Decision Making
2000-2001 Vice-President, Society for Medical Decision Making
1997-1999 Trustee, Society for Medical Decision Making
1990 Summer Research Fellowship, Harvard University
1981 B.A., cum laude, Yale University

Professional Memberships

American Society of Clinical Oncology
Affiliate Member, 2001-present
Decision Analysis Society
Member, 1991-present
Health Technology Assessment, International
Member, 2003-present
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
Member, 1996-present
Society for Judgment and Decision Making
Member, 1992-present
Society for Medical Decison Making
Member, 1989-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Cameron C, Deming SP, Notzon B, Cantor SB, Broglio KR, Pagel W. Scientific-writing training for academic physicians of diverse language backgrounds. Acad Med 84(4):505-510, 4/2009. PMID: 19318790.
2. Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Follen M, Nogueras-Gonzalez GM, Benedet JL, Beck JR, Cantor SB. The accuracy of the Papanicolaou smear in the screening and diagnostic settings. J Low Genit Tract Dis 12(4):269-75, 10/2008. PMID: 18820540.
3. Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Nogueras-Gonzalez GM, Scheurer ME, Adler-Storthz K, Benedet JL, Beck JR, Follen M, Cantor SB. The performance of human papillomavirus high-risk DNA testing in the screening and diagnostic settings. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17(10):2865-71, 10/2008. PMID: 18843032.
4. Caviness AC, Demmler GJ, Swint JM, Cantor SB. Cost-effectiveness analysis of herpes simplex virus testing and treatment strategies in febrile neonates. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 162(7):665-74, 7/2008. PMID: 18606938.
5. Jones JA, Qazilbash MH, Shih YC, Cantor SB, Cooksley CD, Elting LS. In-hospital complications of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for lymphoid malignancies: clinical and economic outcomes from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Cancer 112(5):1096-105, 3/1/2008. PMID: 18286506.
6. Cantor SB, Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Cox DD, Atkinson EN, Nogueras-Gonzalez GM, Beck JR, Follen M, Benedet JL. Accuracy of colposcopy in the diagnostic setting compared with the screening setting. Obstet Gynecol 111(1):7-14, 1/2008. PMID: 18165387.
7. Cantor SB, Volk RJ, Krahn MD, Cass AR, Gilani J, Weller SC, Spann SJ. Concordance of couples' prostate cancer screening recommendations from a decision analysis. Patient 1:11-19, 2008. PMID: No PubMed.
8. Cong X, Cox DD, Cantor SB. Bayesian meta-analysis of Papanicolaou smear accuracy. Gynecol Oncol 107(1 Suppl 1):S133-7, 10/2007. PMID: 17908587.
9. Davies KR, Cox DD, Swartz RJ, Cantor SB, Follen M. Inverse decision theory with applications to screening and diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Gynecol Oncol 107(1 Suppl 1):S187-95, 10/2007. e-Pub 9/11/2007. PMID: 17850855.
10. Cardenas-Turanzas M, Freeberg JA, Benedet JL, Atkinson EN, Cox DD, Richards-Kortum R, MacAulay C, Follen M, Cantor SB. The clinical effectiveness of optical spectroscopy for the in vivo diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: where are we? Gynecol Oncol 107(1 Suppl 1):S138-46, 10/2007. PMID: 17908588.
11. Elting LS, Shih YC, Stiff PJ, Bensinger W, Cantor SB, Cooksley C, Spielberger R, Emmanoulides C. Economic impact of palifermin on the costs of hospitalization for autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplant: analysis of phase 3 trial results. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 13(7):806-13, 7/2007. e-Pub 4/23/2007. PMID: 17580258.
12. Cormier JN, Xing Y, Ding M, Cantor SB, Salter KJ, Lee JE, Mansfield PF, Gershenwald JE, Ross MI. Cost effectiveness of adjuvant interferon in node-positive melanoma. J Clin Oncol 25(17):2442-8, 6/2007. PMID: 17557957.
13. Avritscher EB, Cooksley CD, Geraci JM, Bekele BN, Cantor SB, Rolston KV, Elting LS. Cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination in working-age cancer patients. Cancer 109(11):2357-64, 6/2007. PMID: 17457827.
14. Basen-Engquist K, Fouladi RT, Cantor SB, Shinn E, Sui D, Sharman M, Follen M. Patient assessment of tests to detect cervical cancer. Int J Technol Assess Health Care 23(2):240-7, 2007. PMID: 17493310.
15. Palos GR, Cantor SB, Aday LA, Mendoza TR, Mobley GM, Cleeland CS. An urban community's preferences for hypothetical outcomes of analgesic pain treatment. J Pain Symptom Manage 32(5):470-7, 11/2006. PMID: 17085273.
16. Jeruss JS, Hunt KK, Xing Y, Krishnamurthy S, Meric-Bernstam F, Cantor SB, Ross MI, Cormier JN. Is intraoperative touch imprint cytology of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer cost effective? Cancer 107(10):2328-36, 11/2006. PMID: 17039501.
17. Guillaud M, Benedet JL, Cantor SB, Staerkel G, Follen M, MacAulay C. DNA ploidy compared with human papilloma virus testing (Hybrid Capture II) and conventional cervical cytology as a primary screening test for cervical high-grade lesions and cancer in 1555 patients with biopsy confirmation. Cancer 107(2):309-18, 7/2006. PMID: 16773634.
18. Smith TJ, Khatcheressian J, Lyman GH, Ozer H, Armitage JO, Balducci L, Bennett CL, Cantor SB, Crawford J, Cross SJ, Demetri G, Desch CE, Pizzo PA, Schiffer CA, Schwartzberg L, Somerfield MR, Somlo G, Wade JC, Wade JL, Winn RJ, Wozniak AJ, Wolff AC. 2006 update of recommendations for the use of white blood cell growth factors: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline. J Clin Oncol 24(19):3187-205, 2006. PMID: 16682719.
19. Palos GR, Mendoza TR, Mobley GM, Cantor SB, Cleeland CS. Asking the community about cutpoints used to describe mild, moderate, and severe pain. J Pain 7(1):49-56, 2006. PMID: 16414555.
20. Cantor SB, Levy LB, Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Basen-Engquist K, Le T, Beck JR, Follen M. Collecting direct non-health care and time cost data: application to screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer. Med Decis Making 26(3):265-72, May-Jun, 2006. PMID: 16751325.
21. Lee JJ, Bekele BN, Zhou X, Cantor SB, Komaki R, Lee JS. Decision analysis for prophylactic cranial irradiation for patients with small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 24(22):3597-603, 2006. PMID: 16877726.
22. Swartz RJ, Cox DD, Cantor SB, Davies K, Follen M. Inverse decision theory: characterizing losses for a decision rule with applications in cervical cancer screening. J Am Stat Assoc 101:1-8, 2006. PMID: No PubMed.
23. Tortolero-Luna G, Byrd T, Groff JY, Linares AC, Mullen PD, Cantor SB. Relationship between English language use and preferences for involvement in medical care among Hispanic women. J Womens Health 15(6):774-85, Jul-Aug, 2006. PMID: 16910909.
24. Shih YC, Wang XS, Cantor SB, Cleeland CS. The association between symptom burdens and utility in Chinese cancer patients. Qual Life Res 15(8):1427-1438, 2006. PMID: 16791743.
25. Cantor SB. 26th annual meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making presidential address: connections. Med Decis Making 25(1):119-26, Jan-Feb, 1/2005. PMID: 15673590.
26. Shih YC, Han S, Cantor SB. Impact of generic drug entry on cost-effectiveness analysis. Med Decis Making 25(1):71-80, Jan-Feb, 2005. PMID: 15673583.
27. Cantor SB, Atkinson EN, Cardenas-Turanzas M, Benedet JL, Follen M, MacAulay C. Natural history of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a meta-analysis. Acta Cytol 49(4):405-15, Jul-Aug, 2005. PMID: 16124170.
28. Cárdenas-Turanzas M, Follen M, Benedet JL, Cantor SB. See-and-treat strategy for diagnosis and management of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions. Lancet Oncol 6(1):43-50, 2005. PMID: 15629275.
29. Cantor SB, Byrd T, Groff JY, Reyes Y, Tortolero-Luna G, Mullen PD. The language translation process in survey research: a cost analysis. Hisp J Behav Sci 27:364-370, 2005. PMID: No PubMed.
30. Nath A, Rivoire K, Chang S, West L, Cantor SB, Basen-Engquist K, Adler-Storthz K, Cox DD, Atkinson EN, Staerkel G, MacAulay C, Richards-Kortum R, Follen M. A pilot study for a screening trial of cervical fluorescence spectroscopy. Int J Gynecol Cancer 14(6):1097-107, Nov-Dec, 11/2004. PMID: 15571615.
31. Palos GR, Mendoza TR, Cantor SB, Aday LA, Cleeland CS. Perceptions of analgesic use and side effects: what the public values in pain management. J Pain Symptom Manage 28(5):460-73, 11/2004. PMID: 15504623.
32. Avritscher EB, Cantor SB, Shih YC, Escalante CP, Rivera E, Elting LS. Cost-minimization analysis of low-molecular-weight heparin (dalteparin) compared to unfractionated heparin for inpatient treatment of cancer patients with deep venous thrombosis. Support Care Cancer 12(7):531-6, 7/2004. e-Pub 2/21/2004. PMID: 14986076.
33. Caviness AC, Cantor SB, Allen CH, Ward MA. A cost-effectiveness analysis of bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis for febrile children who have cardiac lesions and undergo urinary catheterization in the emergency department. Pediatrics 113(5):1291-6, 5/2004. PMID: 15121944.
34. Porter GA, Cantor SB, Walsh GL, Rusch VW, Leung DH, DeJesus AY, Pollock RE, Brennan MF, Pisters PW. Cost-effectiveness of pulmonary resection and systemic chemotherapy in the management of metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: a combined analysis from the University of Texas M. D. Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centers. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 127(5):1366-72, 5/2004. PMID: 15115994.
35. Volk RJ, Cantor SB, Cass AR, Spann SJ, Weller SC, Krahn MD. Preferences of husbands and wives for outcomes of prostate cancer screening and treatment. J Gen Intern Med 19(4):339-48, 4/2004. PMCID: PMC1492196.
36. Cormier JN, Xing Y, Ross MI, Cantor SB. Interferon-alpha in high-risk melanoma patients. Expert Rev Pharmacoeconomics Outcomes Res 4:667-676, 2004. PMID: No PubMed.
37. Cantor SB, Fahs MC, Mandelblatt JS, Myers ER, Sanders GD. Decision science and cervical cancer. Cancer 98:2003-8, 2003. PMID: 14603536.
38. Cantor SB, Elting LS, Hudson DV Jr, Rubenstein EB. Pharmacoeconomic analysis of oprelvekin (recombinant human interleukin-11) for secondary prophylaxis of thrombocytopenia in solid tumor patients receiving chemotherapy. Cancer 97:3099-106, 2003. PMID: 12784347.
39. Cantor SB. Pharmacoeconomics of coxib therapy. J Pain Symptom Manage 24:S28-S37, 2002. PMID: 12204485.
40. Cantor SB, Kattan MW. Determining the area under the ROC curve for a binary diagnostic test. Med Decis Making 20:468-70, 2000. PMID: 11059479.
41. Cantor SB, Sun CC, Tortolero-Luna G, Richards-Kortum R, Follen M. A comparison of C/B ratios from studies using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. J Clin Epidemiol 52:885-92, 1999. PMID: 10529029.
42. Mitchell MF, Cantor SB, Ramanujam N, Tortolero-Luna G, Richards-Kortum R. Fluorescence spectroscopy for diagnosis of squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix. Obstet Gynecol 93:462-70, 1999. PMID: 10075001.
43. Utzinger U, Trujillo EV, Atkinson EN, Mitchell MF, Cantor SB, Richards-Kortum R. Performance estimation of diagnostic tests for cervical precancer based on fluorescence spectroscopy: effects of tissue type, sample size, population, and signal-to-noise ratio. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 46:1293-1303, 1999. PMID: 10582414.
44. Mitchell MF, Cantor SB, Brookner C, Utzinger U, Schottenfeld D, Richards-Kortum R. Screening for squamous intraepithelial lesions with fluorescence spectroscopy. Obstet Gynecol 94:889-96, 1999. PMID: 10546779.
45. Cantor SB, Mitchell MF, Tortolero-Luna G, Bratka CS, Bodurka DC, Richards-Kortum R. Cost-effectiveness analysis of diagnosis and management of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions. Obstet Gynecol 91:270-7, 1998. PMID: 9469288.
46. Volk RJ, Cantor SB, Spann SJ, Cass AR, Cardenas MP, Warren MM. Preferences of husbands and wives for prostate cancer screening. Arch Fam Med 6:72-6, 1997. PMID: 9003176.
47. Cantor SB, Carson RW, Spann SJ. A cost-effectiveness analysis of epoetin usage for patients with AIDS. Pharmacoeconomics 3(3):244-9, 1993. PMID: 10146947.

Invited Articles
1. Follen M, Crain S, MacAulay C, Basen-Engquist K, Cantor SB, Cox D, Atkinson EN, MacKinnon N, Guillaud M, Richards-Kortum R. Optical technologies for cervical neoplasia: update of an NCI program project grant. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol 3(1):41-53, 2005. PMID: 16166967.
2. Cantor SB. Decision analysis: theory and application to medicine. Prim Care 22(2):261-70, 6/1995. PMID: 7617785.

Editorials
1. Cantor SB. Clinical applications in the decision analysis literature. Comment on Keefer DL, et al. Perspective on decision analysis applications, 1990-2001. Decision Analysis 1:25-28, 2004.
2. Cantor SB. Critique: Georgakoudi I, Sheets E, Muller M, Backman V, Crum C, Badizadegan K, Dasari R, Feld M. Trimodal spectroscopy may improve in vivo detection of precancerous cervical changes. Evidence-Based Oncology 3:148-149, 2002.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Optimizing Treatment of Rectal Cancer Using a Markov Decision Model
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Primary Mentor
Principal Investigator: George Chang
Duration: 7/1/2009 - 6/30/2014

Last updated: 9/21/2009