Primary Appointment

Dr. Stephen Swisher is chair and professor of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.  He is head ad interim of the institution's Division of Surgery and co-leader of the lung cancer initiative in its recently announced Moon Shots Program - the boldest-ever effort to dramatically reduce deaths to cancer.

After graduating from Stanford University Phi Beta Kappa with distinction and dual bachelor's degrees in history and biology, Dr. Swisher earned his medical degree from the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine.  There he garnered Surgery Honors and the Lange Publications Award.  He completed a general surgery residency and a fellowship in surgical oncology at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical Center, where he received the Golden Scapel Chief Resident Award for outstanding teaching.  He also served as a surgery resident as part of his residency at the University of Nottingham in Nottingham, England.

Dr. Swisher assumed his first academic appointment at UCLA Medical Center as a clinical instructor in the Division of Surgery.  He came to Houston in 1994 for a residency in cardiothoracic surgery at MD Anderson and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital/Texas Heart Institute, focusing on thoracic surgical oncology.  In 1996 he joined the MD Anderson faculty as assistant professor in the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.  He has continually risen through the faculty ranks, achieving associate professor in 2001 and early promotion to professor in 2005.  He was named chair of his department following a national search in 2007 and was awarded the Robert F. Fly Professorship of Surgical Oncology.

Dr. Swisher is repeatedly listed among the top doctors and surgeons in Texas and the nation.  Other accolades include the Resident Clinical Teaching Award from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, which honored his dedication to educating the next generation of cancer experts.

An author of more than 260 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Swisher is internationally recognized for his pioneering gene therapy clinical trials in lung and esophageal cancer using adenovirus-p53 and adenovirus-TNFa.  His current translational research efforts focus on developing a novel small molecule treatment of lung cancer (Stat-3 inhibitor oncrasin-72) and revealing the prognostic and therapeutic role of the biomarker PKR/eIF2a.  His research has been supported by the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute (NCI). 

Dr. Swisher is a member of numerous professional organizations and has served on many national and institutional committees.  He is currently vice chair of the Lung Committee in SWOG, an NCI-supported cancer clinical trial cooperative group, and a member of the Lung Cancer Working Group of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists.

Dr. Swisher's clinical practice involves complex lung and esophageal cancer cases.  As a clinician investigator, he focuses on integrating multimodality approaches in esophageal and lung cancer and evaluating novel gene therapy strategies in the clinic.  Enrolling patients in clinical trials is a top priority for him, and his participation in multidisciplinary conferences helps advance this program. 

Last updated: 3/11/2013