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Therese B. Bevers, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Medical Director, Cancer Prevention Center, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Medical Director, Prevention Outreach Programs, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Bio Statement

Dr. Therese B. Bevers is professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention and the medical director of the Cancer Prevention Center and prevention outreach programs at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. In her role as medical director, Dr. Bevers has overseen the growth and program development of the Cancer Prevention Center—the first comprehensive clinical cancer prevention service program in the country—since its opening in 1996. 

Her clinical and research interests are in the area of breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and survivorship. She was an investigator on the groundbreaking Breast Cancer Prevention Trial which demonstrated that tamoxifen reduced the risk of developing breast cancer by one half and currently serves as the institutional principal investigator (PI) for the STAR trial which showed that raloxifene had similar benefits but fewer risks.  She is currently the institutional PI of a breast cancer prevention study of polyphenon E, an active substance of green tea, in women at increased risk for breast cancer.  In addition, she is collaborating on a breast cancer prevention study of Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drug, in women at increased risk for breast cancer. Dr. Bevers chairs the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s guideline panels on Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis and Breast Cancer Risk Reduction.

A native Texan, Dr. Bevers completed her medical school and residency in Family Practice at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is the recipient of many awards including the Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Prevention in 2006. She was recognized among America’s Top Doctors in 2009.

Research Interests

Breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and survivorship

Clinical Interests

Breast cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and survivorship

Office Address

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1155 Pressler Street
P.O. Box 301439
Unit Number: 1322
Houston, TX 77230-1439
Phone: (713) 745-8048

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1987 The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, MD, Doctor of Medicine
1981 Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, BS, Magna Cum Laude, Chemistry, Biology

Board Certifications

7/1990 American Board of Family Practice

Experience/Service

Institutional Committee Activities

Member, Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment Executive Committee, 2009-present
Member, Cancer Survivorship Education Subcommittee, 2009-present
Member, Personalized Risk Prediction Program Steering Committee, 2009-present
Member, Premalignant Genome ATLAS Steering Committee, 2009-present
Member, Comprehensive Cancer Control Strategic Plan Steering Committee, 2008-present
Chair, Cancer Survivorship Community Health Professionals Subcommittee, 2007-present
Member, Breast Program Leadership Committee, 2006-present
Member, Cancer Survivorship Steering Committee, 2006-present
Member, Cancer Survivorship Clinical Care Workgroup, 2006-present
Co-Chair, Clinical Management Conference for Benign Breast Lesions, 2004-present

Honors and Awards

2009-2010 Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare
2009 America's Top Doctors
2008 Who's Who in America
2006-2007 The Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Prevention, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
2006 America's Top Doctors
2004-2007 Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare
1997 Physician of the Day,, Seventy-fifth Texas Legislature, January 30,
1984-1985 Notable Women of Texas

Professional Memberships

Action Plan on Breast and Cervical Cancer for the State of Texas
Member, Steering Committee, 2003
American Academy of Family Physicians
Member, 1987-present
American Cancer Society
Member, Leadership Council (Gulf Coast Region), 2009-present
Member, Board of Directors (High Plains Division), 2005-present
President, Executive Council (Gulf Coast Region), 2005-2009
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Member, Policy Review Group, Transforming Prevention in the American Health Care System, Washington, DC, 2008
American Medical Association
Member, 1997-present
American Society of Breast Disease
Member, Consensus Committee, 2006-2012
Member, 2005-present
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Member, 2005-present
Member, Reimbursement for Cancer Prevention Services Subcommittee, 2005-2006
National Comprehensive Cancer Network
Chair, Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Guideline Panel, 2005-present
Chair, Breast Cancer Screening & Diagnostic Guideline Panel, 2003-present
National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project
Member, Steering Committee, A study to evaluate different decision-making approaches used by women known to be at high risk for breast cancer, 2009-present
Member, Board of Directors, 2007-2010
Texas Academy of Family Physicians
Co-Chair, Commission on Public Health, Research & Clinical Affairs, 1998-2000
Co-Chair, Clinical Preventive Medicine Committee, 1997-1998
Member, 1987-present
Texas Cancer Plan
Member, Executive Steering Committee, 2004
Texas Medical Association
Member, Task Force on Prevention, 1997-2000
Member, 1996-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Singletary, SE, Lieberman R, Atkinson N, Sneige N, Sahin A, Tolley S, Colchin M, Bevers T, Stelling C, Fornage B, Fritsche H, Hittelman W, Kelloff G, Lippman SM. Novel translational model for breast cancer chemoprevention study: Accrual to a presurgical intervention with tamoxifen and N-[4-Hydroxyphenyl] retinamide. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. 9:1087-1090, 5/2000.
2. Singletary SE, Atkinson EN, Hoque A, Sneige N, Sahin AA, Fritsche HA, Jr, Lotan R, Lu T, Hittelman WN, Bevers TB, Stelling CB, Lippman SM. Phase II clinical trial of N-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)retinamide and tamoxifen administration before definitive surgery for breast neoplasia. Clin Cancer Res 8:2835-42, 9/2002. PMID: 12231524.
3. Cristofanilli M, Yamamura Y, Kau SW, Bevers T, Strom S, Patangan M, Hsu L, Krishnamurthy S, Theriault RL, Hortobagyi GN. Thyroid hormone and breast carcinoma. Primary hypothyroidism is associated with a reduced incidence of primary breast carcinoma. Cancer 103(6):1122-8, 3/2005. PMID: 15712375.
4. Fisher B, Costantino JP, Wickerham DL, Cecchini RS, Cronin WM, Robidoux A, Bevers TB, Kavanah MT, Atkins JN, Margolese RG, Runowicz CD, James JM, Ford LG, Wolmark N. Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast cancer: current status of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project P-1 study. J Natl Cancer Inst 97:1652-62, 11/2005. PMID: 16288118.
5. Shen Y, Dong W, Esteva FJ, Kau SW, Theriault RL, Bevers TB. Are there racial differences in breast cancer treatments and clinical outcomes for women treated at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center? Breast Cancer Res Treat 102:347-56, 9/2006. PMID: 17028980.
6. Vogel VG, Costantino JP, Wickerham DL, Cronin WM, Cecchini RS, Atkins JN, Bevers TB, Fehrenbacher L, Pajon ER, Wade JL, Robidoux A, Margolese RG, James J, Lippman SM, Runowicz CD, Ganz PA, Reis SE, McCaskill-Stevens W, Ford LG, Jordan VC, Wolmark N, Wolmark N. Effects of tamoxifen vs raloxifene on the risk of developing invasive breast cancer and other disease outcomes: The NSABP Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) P-2 Trial. JAMA 295(23):2727-41, 2006. PMID: 16754727.
7. Dong W, Berry DA, Bevers TB, Kau SW, Hsu L, Theriault RL, Shen Y. Prognostic role of detection method and its relationship with tumor biomarkers in breast cancer: The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center experience. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17(5):1096-103, 5/2008. PMID: 18483331.
8. Lu J, Wei Q, Bondy ML, Brewster AM, Bevers TB, Yu TK, Buchholz TA, Meric-Bernstam F, Hunt KK, Singletary SE, Wang LE. Genetic variants in the H2AFX promoter region are associated with risk of sporadic breast cancer in non-Hispanic white women aged </=55 years:. Breast Cancer Res Treat 110(2):357-66, 7/2008. PMID: 17851762.
9. Cyrus-David M, King J, Bevers T, Robinson E. Validity assessment of the Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Health Belief scale. Cancer, 7/2009. e-Pub 7/2009. PMID: 19637346.
10. Legault C, Maki PM, Resnick SM, Coker L, Hogan P, Bevers TB, Shumaker SA. Effects of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene on Memory and Other Cognitive Abilities: Cognition in the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene. J Clin Oncol, 9/2009. e-Pub 9/2009. PMID: 19770382.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: The Use of Stimulated Whole Saliva as a Diagnostic Test for the Detection of Breast Cancer in Women
Funding Source: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Litton
Duration: 6/1/2009 - 10/30/2009
 
Title: Phase IB Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Dose Escalation Study of Polyphenon E in Women With a History of Hormone Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2006 - present
 
Title: Effects of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators on Cognitive Aging: Cognition in the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (Co-STAR)
Funding Source: NSABP
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 2001 - 2008
 
Title: Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) for the Prevention of Breast Cancer
Funding Source: NSABP
Role: Principal Investigator
Duration: 1999 - present

Last updated: 10/16/2009