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Thomas J Pugh, M.D.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Office Address

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
1840 Old Spanish Trail
Unit Number: 1150
Houston, TX 77054
Room Number: PTC 1.2032

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2005 University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver, CO, MD, Medical Doctorate
1999 University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, BA, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology

Postgraduate Training

12/2009-1/2010 Clinical Fellowship, Prostate Brachytherapy, American Brachytherapy Society Seattle Prostate Institute, Seattle, WA
7/2009-6/2010 Chief Resident, Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
6/2006-6/2009 Clinical Residency, Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
6/2005-6/2006 Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO

Board Certifications

5/2011 American Board of Radiology
10/2006 National Board of Medical Examiners

Honors and Awards

2009 Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop, ASCO/AACR
2009 Prostate Brachytherapy Honorarium, American Brachytherapy Society
2009 RTOG Travel Grant Spring 2009, Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
2009 Young Oncologist Essay Award, American Radium Society
2008 Poster Recognition Award, American Society for Radiation Oncology
2001 T-32 Institutional Research Grant, National Institute of Health
1999 GTE Academic All American: Men's Basketball District 7, National Collegiate Athletic Association
1999 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, National Collegiate Athletic Association
1999 Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society

Professional Memberships

American Brachytherapy Society
Member, 12/2009-present
American Society for Radiation Oncology
Member, 7/2006-present
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Member, 7/2006-present
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
Genitourinary Cancer Steering Committee Member, 1/2012-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Albert JM, Swanson DA, Pugh TJ, Zhang M, Bruno TL, Kudchadker RJ, Frank SJ. Magnetic resonance imaging-based treatment planning for prostate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy 12(1):30-7, 1/2013. e-Pub 6/21/2012. PMID: 22727474.
2. Bian SX, Kuban DA, Levy LB, Oh J, Castle KO, Pugh TJ, Choi S, McGuire SE, Nguyen QN, Frank SJ, Nguyen PL, Lee AK, Hoffman KE. Addition of short-term androgen deprivation therapy to dose-escalated radiation therapy improves failure-free survival for select men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Ann Oncol 23(9):2346-52, 9/2012. e-Pub 2/21/2012. PMID: 22357249.
3. Castle KO, Hoffman KE, Levy LB, Lee AK, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Frank SJ, Pugh TJ, McGuire SE, Kuban DA. Is Androgen Deprivation Therapy Necessary in All Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients Treated in the Dose Escalation Era? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. e-Pub 7/2012. PMID: 22836052.
4. Pugh TJ, Lee NY, Pacheco T, Raben D. Microcystic adnexal carcinoma of the face treated with radiation therapy: a case report and review of the literature. Head and Neck 34(7):1045-50, 7/2012. e-Pub 7/2011. PMID: 21384456.
5. Kim MM, Hoffman KE, Levy LB, Frank SJ, Pugh TJ, Choi S, Nguyen QN, McGuire SE, Lee AK, Kuban DA. Prostate cancer-specific mortality after definitive radiation therapy: Who dies of disease? Eur J Cancer 48(11):1664-71, 7/2012. e-Pub 2/2012. PMID: 22336663.
6. Pugh TJ, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Gillen MT, Zhu XR, Palmer M, Lee AK. Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer. Practical Radiation Oncology. e-Pub 7/2012.
7. Sharp HJ, Swanson DA, Pugh TJ, Zhang M, Phan J, Kudchadker R, Bruno TL, Kuban DA, Lee AK, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Hoffman KE, McGuire SE, Frank SJ. Screening colonoscopy before prostate cancer treatment can detect colorectal cancers in asymptomatic patients and reduce the rate of rectal complications following brachytherapy. Practical Radiation Oncology 2(3):e7-e13, 7/2012. e-Pub 7/2012.
8. Pugh TJ, Frank SJ, Achim M, Kuban DA, Lee AK, Hoffman K, McGuire SE, Swanson DA, Kudchadker R, Davis JW. Endorectal MRI for predicting pathologic T3 disease in Gleason score 7 prostate cancer: Implications for prostate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy, 6/2012.
9. Whaley JT, Levy LB, Swanson DA, Pugh TJ, Kudchadker RJ, Bruno TL, Frank SJ. Sexual Function and the use of Medical Devices or Drugs to Optimize Potency after Prostate. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 82(5):e765-71, 4/2012. e-Pub 1/2012. PMID: 22300559.
10. Kudchadker RJ, Pugh TJ, Swanson DA, Bruno TL, Bolukbasi Y, Frank SJ. Preoperative treatment planning with intraoperative optimization can achieve consistent high-quality implants in prostate brachytherapy. Medical Dosimetry 37(4):387-90, 3/2012.
11. Frank SJ, Levy LB, van Vulpen M, Crook J, Sylvester J, Grimm P, Pugh TJ, Swanson DA. Outcomes after prostate brachytherapy are even better than predicted. Cancer 118(3):839-47, 2/2012. e-Pub 7/2011. PMID: 21751187.
12. Kim MM, Hoffman KE, Levy LB, Frank SJ, Pugh TJ, Choi S, Nguyen QN, McGuire SE, Lee AK, Kuban DA. Improvement in prostate cancer survival over time: a 20-year analysis. Cancer J 18(1):1-8, Jan-Feb, 1/2012. PMID: 22290249.
13. Pugh TJ, Lee AK. Role of radiation therapy for the treatment of lymph nodes in urologic malignancies. Urol Clin North Am 38(4):497-506, 11/2011. PMID: 22045180.
14. Samuelian JM, Swanson DA, Kudchadker RJ, Pugh TJ, Kuban DA, Lee AK, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Bruno TL, Frank SJ. Long-term Tumor Control After Brachytherapy for Cancer at the Base of the Prostate. Journal of Contemporary Brachytherapy 3(4). e-Pub 4/2011.
15. Pugh TJ, Chen C, Rabinovitch R, Eckhardt SG, Rusthoven KE, Swing R, Raben D. Phase I trial of bortezomib and concurrent external beam radiation in patients with advanced solid malignancies. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 78(2):521-6, 10/2010. e-Pub 2/2010. PMID: 20133082.
16. Pugh TJ, Ballonoff A, Newman F, Rabinovitch R. Improved survival in patients with early stage low-grade follicular lymphoma treated with radiation: a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database analysis. Cancer 116(16):3843-51, 8/15/2010. PMID: 20564102.
17. Pugh TJ, Ballonoff A, Rusthoven KE, McCammon R, Kavanagh B, Newman F, Rabinovitch R. Cardiac mortality in patients with stage I and II diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with and without radiation: a surveillance, epidemiology, and end-results analysis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 76(3):845-9, 3/1/2010. e-Pub 6/8/2009. PMID: 19515509.
18. Rusthoven KE, Kavanagh BD, Cardenes H, Stieber VW, Burri SH, Feigenberg SJ, Chidel MA, Pugh TJ, Franklin W, Kane M, Gaspar LE, Schefter TE. Multi-institutional phase I/II trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver metastases. J Clin Oncol 27(10):1572-8, 4/1/2009. e-Pub 3/2/2009. PMID: 19255321.
19. Rusthoven KE, Kavanagh BD, Burri SH, Chen C, Cardenes H, Chidel MA, Pugh TJ, Kane M, Gaspar LE, Schefter TE. Multi-institutional phase I/II trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy for lung metastases. J Clin Oncol 27(10):1579-84, 4/1/2009. e-Pub 3/2/2009. PMID: 19255320.

Invited Articles
1. Pugh TJ, Frank SJ. Quality of life issues in the radiotherapuetic management of prostate cancer. Radiation Medicine Grand Rounds 2(1), 4/2011.
2. Pugh TJ, Raben D. Management of pT3 Prostate Cancer. AUA Update Series 30(12):105-112, 2011.
3. Pugh TJ, Gaspar LE. Prophylactic cranial irradiation for patients with lung cancer. Clin Lung Cancer 8(6):365-8, 5/2007. PMID: 17562236.

Abstracts
1. Frank SJ, Madden T, Swanson DA, Martirosyan K, Uthamanthil R, Stafford J, Gagea M, Pugh TJ, Kudchadker R, Johansen MJ. C4 Markers for MRI-based Prostate Brachytherapy. Radiotherrapy and Oncology 103(S2):S91, 5/2012.
2. Pugh TJ, Swanson DA, Kudchadker RJ, Bruno TL, Munsell MF, Frank SJ. Prospective evaluation of pharmacologic penile rehabilitation following prostate brachytherapy. Radiotherapy and Oncology 103(S2):S91-S92, 5/2012.
3. Pugh TJ, Amos RA, Baptiste SJ, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Zhu XR, Palmer MB, Lee AK. Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) for Prostate Cancer: Robustness Analysis through Simulation of Rotational and Translational Alignment Errors. Oncology 26(S1):62-63, 4/2012.
4. Bian S, Kuban DA, Levy LB, Oh J, Castle KO, Pugh TJ, Choi S, McGuire SE, Nguyen QN, Frank SJ, Lee AK. Effect of adding short-term androgen deprivation therapy to dose-escalated radiation therapy on failure-free survival for select men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 30(Suppl 5):Abstract 176, 2/2012.
5. S. Choi, M. Amin, M. Palmer, X.R. Zhu, Q. Nguyen, T.J. Pugh, D.A. Kuban, A.K. Lee. Comparison of Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) to Passively Scattered Proton Therapy (PSPT) in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S154-S155, 10/2011.
6. K.O. Castle, K.E. Hoffman, L.B. Levy, A.K. Lee, S. Choi, Q.N. Nguyen, Frank SJ, T. Pugh, S.E. McGuire, D.A. Kuban. Is Androgen Deprivation Therapy Necessary in Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer Patients Treated in the Dose Escalation Era?. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S40-41, 10/2011.
7. A.P. Brown, T.J. Pugh, D.A. Swanson, R.J. Kudchadker, T.L. Bruno, E.N. Christensen, Frank SJ,. mproving Prostate Brachytherapy Quality Assurance with MRI-based Sector Analysis in a Phase II Prospective Trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S209, 10/2011.
8. T.J. Pugh, S.J. Frank, M. Achim, D.A. Kuban, A.K. Lee, S. Choi, Q. Nguyen, K. Hoffman, S.E. McGuire, D.A. Swanson, J.D. Davis. Prediction of Extraprostatic Extension in Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: The Evolving Role of Endorectal MRI. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S398, 10/2011.
9. E.N. Christensen, T.J. Pugh, M.F. Munsell, D.A. Swanson, R.J. Kudchadker, T.L. Bruno, A.P. Brown, Frank SJ. Sector Analysis of Prostate Brachytherapy Shows That Low Doses can Achieve an Undetectable PSA. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S422, 10/2011.
10. Q. Nguyen, C. Crawford, M. Palmer, R. Zhu, S. Choi, T. Pugh, S.J. Frank, K. Hoffman, D.A. Kuban, A.K. Lee. Utilizing A Multifield Optimization Intensity Modulated Proton Technique (MFO-IMPT) To Deliver A Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB) To The Dominant Intraprostatic Lesion For Localized Prostate Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S876-S877, 10/2011.
11. Kudchadker RJ, Pugh TJ, Bruno TL, Du W, Swanson DA, Frank SJ. Optimizing quality assurance in a prospective phase II clinical trial for intermediate risk prostate cancer with brachytherapy as monotherapy using a Palladium-103 stranded seed nomogram. Med Phys 38(6):3625, 7/2011.
12. Kudchadker RJ, Du W, Bruno TL, Pugh TJ, Frank SJ. Treatment planning dosimetry comparison between model 9011 I-125 thinseed and Model 6711 I-125 seeds for prostate brachytherapy. Med Phys 38(6):3625, 7/2011.
13. Frank SJ, Munsell MF, Pugh TJ, Kudchadker RJ, Bruno TL, Kuban DA, Lee AK, Choi S, Nguyen QN, Swanson DA. Long-Term Outcomes, Quality of Life, and Patient-Reported Satisfaction Following Prostate Brachytherapy: The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Brachytherapy 10(Supplement 1):S16-17, 5/2011.
14. Pugh TJ, Frank SJ, Kudchadker R, Swanson DA, Davis JW. Prostate MRI in Men With Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: Implications for Prostate Brachytherapy Monotherapy. Brachytherapy 10(Supplement 1):S30, 5/2011.
15. M. M. Kim, K. E. Hoffman, L. B. Levy, S. J. Frank, S. Choi, Q. N. Nguyen, T. Pugh, S. E. McGuire, A. Lee, D. A. Kuban. Prostate cancer-specific mortality after definitive radiation therapy: Who dies of disease?. J Clin Oncol 29(Suppl 7):Abstract 181, 2/2011.
16. Zhu XR, Grosshans D, Lee A, Choi S, Mahajan A, Chang E, Pugh T, Wu R, AMIN M, Palmer M, Taylor M, Gillin M, and Sahoo N. Spot Scanning Proton Therapy: Single Field Simultaneous Integrated Boost. Med Phys 38:3602, 2011.
17. Pugh TJ, Schefter TE, Kane M, Eckhardt SG, McCarter M, Chen YK, Swing R, Draheim L, Raben D. Phase I Trial of Concurrent Bortezomib, Paclitaxel, and External Beam Radiation in Patients with Unresectable Pancreatic or Billiary Cancer. Poster Viewing for 52nd Annual ASTRO Meeting, 10/2010.
18. Pugh TJ, Chen C, Rabinovitch R, Eckhardt SG, Rusthoven K, Swing R, Raben D,. Phase I Study of bortezomib and concurrent external beam radiation in patients with advanced solid malignancies. Oral presentation 91st Annual Meeting of the American Radium Society, 4/2009.
19. Rusthoven KE, Kavanagh B, Cardenes H, Stieber VW, Burri SH, Feigenberg SJ, Chidel MA, Pugh TJ, Franklin W, Kane M, Gasper LE, Schefter TE. Mature Results of a Multi-Institutional Phase I/II of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Liver Metastases. Poster Discussion ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. 1/2009.
20. Pugh TJ, McCrann K, Kane M, Pervez H, Schefter TE. Combined Modality Treatment for Unresectable Cholangiocarcinoma: A Retrospective Single Institution Experience. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, 9/2008.
21. Pugh TJ, Ballonoff A, Newman F, Rabinovicth R. Improved Disease Specific and Overall Survival in Patients with Early Stage Low Grade Follicular Lymphoma Treated with External Beam Radiation: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Analysis. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, 9/2008.
22. Pugh TJ, Ballonoff A, McCammon R, Rusthoven K, Kavanagh B, Rabinovitch R. Decreased Incidence of Cardiac Mortality in Patients with Stages I and II Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated with Radiation: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) Analysis. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, 11/2007.
23. Pugh TJ, Singh M, Rabinovitch R. First reported case of radiation induced angiosarcoma associated with BRCA2 Mutation following breast conserving therapy. ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium, 9/2007.

Book Chapters
1. Thomas J. Pugh, Carolyn I. Sartor, Bert O'Neil, David Raben. Gunderson and Tepper Clinical Radiation Oncology 3rd Edition; Chapter 5:. In: Biologics and their interaction with radiation, Third. Ed(s) LL Gunderson, JE Tepper. Elsevier, 83-94, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-4377-1637-5.
2. Paul Bunn, York Miller, Nir Peled, Ali Musani, Kavita Garg, Wilbur Franklin, Fred Hirsch, John Mitchell, Michael Weyant, Ross Camidge, Robert Doeble, Laurie Gaspar,Brian Kavanagh, TJ Pugh, Jessica Flagiello. Future Directions in the Multidisciplinary Management of Lung Cancer. In: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis and Management. Ed(s) Kemp Kernstine, Karen Reckamp, Charles Thomas. Demos Medical Publishing, 2010. ISBN: 1936287064.

Letters to the Editor
1. Rusthoven KE, Pugh TJ. Stereotactic body radiation therapy for inoperable lung cancer. JAMA 303(23):2354-5; author reply 2355, 6/16/2010. PMID: 20551403.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Development and Optimization of a Photoacoustic-Ultrasonic Transrectal Imaging System for the Improved Visualization of Prostate Brachytherapy Seeds
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Richard Brouchard

Last updated: 1/16/2013