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Welela Tereffe, M.D., M.P.H.

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

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

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

2009 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, MPH, Public Health
2000 New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, MD, Medicine
1995 Brown University, Providence, RI, BA, Education

Board Certifications

2006 American Board of Radiology (Radiation Oncology)
2001 National Board of Medical Examiners (General Medicine)

Experience/Service

Academic Appointments

Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 7/2005-9/2012

Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities

Committee Vice Chair, MD Anderson Cancer Center IRB 1, Houston, TX, 11/2012-present
Associate Medical Director, Nellie B. Connally Breast Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 9/2012-present
Committee Chair, MD Anderson Cancer Center Clinical Research Committee (CRC), Houston, TX, 9/2009-8/2012

Other Appointments/Responsibilities

Vice Chair, Statewide IRB, Statewide Clinical Trials Network of Texas (CT-NeT), Dallas, TN, 9/2012-present

Consultantships

Consultant, MD Anderson Physicians Network, Houston, TX, 1/2011-present

Institutional Committee Activities

Associate Member, Institutional Review Board (IRB) 3, 11/2012-present
Senator (department representative), Faculty Senate, 9/2012-present
Associate Member/Member, Institutional Review Board (IRB) 1, 9/2009-11/2012

Honors and Awards

2010 Golden Apple Award for Excellency in Teaching, MD Anderson Department of Radiation Oncology

Professional Memberships

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
Member, 2000-present
American Association for Women Radiologists
Member, 2002-present
American Brachytherapy Society
Member, 2003-present
American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
Member, 2001-present
Harris County Medical Society, Houston, TX
Member, 2007-present
Society for Medical Decision Making
Member, 2007-present
Texas Radiological Society
Member, 2007-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Lang JE, Tereffe W, Mitchell MP, Rao R, Feng L, Meric-Bernstam F, Bedrosian I, Kuerer HM, Hunt KK, Hortobagyi GN, Babiera GV. Primary tumor extirpation in breast cancer patients who present with Stage IV disease is associated with improved survival. Ann Surg Oncol. e-Pub 1/2013. PMID: 23306905.
2. Kong AL, Tereffe W, Hunt KK, Yi M, Kang T, Weatherspoon K, Mittendorf EA, Bedrosian I, Hwang RF, Babiera GV, Buchholz TA, Meric-Bernstam F. Impact of internal mammary lymph node drainage identified by preoperative lymphoscintigraphy on outcomes in patients with stage I to III breast cancer. Cancer 118(24):6287-96, 12/2012. e-Pub 5/2012. PMID: 22648744.
3. Pinnix C, Perkins GH, Strom EA, Tereffe W, Woodward W, Oh JL, Arriaga L, Munsell MF, Kelly P, Hoffman KE, Smith BD, Buchholz TA, Yu TK. Topical Hyaluronic Acid vs. Standard of Care for the Prevention of Radiation Dermatitis After Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer: Single-Blind Randomized Phase III Clinical Trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 83(4):1089-94, 7/2012. e-Pub 12/2011. PMID: 22172912.
4. Wang X, Pan T, Pinnix C, Zhang SX, Salehpour M, Sun TL, Gladish G, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Woodward W, Hoffman KE, Buchholz TA, Yu TK. Cardiac motion during deep-inspiration breath-hold: implications for breast cancer radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 82(2):708-714, 2/2012. e-Pub 3/2011. PMID: 21444161.
5. Nagar H, Mittendorf EA, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Hunt KK, Buchholz TA, Yu TK. Local-regional recurrence with and without radiation therapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy for clinically staged T3N0 breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(3):782-7, 11/2011. e-Pub 8/2011. PMID: 21885207.
6. Wang X, Amos RA, Zhang X, Taddei PJ, Woodward WA, Hoffman KE, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Oh J, Perkins GH, Salehpour M, Zhang SX, Sun TL, Gillin M, Buchholz TA, Strom EA. External-beam accelerated partial breast irradiation using multiple proton beam configurations. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 80(5):1464-72, 8/2011. e-Pub 8/2010. PMID: 20708848.
7. Albert JM, Buzdar AU, Guzman R, Allen PK, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Woodward WA, Hoffman KE, Tereffe W, Hunt KK, Buchholz TA, Oh JL. Prospective randomized trial of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FAC) versus paclitaxel and FAC (TFAC) in patients with operable breast cancer: impact of taxane chemotherapy on locoregional control. Breast Cancer Res Treat 128(2):421-7, 7/2011. e-Pub 5/2011. PMID: 21553292.
8. Kronowitz, S, Lam C, Tereffe W, Hunt KK, Kuerer H, Valero V, Lance S, Robb GL, Feng L, Buchholz TA. A multidisciplinary protocol for planned skin-preserving delayed breast reconstruction for patients with locally advanced breast cancer requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy: 3-year follow-up. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 127(6):2154-2166, 6/2011.
9. Albert JM, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Guray M, Sahin A, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Strom EA, Hunt KK, Tucker SL, Buchholz TA. Patients with only 1 positive hormone receptor have increased locoregional recurrence compared with patients with estrogen receptor-positive progesterone receptor-positive disease in very early stage breast cancer. Cancer 117(8):1595-1601, 4/2011. e-Pub 11/2010. PMID: 21472707.
10. Woodward WA, Truong PT, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Oh J, Perkins G, Strom E, Meric-Bernstam F, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Speers C, Ragaz J, Buchholz TA. Among women who experience a recurrence after postmastectomy radiation therapy irradiation is not associated with more aggressive local recurrence or reduced survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat 123(2):597-605, 9/2010. PMID: 20306128.
11. Albert JM, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Guray M, Sahin A, Strom EA, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Tucker SL, Hunt KK, Hortobagyi GN, Buchholz TA. Estrogen/progesterone receptor negativity and HER2 positivity predict locoregional recurrence in patients with T1a,bN0 breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 77(5):1296-302, 8/2010. PMID: 20472353.
12. Zhang YJ, Oh JL, Whitman GJ, Iyengar P, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Perkins G, Buchholz TA, Strom EA. Clinically apparent internal mammary nodal metastasis in patients with advanced breast cancer: Incidence and local control. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 77(4):1113-9, 7/2010. PMID: 20004535.
13. Greenbaum MP, Strom EA, Allen PK, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Tereffe W, Yu TK, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Low locoregional recurrence rates in patients treated after 2000 with doxorubicin based chemotherapy, modified radical mastectomy, and post-mastectomy radiation. Radiother Oncol 95(3):312-6, 6/2010. PMID: 20227126.
14. Smith GL, Shih YC, Xu Y, Giordano SH, Smith BD, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Buchholz TA. Racial disparities in the use of radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery: A national Medicare study. Cancer 116(3):734-41, 2/2010. PMID: 20014181.
15. Reed VK, Woodward WA, Zhang L, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Oh JL, Yu TK, Bedrosian I, Whitman GJ, Buchholz TA, Dong L. Automatic segmentation of whole breast using atlas approach and deformable image registration. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73(5):1493-500, 4/2009. PMID: 18804333.
16. Beadle BM, Woodward WA, Tucker SL, Outlaw ED, Allen PK, Oh JL, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Yu TK, Meric-Bernstam F, Litton JK, Buchholz TA. Ten-year recurrence rates in young women with breast cancer by locoregional treatment approach. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73(3):734-44, 3/2009. PMID: 18707822.
17. Beadle BM, Woodward WA, Middleton LP, Tereffe W, Strom EA, Litton JK, Meric-Bernstam F, Theriault RL, Buchholz TA, Perkins GH. The impact of pregnancy on breast cancer outcomes in women </=35 years. Cancer 115(6):1174-84, 3/2009. PMID: 19204903.
18. Garg AK, Frija EK, Sun TL, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Yu TK, Woodward WA, Tereffe WA, Salehpour M, Buchholz TA. Effects of variable placement of superior tangential/supraclavicular match line on dosimetric coverage of level III axilla/axillary apex in patients treated with breast and supraclavicular radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 73(2):370-4, 2/2009. PMID: 18676090.
19. Bristol IJ, Woodward WA, Strom EA, Cristofanilli M, Domain D, Singletary SE, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Sahin AA, Hunt KK, Hortobagyi GN, Buchholz TA. Local-regional treatment outcomes after multimodality management of inflammatory breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 72(2):474-484, 10/2008. PMID: 18439768.
20. Puri DR, Tereffe W, Yahalom J. Low-dose and limited-volume radiation alone for primary dural marginal zone lymphoma: Treatment approach and review of the literature. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71(5):1425-1435, 8/2008. PMID: 18234430.
21. Buchholz TA, Woodward WA, Duan Z, Fang S, Oh JL, Tereffe W, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Yu TK, Hunt KK, Meric-Bernstam F, Hortobagyi GN, Giordano SH. Radiation use and long-term survival in breast cancer patients with T1,T2 primary tumors and 1-3 positive axillary lymph nodes. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71(4):1022-1027, 7/2008. PMID: 18234447.
22. Reed VK, Cavalcanti JL, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Tereffe W, Yu TK, Yeung H, Whitman GJ, Bedrosian I, Macapinlac HA, Buchholz TA, Woodward WA. Risk of subclinical micrometastatic disease in the supraclavicular nodal bed based on the anatomical distribution in patients with advanced breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 71(2):435-440, Jun 1 2008, 6/2008. PMID: 18164831.
23. Smith GL, Smith BD, Giordano SH, Shih YC, Woodward WA, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Yu TK, Buchholz TA. Risk of hypothyroidism in older breast cancer patients treated with radiation. Cancer 112(6):1371-9, 3/2008. PMID: 18213620.
24. Wahl AO, Rademaker A, Kiel KD, Jones EL, Marks LB, Croog V, McCormick BM, Hirsch A, Karkar A, Motwani SB, Tereffe W, Yu TK, Sher D, Silverstein J, Kachnic LA, Kesslering C, Freedman GM, Small W. A multi-Institutional review of re-irradiation of the chest wall and breast for recurrent breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 70(2):477-484, 2/2008. PMID: 17869019.
25. Garg AK, Oh JL, Oswald MJ, Huang E, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Woodward WA, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Meric-Bernstam F, Hahn K, Buchholz TA. Effect of postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients < 35 years old with stage II-III breast cancer treated with doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 69(5):1478-1483, 12/2007. PMID: 17855016.
26. Oh JL, Nguyen G, Whitman GJ, Hunt KK, Yu TK, Woodward WA, Tereffe W, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Buchholz TA. Placement of radiopaque clips for tumor localization in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast conservation therapy. Cancer 110(11):2420-2427, 12/2007. PMID: 17941034.
27. Liengsawangwong R, Yu TK, Sun TL, Erasmus JJ, Perkins GH, Tereffe W, Oh JL, Woodward WA, Strom EA, Salephour M, Buchholz TA. Treatment optimization using computed tomography-delineated targets should be used for supraclavicular irradiation for breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 69(3):711-715, 11/2007. PMID: 17889264.
28. Hwang RF, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Yi M, Buchholz TA, Meric-Bernstam F, Kuerer HM, Babiera GV, Tereffe W, Liu DD, Hunt KK. Low local-regional failure rates in selected breast cancer patients with tumor-positive sentinel nodes who do not undergo completion axillary dissection. Cancer 110(4):723-730, 8/2007. PMID: 17587208.
29. McGuire SE, Gonzalez-Angulo AM, Huang EH, Tucker SL, Kau SW, Yu TK, Strom EA, Oh JL, Woodward WA, Tereffe W, Hunt KK, Kuerer HM, Sahin AA, Hortobagyi GN, Buchholz TA. Post-mastectomy radiation improves the outcome of patients with stage III breast cancer who achieve a pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 68(4):1004-1009, 7/2007. PMID: 17418973.
30. Huang EH, Strom EA, Valero V, Fornage B, Perkins GH, Oh JL, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Woodward WA, Hunt KK, Meric-Bernstam F, Sahin AA, Bedrosian I, Hortobagyi GN, Buchholz TA. Locoregional treatment outcomes for breast cancer patients with ipsilateral supraclavicular metastases at diagnosis. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 67(2):490-496, 2/2007. PMID: 17236970.
31. Oh JL, Dryden MJ, Woodward WA, Yu TK, Tereffe W, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Middleton L, Hunt KK, Giordano SH, Oswald MJ, Domain D, Buchholz TA. Locoregional control of clinically diagnosed multifocal or multicentric breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and locoregional therapy. J Clin Oncol 24(31):4971-4975, 11/2006. PMID: 17075114.
32. Buchholz TA, Strom EA, Oswald MJ, Perkins GH, Oh J, Domain D, Yu TK, Woodward WA, Tereffe W, Singletary SE, Thomas E, Buzdar AU, Hortobagyi GN, McNeese MD. Fifteen-year results of a randomized prospective trial of hyperfractionated chest wall irradiation versus once-daily chest wall irradiation after chemotherapy and mastectomy for patients with locally advanced noninflammatory breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 65(4):1155-1160, 7/2006. PMID: 16750325.

Editorials
1. Tereffe W. Statin Prescriptions and Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk: A Danish Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 23(3):228-229, 9/2012.

Last updated: 3/8/2013