Maria Cecilia Franco Vega, MD, FACP
Department of Hospital Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Hospital Medicine, Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Core Faculty, Oncologic Hospital Medicine Fellowship, Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Assistant Professor, Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2003 | Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, CO, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2012 | Chief Medical Resident, Hospital of Saint Raphael Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut |
| 2008-2011 | Internal Medicine Residency, Hospital of Saint Raphael Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut |
| 2003-2003 | Pre-Graduate Internship, Jackson Memorial Hospital, The William J Harrington Program, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida |
| 2002-2002 | Pre-Graduate Internship, Hospital de Kennedy / Universidad Nuestra Senora del Rosario, Bogota |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2017 | Texas Medical License |
| 2012 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
| 2011 | Connecticut Medical License |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Clinical Instructor, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 2011 - 2016
Chief Medical Resident, Hospital Medicine, Hospital of Saint Raphael, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 2011 - 2012
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Associate, Patient Safety Quality Officer, Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2023 - 2025
Collaborator, I-PASS for Nursing, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
Project Lead, Outside Hospital Transfer Handoff Project, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
Senator, Faculty Senate, Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, HOUSTON, TX, 2022 - 2024
Project Lead, Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) to Acute Cancer Care Center (ACCC) Handoff Project, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - Present
Project Lead, Acute Cancer Care Center (ACCC) to Inpatient Handoff Project, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - Present
Project Lead, Inpatient Handoff Project, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - Present
Project Lead, Handoff 360 A Project Focus Area(PFA) for QAPI Council (Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
Operations Medical Director, Hand-Off, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
Chair, I-PASS Institutional Task Force, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2018 - Present
Care Coordination Liaison, Thoracic Head and Neck Medical Oncology (THNMO), Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017 - Present
Other Professional Positions
Hospitalist, Northeast Medical Group, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, 2012 - 2017
Physician and Research Coordinator, Fundacion Bios, Barranquilla, 2006 - 2008
General Practitioner, Primary Care Clinic, Sabanalarga, 2006 - 2008
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Member, IO-TOX Research in Quality Improvement Subcommittee Division of Internal Medicine Toxicity Working Group, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Member, IO-TOX Resources Subcommittee, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Member, IOTOX Research in Quality Improvement Subcommittee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Member, ITOX, Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Committee, Member, Clinical Safety and Effectiveness, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Member, Medical Records Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Department of Hospital Medicine, Member, Clinical Onboarding Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - Present
Connecticut Chapter, Co-Chair, American College of Physician (ACD) Early Career Physician Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - 2017
Hospital of St. Raphael- Yale New Haven Hospital, Member, Ethics Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2011 - 2012
Editorial Activities
Judge, Poster Session, American College of Physicians Connecticut Chapter Annual Meeting, 2016
Judge, Poster Session, American College of Physicians Connecticut Chapter Annual Meeting, 2015
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | 2023 Division of Internal Medicine Quality Improvement Projects, Poster Award (First Place), Division of Internal Medicine Research Retreat, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2022 | Excellence Awards, Research Category, Division of Internal Medicine (Nominee), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer |
| 2022 | James S. and Suzanne Cyrus Scholar Awards in Outstanding Clinical Research (Finalist), Division of Internal Medicine Research Retreat, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston |
| 2020 | Institutional Faculty Excellence Award, Quality Improvement Category (First Place), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2022. Diagnosis and Management of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-Related Pneumonitis on the Hospitalist Service: DHM IO-TOX QI Project 2.0. Conference. Diagnosis and Management of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-Related Pneumonitis on the Hospitalist Service: DHM IO-TOX QI Project 2.0. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Implementation of an Electronic Handoff Tool I-PASS in the Hospital Medicine Department. Conference. Implementation of an Electronic Handoff Tool I-PASS in the Hospital Medicine Department. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Managing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-Related Pneumonitis on the Hospitalist Service. Conference. Managing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-Related Pneumonitis on the Hospitalist Service. Houston, TX, US.
- 2019. Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department. Conference. Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department. Houston, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2022. Multidisciplinary Management of Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities: Hospital Care. Conference. Multidisciplinary Management of Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities: Hospital Care. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Poster, Improving Communication in the Hospital Medicine Department with the Implementation of a Validated Electronic Handoff Tool I-PASS. Conference. Poster, Improving Communication in the Hospital Medicine Department with the Implementation of a Validated Electronic Handoff Tool I-PASS, US.
- 2022. Poster, Enhancing the Coordination of Care for Hospitalized Patients with Suspected Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-related Pneumonitis through the Development and Implementation of a Hospital -Based Clinical Care Pathway. Conference. Poster, Enhancing the Coordination of Care for Hospitalized Patients with Suspected Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-related Pneumonitis through the Development and Implementation of a Hospital -Based Clinical Care Pathway. Austin, TX, US.
- 2021. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass HandOff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center. Conference. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass HandOff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center, US.
- 2021. Poster, Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department. Conference. Poster, Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Special Session on Quality Improvement Initiatives in the Hospital Medicine Department. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass HandOff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center. Conference. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass HandOff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center, US.
International Presentations
- 2021. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass Hand-Off Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Conference. Poster, Implementation of I-Pass Hand-Off Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2021 - 2023 |
| Title: | Implementation of a Care Pathway for Hospitalized Patients with Suspected Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) - Related Adverse Events - A Quality Improvement Project, QIAB Project Registry 451 Division of Internal Medicine Research and Quality Improvement Development Award |
| Funding Source: | A Quality Improvement Project |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | A Phase 1/1b, Open-label, Dose-finding, First-in-human Study to Evaluate the Safety and Antitumor Activity of CX-904, an EGFR-targeted T-cell Engager in Advanced Solid Tumors (CTMX-904-101), 2022-0880, NCT05387265 |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Collaborator |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Parma, M, Wang, K, Taslicay, CA, Shah, K, Singhi, EK, Rivera, MJ, Solis Soto, LM, Wang, W, Hong, L, Li, Z, Altan, M, Franco Vega, M, de Groot, P, Halliday, A, Jacome, J, Zhang, J, Le, X, Pozadzides, JV, Tu, J, Bueno Hume, C, Blumenschein, GR, Skoulidis, F, Cascone, T, Fossella, FV, Vailati Negrao, M, Vokes, N, Gibbons, DL, Araujo, HA, Tsao, A, Heymach, JV, Byers, LA, Gay, CM, Zhang, B. Real-World Experience of Tarlatamab in Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Showed Promising Systemic and Intracranial Efficacy With Higher Neurologic Toxicity. JCO Precision Oncology 10, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42024839.
- Ait Aiss, M, Vesho, D, Bowe, C, Franco Vega, M, Chau, S, Beno, J, George, MC, Porter, C, Bodurka, DC. Using I-PASS to improve nursing handoffs across the continuum of care at a tertiary oncology hospital. BMJ Open Quality 14(3), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40992774.
- Soto-Lanza, F, Glick, L, Chan, C, Zhong, L, Wilson, NR, Faiz, S, Gandhi, S, Naing, A, Heymach, JV, Shannon, VR, Franco Vega, M, Liao, Z, Lin, SH, Palaskas, NL, Wu, J, Shroff, G, Altan, M, Sheshadri, A. Long-Term Clinical, Radiological, and Mortality Outcomes Following Pneumonitis in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Clinical Lung Cancer 25(7):624-633.e2, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39183094.
- Brito-Dellan, N, Franco Vega, M, Ruiz, JI, Lu, M, Sahar, HN, Rajapakse, P, Lin, HY, Peterson, CB, Leal Alviarez, DJ, Altay, H, Tomy, S, Manzano, JM. Optimizing inpatient care for lung cancer patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis using a clinical care pathway algorithm. Supportive Care in Cancer 32(10), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39283351.
- Franco Vega, M, Ait Aiss, M, George, MC, Day, L, Mbadugha, A, Owens, K, Sweeney, C, Chau, S, Escalante, CP, Bodurka, DC. Enhancing Implementation of the I-PASS Handoff Tool Using a Provider Handoff Task Force at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety 50(8):560-568, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38584053.
- Manzano, JM, Sahar, H, Aldrich, J, Lu, M, Shoukier, M, Peterson, CB, Dickson, KB, Koom-Dadzie, K, Kheder, E, Franco Vega, M, Mohammed, AD, Muthu, M, Simbaqueba Clavijo, CA, Senechalle, MS, Brito-Dellan, N. Treatment patterns and outcomes of high-grade immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis in an oncology hospitalist service. Supportive Care in Cancer 32(3), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38366007.
- Shatila, M, Eshaghi, F, Thomas, A, Kuang, AG, Shah, JS, Zhao, B, Naz, S, Sun, M, Fayle, S, Jin, J, Abudayyeh, A, Sheshadri, A, Palaskas, NL, Franco Vega, M, Gaeta, MS, Thomas, AS, Zhang, HC, Wang, Y. Practice Changes in Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Immune-Related Adverse Event Management at a Tertiary Care Center. Cancers 16(2), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38254858.
- Franco Vega, M, Ait Aiss, M, Smith, M, George, M, Day, L, Mbadugha, A, Niangar, Z, Bodurka, DC. Improving handoff with the implementation of I-PASS at a tertiary oncology hospital. BMJ Open Quality 12(4), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37802542.
- Altan, M, Soto, F, Xu, T, Wilson, NR, Franco Vega, M, Simbaqueba Clavijo, CA, Shannon, VR, Faiz, S, Gandhi, S, Lin, SH, Lopez, PB, Zhong, L, Akhmedzhanov, FO, Godoy, M, Shroff, G, Wu, J, Khawaja, F, Kim, ST, Naing, A, Heymach, JV, Daniel-MacDougall, CR, Liao, Z, Sheshadri, A. Pneumonitis After Concurrent Chemoradiation and Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Patients with Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Clinical Oncology 35(10):630-639, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37507279.
- Altan, M, Li, QZ, Wang, Q, Vokes, N, Sheshadri, A, Gao, J, Zhu, C, Tran, HT, Gandhi, S, Antonoff, MB, Swisher, SG, Wang, J, Byers, LA, Hassan, NA, Franco Vega, M, Wang, Y, Lee, JJ, Zhang, J, Heymach, JV. Distinct patterns of auto-reactive antibodies associated with organ-specific immune-related adverse events. Frontiers in immunology 14, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38152395.
- Gnanajothy R, Umashanker D, Franco-Vega MC, Wu BJ. A case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease following cataract surgery: sporadic versus iatrogenic cause. Conn Med 77(6):335-7, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23923250.
Professional Educational Materials
- . I-PASS Pocket Card Mobile app, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020.
- . I-PASS Handoff Communication Online Course (PI0312), Education Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020.
Other Articles
- Zhang B, Alder L, Rosner S, Desai A, Cooper A J, Yimer H, Bogdanska W, Naqash A R, Taylor A, Joshi U, Carlisle J, Champiat S, Altan M, Franco Vega M, Halm J, Manzano J, Fenton G, Nie Y, Wang K, Parma M, Rudin C M, Chiang A, Byers L A, Gay C M, Puri S A multi-institutional perspective on tarlatamab administration and management of CRS/ICANS. Lung Cancer 211, 2025.
- Zhang B, Shah KB, Parma M, Wang K, Singhi EK, Lewis W, Rivera M, Altan M, Pozadzides J, Le X, Vokes N, Fossella F, O'Brien B, Wang C, Tom MC, Beckham T, Swanson T, Bronk J, Lin SH, Franco Vega M, Jacome J, Halliday A, Negrao M, Zhang J, Gibbons DL, Heymach JV, Byers LA, Gay CM Rapid Intracranial Response With Tarlatamab in Patients With Untreated Brain Metastases From SCLC-A Real-World Case Series: Case Report. Journal of Thoracic Oncology 20(8):1131-1138, 2025. PMID: 40126456.
- Amaram-Davila J, Franco Vega M, Kim M, Dalal S, Dev R, Tanco K, Admane S, De Moraes A, Thomas L, Shelal Z, Gogineni M, Bramati P, Urbauer D, Hui D, Arthur J, Haider A, Bruera E, Reddy A Perceptions Toward Naloxone Among Patients With Cancer Receiving Opioids. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 68(6):e500-e507, 2024.
Abstracts
- Manzano JG, Franco-Vega M, Lu M, Ruiz-Ignazio J, Lu M, Sahar H, Leal-Alviarez D, Tomy S, Altay H, Rajapakse P, Lin H, Brito-Dellan N. Improving the Car of Patients with Lung Cancer Hospitalized with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-related Pneumonitis: Implementation of through the Development and Implementation of a Clinical Pathway Algorithm. Journal of Clinical Oncology e18730-318730, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Manzano JG, Leal-Alviarez D, Lu M, Franco-Vega, M, Sahar H, Ruiz-Ignazio J, Altay H, Tomy S, Rajapakse P, Lin H, Brito-Dellan N. Enhancing the Care of Patients with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI)-related Pneumonitis through the Development and Implementation of a Clinical Pathway. Oral preferred paper at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Manzano JG, Franco-Vega, M, Lu M Ruiz-Ignazio J, Sahar H, Leal-Alviarez D, Altay H, Tomy S, Brito-Dellan N. "Enhancing the Coordination of Care for Hospitalized Patients with Suspected Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI-related Pneumonitis through the Development and Implementation of a Hospital-Based Clinical Care Pathway. at The University of Texas Austin and MD Anderson Collaborative Research Summit, Austin, Texas, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Franco-Vega, M, Ait Ais M, George M, Mgadugha A, Day L, Bodurka D. "Improving Communication in the Hospital Medicine Department with the Implementation of a Validated Electronic Handoff Tool I-PASS". Presented at the University of Texas Austin and MD Anderson Collaborative Research Summit, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Dickson K, Simbaqueba C, Mamlouk O, |Franco-Vega M, Mandayam S. Racial Disparities in Adult Cancer Patients with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and Coronavirus 2019 (COVID 19) Infection. MASCC/ISOO Annual Meeting, Toronto, CA, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Amaram-Davila JS, Stewart HA, Aceves M, Tallie K, Fleckenstein O, Ait Aiss M, Franco-Vega M, Dalal S, Bruera E. "Quality Improvement Project: Implementation of I_PASS, a structured patient hand-off tool to improve communication, increase patient safety and prevent burnout among palliative care providers at a comprehensive cancer center". Journal of Clinical Oncology 40(28_suppl) ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago:65-65, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Franco-Vega M, Ait Ais M, George M, Mgadugh A, Dal L, Bodurka D. Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. National Association for Healthcare Quality Next (NAHQ) Annual Conference, Virtual, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Ait Ais FM, A, George, M, Mgadugha, A, Day, L, Bodurka, D. "Implementation of I_PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center", Division of Internal Medicine 2021 Research Retreat, The University of Texas MD Anderson, Houston, TX, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Franco-Vega, M, Ais A, A, George, M, Mgadugha, A, Day, L, Bodurka, D. Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare Europe, Virtual, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Simbaqueba C, Mamlouk O, Dickson K, Halm J, Mandayam S, Turin A, D'Achiardi D, M||B F. Acute kidney injury and major outcomes in cancer patients with no history of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with coronavirous 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Journal of Clinical Oncology 39(15 suppl) c18816-e18816. ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Sahar H, Aldrich J, Peterson C, Brito-Dellan N, Lu M, Shoukier M, Dickson K, Koom-Dadzie K, Kheder E, Franco-Vega M, Mohammed A, Muthu M, Simbaqueba C, Sibille M, Manzano JG. Immune Checkout Inhibitor (ICI) - related Pneumonitis Among Patients with Lung Cancer Admitted to an Oncology Hospitalist Service: Treatment patterns and hospitalization outcomes. Journal of Clinical Oncology 39(15) e21054, ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Franco-Vega, M, Ais MA, George, M, Mgadugha, A, Day, L, Bodurka, D. Implementation of I-PASS Handoff Tool in the Hospital Medicine Department at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Storyboard, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) National Patient Safety Congress, Virtual, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Mamlouk O, Turin A, D’Archiardi D, Simbaqueba C, Dickson K, Franco-Vega M, Halm J, Mandayam S, Team D. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with chronic kidney disease and coronavirus disease 2019. Journal of Clinical Oncology 39, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 06, 2026