Amit K Garg, MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology
About Dr. Amit K Garg
Amit Garg, MD, serves as the Medical Director of the Presbyterian MD Anderson Radiation Treatment Center at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center and Chief Quality Officer of the Cancer Program at PHS in New Mexico.
He also serves as an associate professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He specializes in the treatment of diverse cancers with radiation therapy and is Chairman of the Interdisciplinary Breast Tumor Board at PHS. Dr. Garg’s areas of continued interest include the treatment of select tumors with a highly advanced form of radiation therapy called Stereotactic Radiotherapy for tumors in the brain, spine, lung, liver and elsewhere. He participates in clinical research and is a published author on a variety of cancer-related topics. Dr. Garg is a board certified radiation oncologist.
Dr. Garg received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He completed a residency in radiation oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He also has a master’s degree in biomedical ethics from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Radiation Treatment Center, Albuquerque, NM
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Chief Quality Officer, Division of Presbyterian Cancer Care, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2004 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 2000 | Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA, MA, Biomedical Ethics |
| 1999 | Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA, BA, Biology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2005-2009 | Clinical Residency, Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
Experience & Service
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Chairman, Interdisciplinary Breast Tumor Board, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM, 2015 - Present
Member, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM, 2013 - Present
Member, Quality Committee, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM, 2013 - Present
Member, Breast Cancer Program Leadership Committee, Albuquerque, NM, 2013 - Present
Hepatobiliary Cancer Leadership Committee, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM, 2013 - Present
Member, Advisory Committee, Presbyterian Hospital System, NAPBC Accreditation Team, Albuquerque, NM, 2012 - Present
Member, Cancer Committee, Presbyterian Hospital System, Albuquerque, NM, 2010 - Present
Board Member, Anna Fallas Breast Cancer Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, 2010 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2011 | Best of ASTRO Presentation, New York Roentgen Society Meeting |
| 2006 | Montague Resident Research Award |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Grant JD, Garg AK, Gopal R, Soliman PT, Jhingran A, Eifel PJ, Klopp AH. Isolated Port-Site Metastases Following Minimally-Invasive Hysterectomy for Endometrial Cancer: Outcomes of Patients Treated with Radiotherapy. Int J Gynecol Cancer 25(5):869-74, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25790043.
- Garg AK, Shiu AS, Yang J, Wang XS, Allen P, Brown BW, Grossman P, Frija EK, McAleer MF, Azeem S, Brown PD, Rhines LD, Chang EL. Phase 1/2 trial of single-session stereotactic body radiotherapy for previously unirradiated spinal metastases. Cancer 118(20):5069-77, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22511344.
- Garg AK. Nocebo Side Effects in Cancer Treatment. Lancet Oncol 12(13):1181-2, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21944597.
- Garg AK, Wang XS, Shiu AS, Allen P, Yang J, McAleer MF, Azeem S, Rhines LD, Chang EL. Prospective evaluation of spinal reirradiation by using stereotactic body radiation therapy: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Cancer 117(15):3509-16, 2011. PMID: 21319143.
- Garg AK, Jhingran A, Klopp AH, Aggarwal BB, Kunnumakkara AB, Broadus RR, Eifel PJ, Buchholz TA. Expression of nuclear transcription factor kappa B in locally advanced human cervical cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 78(5):1331-6, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20231067.
- Castillo R, Castillo E, Guerra R, Johnson VE, McPhail T, Garg AK, Guerrero T. A framework for evaluation of deformable image registration spatial accuracy using large landmark point sets. Phys Med Biol 54(7):1849-70, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19265208.
- 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, 2009. PMID: 18676090.
- 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):1478-83, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17855016.
- Garg AK, Mai WY, McGary JE, Grant WH, Butler EB, Teh BS. Radiation proctopathy in the treatment of prostate cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 66(5):1294-305, 2006. PMID: 17126204.
- Chandra A, Guerrero TM, Liu HH, Tucker SL, Liao Z, Wang X, Murshed H, Bonnen MD, Garg AK, Stevens CW, Chang JY, Jeter MD, Mohan R, Cox JD, Komaki R. Feasibility of using intensity-modulated radiotherapy to improve lung sparing in treatment planning for distal esophageal cancer. Radiother Oncol 77(3):247-53, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 16298001.
- Buchholz TA, Garg AK, Chakravarti N, Aggarwal BB, Esteva FJ, Kuerer HM, Singletary SE, Hortobagyi GN, Pusztai L, Cristofanilli M, Sahin AA. The nuclear transcription factor kappaB/bcl-2 pathway correlates with pathologic complete response to doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in human breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res 11(23):8398-402, 2005. PMID: 16322301.
- Garg AK, Buchholz TA, Aggarwal BB. Chemosensitization and radiosensitization of tumors by plant polyphenols. Antioxidant Redox Signal 7(11-12):1630-47, 2005. PMID: 16356126.
- Garg AK, Strom EA, McNeese MD, Buzdar AU, Hortobagyi GN, Kuerer HM, Perkins GH, Singletary SE, Hunt KK, Sahin A, Schechter N, Valero V, Tucker SL, Buchholz TA. T3 disease at presentation or pathologic involvement of four or more lymph nodes predict for locoregional recurrence in stage II breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy without radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 59(1):138-45, 2004. PMID: 15093909.
- Garg AK, Aggarwal BB. Reactive oxygen intermediates in TNF signaling. Mol Immunol 39(9):509-17, 2002. PMID: 12431383.
- Garg A, Aggarwal BB. Nuclear transcription factor-kappaB as a target for cancer drug development. Leukemia 16(6):1053-68, 2002. PMID: 12040437.
Invited Articles
- Garg AK, Buchholz TA. Influence of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 22(5):1434-40, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25727554.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- . Quality Assurance for Stereotactic Radiotherapy in the Regional Setting, Stereotactic Radiotherapy Guidelines, 2011.
- . Stereotactic Radiotherapy/Radiosurgery in the Regional Care Center Setting, Stereotactic Spine Technology Development Plan, 2011.
- . Training Guidelines for Stereotactic Radiotherapy in the Regional Setting, Stereotactic Spine Technology Development Plan, 2011.
Other Articles
- Garg AK, Bloom ES Transitioning Breast Cancer Care from the Academic to the Community Setting Breast Diseases. A Yearbook Quarterly 22(2):118-121, 2011.
Editorials
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Radiation Therapy to the Plexus Brachialis in Breast Cancer Patients: Analysis of Paresthesia in Relation to Dose and Volume. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 26(4):348, 2016.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Classification System for Identifying Women at Risk for Altered Partial Breast Irradiation Recommendations After Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 25(1):81-82, 2014.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Surgeons’ Knowledge and Practices Regarding the Role of Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer Management. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 25(2):163-64, 2014.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Fatigue, Inflammation, and Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acid Intake Among Breast Cancer Survivors. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 24(1):33-34, 2013.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Outcome After Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence in Patients Who Receive Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 24(2):182-3, 2013.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Phase I Clinical Trial of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Concomitant With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 24(3):273-4, 2013.
- Garg AK. Commentary on: Risk factor modification and projections of absolute breast cancer risk. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 23(1):47-48, 2012.
- Garg, AK, Gopal R. Commentary on: How Do the ASTRO Consensus Statement Guidelines for the Application of Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Fit Intraoperative Radiotherapy? A Retrospective Analysis of Patients Treated at the European Institute of Oncology. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 23(4):358-59, 2012.
- Garg AK, Gopal R. Commentary on: Initial Surgical Experience Evaluating Early Tolerance and Toxicities in Patients Undergoing Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Using the Contura Multi Lumen Balloon Breast Brachytherapy Catheter. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 21(2):175-176, 2010.
- Garg AK, Buchholz TA. Commentary on: A prospective study of concurrent cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/5-fu and reduced-dose radiotherapy in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma. Women's Oncology Review 4(2):143-144, 2004.
Abstracts
- Grant J, Garg A, Gopal R, Soliman P, Jhingran A, Eifel P, Klopp A. Isolated Port-Site Metastases Following Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Endometrial Cancer: Outcomes of Patients Treated with Radiotherapy. Proceeds of the American Radium Society, USVI, 2014.
- Tao R, Christensen EN, Yang J, Grossman P, Brown PD, Settle SH, Chang EL, Garg AK, Wang Xin, Rhines LD, Ghia AJ. Prospective Evaluation of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Spinal Metastases in the Postoperative Setting. Proceeds of the American Radium Society, USVI, 2014.
- Christensen EN, Garg AK, MacAleer MF, Rhines LD, Brown PD, Chang EL, Settle SH. Patterns of failure in stereotactic body radiotherapy for spinal tumors. ASTRO, 2013.
- Christensen EN, Allen P, Yang J, Wang X, McAleer MF, Chang E, Brown PD, Garg AK, Settle SH. Outcomes in spinal stereotactic body radiotherapy: an update of the MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience. American Radium Society, 2013.
- Garg AK, Shiu AS, Yang J, Wang XS, Allen P, Brown BW, Grossman P, Frija EK, McAleer MF, Azeem S, Brown PD, Rhines LD, Chang EL. Phase I/II Trial of Single Session Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Previously Unirradiated Spinal Metastases. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 81(2):S131, 2011.
- Garg AK, Wang XS, Allen P, Yang J, Mendoza T, Cleeland C, Rhines LD, Change EL. Prospective Evaluation of Spinal Re-irradiation Using Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy. The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Proceeds of American Radium Society, ARS, 2010.
- Garg AK, Jhingran A, Aggarwal BB, Buchholz TA, Broaddus RR, Eifel PJ. Pre- and post-treatment expression of Nuclear Transcription Factor Kappa B in locally advanced human cervical cancer treated with definitive chemoradiation. Proceeds of American Radium Society, 2007.
- Garg AK, Oh JL, Oswald M, Huang E, Strom EA, Perkins GH, Meric-Bernstam F, Gwyn K, Buchholz TA. Postmastectomy radiation therapy in stage II-III breast cancer patients <35 years old treated with doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy. Int J Rad Oncol Biol Phys Proceedings of the ASTRO 47th Annual Meeting 63(2):S237, 2005.
- Khakpour N, Lucci A, Yi M, Meric-Bernstam F, Kuerer HM, Babiera GV, Ross M, Buchholz T, Garg A, Hunt KK. Sentinel lymph node dissection provides similar local-regional control compared to axillary dissection in patients with node negative breast cancer. J Clin Oncol (Meeting Abstracts), 2005.
- Garg A, Strom EA, McNeese MD, Buzdar AU, Sahin AA, Valero V, Tucker SL, Buchholz TA. Clinical Stage T3 disease or pathologic involvement of four or more lymph nodes predict for local-regional recurrence in stage II breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. SABCS (Poster Presentation), 2004.
- Amosson CM, Teh BS, Garg AK, Mai WY, Woo SY, Chiu JK, Carpenter SL, Lu H, Grant WH, Butler EB. Accelerated Fractionation for Head and Neck Cancer Using the SMART (Simultaneous Modulated Accelerated Radiation Therapy) Boost Technique. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 57(2 Suppl):S306-7, 2003.
- Garg AK, Aggarwal BB.. Nuclear Transcription Factor-Kappa B: A promising molecular target, Abstract and Poster Presentation. James K. Alexander Research Symposium Baylor College of Medicine, 2003.
- Buchholz TA, Garg A, Esteva FJ, Kuerer HM, Hortobagyi GN, Pusztai MD, Singletary SE, Sahin AA. Lack of bcl-2 and bax expression correlates with pathologic complete response to doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. SABCS 2003, 2003.
Book Chapters
- Garg, AK, Buchholz TA, Aggarwal BB. Chapter 22. Effects of natural polyphenols on chemoradiotherapy in cancer. In: Herbal Medicine: A cancer chemopreventive and therapeutic perspective. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, 2010.
- Garg AK, Aggarwal BB. Chapter XIV: Nuclear transcription factor kappa B; A drug target for all seasons. In: Apoptotic pathways as targets for novel therapies in cancer and other diseases, 297-322, 2005.
Letters to the Editor
- Woodward WA, Garg AK, Strom EA, Buchholz TA. In Reply to Dr. Monsour, Letter to the editor. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 60: 687-688, 2004.