Dongfeng (Dan) Tan, MD
Department of Anatomical Pathology, Division of Pathology-Lab Medicine Div
About Dr. Tan
I am a board-certified pathologist since 1998. My interests are comprehensive approaches to solid tumors and their precision management. I joined MDACC in 2006, and specialized in GI malignancies. I have participated in multiple projects within the institution as well as cooperative works with outside institutions. I authored textbooks of Principles of Molecular Diagnostics and Personalized Cancer Medicine and Surgical Pathology Advances in Gastric Cancer. I authored and co-authored 170 peer-reviewed scientific articles.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Pathology/Lab Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1983 | Tongji Medical University, Wuhan, CHN, MD, Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 1998-1999 | Clinical Fellowship, Oncologic Surgical Pathology Fellowship, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY |
| 1997-1998 | Clinical Residency, Chief Resident, Yale University Medical Center, New Haven, CT |
| 1994-1997 | Clinical Residency, Pathology, Yale University Medical Center, New Haven, CT |
| 1987-1991 | Visiting Scholar/Post Doctor, Essen University School of Medicine, Essen |
| 1983-1987 | Graduate Student, Pathology, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan |
Honors & Awards
| 2011 | Honorary President, Macau Anti-Cancer Association |
| 2009 | Best USCAP Meeting Abstract Presentation, GI Pathology Society |
| 2009 | Top 5 Abstract, College of American Pathologists |
| 2006 | America's Registry of Outstanding Professionals |
| 2000 | Roswell Park Alliance Foundation Award for Clinical Research, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Chang HR, Nam S, Kook MC, Kim KT, Liu X, Yao H, Jung HR, Lemos R, Seo HH, Park HS, Gim Y, Hong D, Huh I, Kim YW, Tan D, Liu CG, Powis G, Park T, Liang H, Kim YH. HNF4α is a therapeutic target that links AMPK to WNT signalling in early-stage gastric cancer. Gut 65(1):19-32, 2016. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25410163.
- Shen R, Liu H, Wen J, Liu Z, Wang LE, Wang Q, Tan D, Ajani JA, Wei Q. Genetic polymorphisms in the microRNA binding-sites of the thymidylate synthase gene predict risk and survival in gastric cancer. Mol Carcinog 54(9):880-8, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24756984.
- Wang Q, Liu H, Xiong H, Liu Z, Wang LE, Qian J, Muddasani R, Lu V, Tan D, Ajani JA, Wei Q. Polymorphisms at the microRNA binding-site of the stem cell marker gene CD133 modify susceptibility to and survival of gastric cancer. Mol Carcinog 54(6):449-58, 2015. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24302553.
- Humphries B, Wang Z, Oom AL, Fisher T, Tan D, Cui Y, Jiang Y, Yang C. MicroRNA-200b targets protein kinase Cα and suppresses triple negative breast cancer metastasis. Carcinogenesis 35(10):2254-63, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24925028.
- Li Y, Liu Z, Liu H, Wang LE, Onodera H, Suzuki A, Suzuki K, Wadhwa R, Elimova E, Sudo K, Shiozaki H, Estrella J, Lee JS, Song S, Tan D, Ajani JA, Wei Q. Potentially Functional Variants in the Core Nucleotide Excision Repair Genes Predict Survival in Japanese Gastric Cancer Patients. Carcinogenesis 35(9):142, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24990617.
- Javle M, Li Y, Tan D, Dong X, Chang P, Kar S, Li D. Biomarkers of TGF-β signaling pathway and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. PLoS One 9(1):e85942, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24465802.
- Zhou Z, Bandla S, Ye J, Xia Y, Que J, Luketich JD, Pennathur A, Peters JH, Tan D, Godfrey TE. Cyclin E involved in early stage carcinogenesis of esophageal adenocarcinoma by SNP DNA microarray and immunohistochemical studies. BMC Gastroenterol 14:78, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24742107.
- Zhang Y, Ren H, Wang L, Ning Z, Zhuang Y, Gan J, Chen S, Zhou D, Zhu H, Tan D, Zhang H. Clinical impact of tumor-infiltrating inflammatory cells in primary small cell esophageal carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 15(6):9718-34, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24886814.
- F Liu, Y Zhang, D Shen, Tan D. Molecular features and diagnostics of Lynch syndrome colorectal cancer. Chinese Journal of Pathology 9:208-215, 2014.
- Xu B, Thong N, Tan D, Khoury T. Expression of Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 in Colorectal Carcinoma. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 18(3):244-249, 2010. PMID: 20042854.
- Veras E, Khurana H, Abadeer R, Tan D, Ayala A. Solitary synovial osteochondroma: a clinicopathologic review of five cases with radiographic correlation. Ann Diagn Pathol 14(2):94-99, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20227014.
- Khoury T, Malik D, Fan C, Tan D, Kulkarni S.. Modified Alcian Blue Enhances the Intraoperative Diagnosis of Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: a Prospective Study. Arch Pathol Lab Med 134(10):1513-1519, 2010. PMID: 20923308.
- Zenali MJ, Tan D, Li W, Dhingra S, Brown R. Stemness Characteristics of Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Immunohistochemical Analysis with Comparisons to Conventional Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Ann Clin Lab Sci 40(2):126-134, 2010. PMID: 20421623.
- Al-Agha OM, Liu W, Chandrasekhar R, Wilding G, Tan D, Alrawi S, Khoury T. CD138 (Syndecan-1) in thymic tumors: correlation with various World Health Organization types and clinical outcome. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 3(3):280-287, 2010. PMID: 20224726.
- Dhingra S, Li W, Tan D, Zenali M, Zhang H, Brown RE. Cell cycle biology of fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 3(8):792-7, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21151393.
- Guan X, Zhao H, Niu J, Tan D, Ajani JA, Wei Q.. The VEGF -634G>C promoter polymorphism is associated with risk of gastric cancer. BMC Gastroenterol 9(1):77-83, 2009. PMID: 19835575.
- Li Q, Jia Z, Le X, Dai B, Wei D, Huang S, Tan D, Xie K. Critical role and regulation of transcription factor foxM1 expression in human gastric cancer angiogenesis and progression. Cancer Research 69(8):3501-3509, 2009. PMID: 19351851.
- Yin M, Hu Z, Tan D, Ajani J, Wei Q. Molecular epidemiology of genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer: focus on single nucleotide polymorphisms in gastric carcinogenesis. American Journal of Translational Research 1(1):44-54, 2009. PMID: 19966937.
- *Yin M, Tan D, Wei Q. Genetic variants of the XRCC1 gene and susceptibility to esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis. Int J Clin Exp Med 2(1):26-35, 2009. PMID: 19436829.
- Hassid Vj, Orlando FA, Awad ZT, Tan D, Khoury T, Ahmed BH, Alrawi SJ. Genetic and molecular abnormalities in cholangiocarcinogenesis. Anticancer Res 29(4):1151-6, 2009. PMID: 19414358.
- Li W, Tan D, Zenali MJ, Brown RE.. Constitutive activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) signaling pathway in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 3(3):238-243, 2009. PMID: 20224721.
- Liang J, Alrawi S, Fuller G and Tan D. Presacral Carcinoid Tumors Arising in Tailgut Cysts May Be Associated with Estrogen Receptor Status: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 1(6):539-543, 2008. PMID: 18787681.
- *Truong C, Li W, Feng W, Cagle P, Khoury R, Alrawi S, Xie K, Yao J,Tan D. Alpha-Methylacyl-CoA Racemase Experssion is Upregulated in Gastric Cancer: A Study of 249 Cases. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 1(6):518-523, 2008. PMID: 18787636.
- *Li W, Tan D, Zhang Z, Liang J, Brown R. Activation of Akt-mTOR/p70S6K pathway in angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncology Reports 20(8):713-719, 2008. PMID: 18813808.
- Liang JJ, Alrawi S, Tan D. Nomenclature, molecular genetics and clinical significance of the precursor lesions in the serrated polyp pathway of colorectal carcinoma. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 1(4):317-324, 2008. PMID: 18787610.
- Tan D, Ross WA. Colorectal Polyps: Clinical significance of endoscopic and pathologic correlation. American J of Clinical Pathology 129:659-60, 2008. PMID: 1843185.
- *Feng W, Brown RE, Trung CD, Li W, Wang L, Khoury T, Alrawi S, Yao J, Xia K, Tan D. Morphoproteomic profile of mTOR, Ras/Raf kinase/ERK, and NF-kappa B pathways in human gastric adenocarcinoma. Ann Clin Lab Sci 38(3):195-209, 2008. PMID: 18715846.
- Tan D, Zander DS. Immunohistochemistry for assessment of pulmonary and pleural neoplasms: a review and update. Int J Clin Exp Pathol 1(1):19-31, 2008. PMID: 18784820.
- Alrawi S, Stoler D, Tan D, Dayton M, Loree T, Gibbs J, Rigual N, Sait S, Khoury T, Hicks W, Anderson G. Genomic Instability, DNA Alterations and Tumor Eosinophilic Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancer Genomics & Proteomics 2:307-16, 2006.
- Zaid M, Wiseman S, Yang J, Hicks W, Loree T, Rigual N, Spiegel G, Tan D. Tumor-associated tissue eosinophils as a predictive marker for stromal invasion of head and neck squamous cell cancer. BMC Clinical Pathology 7(5):1-7, 2005.
- Loewen G, Tracy E, Tan D, Yu J, Glenn S, Matsui S, Hawthorn L, Gaumann H. Transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells is associated with altered responsiveness to inflammatory cytokines. BMC Cancer 5:145-51, 2005.
- Aljada IS, Ramnath N, Donohue K, Harvey S, Brooks JJ, Wiseman SM, Khoury T, Loewen G, Slocum HK, Anderson TM, Bepler G, Tan D. Upregulation of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 protein is associated with progression of human non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 22(16):3218-29, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 15249585.
- Deeb G, Wang J, Ramnath N, Slocum HK, Wiseman S, Beck A, Tan D. Altered E-cadherin and epidermal growth factor receptor expressions are associated with patient survival in lung cancer: a study utilizing high-density tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry. Mod Pathol 17(4):430-9, 2004. PMID: 14739904.
- Bateman NW, Tan D, Pestell RG, Black JD, Black AR. Intestinal tumor progression is associated with altered function of KLF5. J Biol Chem 279(13):12093-101, 2004. e-Pub 2004. PMID: 14726538.
- Chu Q, Hurd T, Harvey S, Martinick M, Markus G, Tan D, Gibbs J, Loree T. Overexpression of Urinary Plasminogen Activator (uPA) Protein and mRNA in Thyroid Carcinogenesis. Diagnostic Molecular Pathology 13(4):241-246, 2004.
- Douglas W, Tracy E, Tan D, Yu J, Hicks W, Rigual N, Loree T, Wang Y, Baumann H. Development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is associated with altered cytokine responsiveness. Molecular Cancer Research 6:585-593, 2004.
- Collins Y, Tan D, Pejovic T, Mor G, Qian F, Rutherford T, Varma R, McQuaid D, Driscoll D, Jiang M, Deeb G, Lele S, Nowak N, Odunsi K. Identification of differentially expressed genes in clinically distinct groups of serous ovarian carcinomas using cDNA microarray. Int Journal of Molecular Medicine 14(1):43-53, 2004.
- Tan D, Wiseman S, Zhou Y, Li Q, Ward P, Malik D, Rigual N, Hicks W, Loree T, Anderson G, Stoler D. Definition of loss of heterozygosity at telometic 11q in oncogenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Diagnostic Molecular Pathology 13(1):33-40, 2004.
- Yang J, Tan D, Asch H, Swede H, Kirsten M. Prognostic significance of gelsolin expression level and variability in non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 46(1):29-42, 2004.
- Loewen GM, Krauza M, Hyland A, Deeb G, Tan D. Detection of Epithelial Metaplasia and Dysplasia with Autofluorescence Bronchoscopy. Cancer Detection and Prevention 14(10):1102-8, 2004.
- Alrawi SJ, Deeb G, Loree T, Cheney R, Gallance P, Tan D. Immunohistochemistry and DNA ploidy analyses of lipomatous hemangiopericytoma. Head and Neck 26(6):544-9, 2004.
- Tan D, Deeb G, Wang J, Slocum HK, Winston J, Wiseman S, Beck A, Sait S, Anderson T, Nwogu C, Ramnath N, Loewen G. HER-2/neu protein expression and gene alteration in stage I-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer: a study of 140 cases using a combination of high throughput tissue microarray, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescent in situ hybridization. Diagn Mol Pathol 12(4):201-11, 2003. PMID: 14639106.
- Tan D, Li Q, Deeb G, Ramnath N, Slocum HK, Brooks J, Cheney R, Wiseman S, Anderson T, Loewen G. Thyroid transcription factor-1 expression prevalence and its clinical implications in non-small cell lung cancer: a high-throughput tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry study. Hum Pathol 34(6):597-604, 2003. PMID: 12827614.
- Tan D, Kirley S, Li Q, Ramnath N, Slocum HK, Brooks JS, Wu CL, Zukerberg LR. Loss of cables protein expression in human non-small cell lung cancer: a tissue microarray study. Hum Pathol 34(2):143-9, 2003. PMID: 12612882.
- Tan D, Kirley S, Li Q, Ramnath N, Slocum H, Brooks S, Wu C, and Zukerberg L. Loss of Cables Protein Expression in Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Human Pathol 34(2):143-149, 2003.
- Tan D, Li Q, Ramnath N, Beck A, Wiseman S, Al Salameh A, Brooks J, Bepler G, Anderson T. Prognostic relevance of the expression of p53 oncoprotein in non-small cell lung cancer. Anticancer Research 23(3):1665-1672, 2002.
- Tan D, Joel A. Huberman, Andrew Hyland, et al.. Mcm2-BM8: A novel diagnostic marker for early detection of premalignant squamous epithelial lesions. BMC Cancer 11:1-6, 2001.
- Ramnath R, Francisco J. Hernandez, Tan D, Huberman J, Nataraan N, Beck A, Hyland A, Todorov I, Brooks J, Belper G. MCM2 is an independent predictor of survival in patients with non small cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 19:4257-4266, 2000.
Book Chapters
- Tan D, Payne W. Introduction to the Normal Histology and Physiology of the Stomach. In: Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2010.
- Liang J, Tan D. Molecular Biomarkers of Gastric Adenocarcinoma. In: Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2010.
- Feng W, Tan D. Proteomics, Morphoproteomics, and Targeted Therapy of Gastric Carcinoma. In: Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2010.
- Goodarzi M, Tan D. Molecular Prognostic Markers of Gastric Cancer. In: Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2010.
- Tan D. TNM and Concerns in the Staging of Gastric Cancer. In: Advances in Surgical Pathology: Gastric Cancer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Philadelphia, 2010.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified December 21, 2023