Meet Jeffrey Lee, M.D.
Jeffrey E. Lee, M.D.
Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Lee
Dr. Jeffrey E. Lee serves as Chief Cancer Network Officer and Deputy Chief Operating Officer at MD Anderson. Dr. Lee is a Professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and he holds the Irving and Nadine Mansfield and Robert David Levitt Cancer Research Chair. Dr. Lee received his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine; he completed his internship and residency in surgery and a research fellowship in tumor immunology at Stanford, followed by a clinical fellowship in surgical oncology at MD Anderson. He joined the faculty at MD Anderson following completion of his surgical oncology fellowship in 1993. Dr. Lee previously served as Medical Director of the Ben Love/El Paso Corporation Melanoma and Skin Center 1997-2010, as Chair of the Department of Surgical Oncology 2010-2021, as Vice President, Medical and Academic Affairs, Cancer Network 2019-2022, and as Vice President, Clinical Operations Strategy Execution and Institutional Preparedness 2022-2023. Dr. Lee has had a three-decade peer-review funded collaborative laboratory research program focused on melanoma genetics, melanoma immune and inflammatory biomarkers, and the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics for melanoma and other cancers. Dr. Lee's a reas of clinical interest include the management of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, vascular resection in pancreatic surgery, multiple endocrine neoplasia, adrenal cortical cancer, neoadjuvant therapy for pancreas and adrenal cancer, minimally invasive adrenal surgery, and surgery for metastatic melanoma.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Vice President, Vice President, Clinical Operations Strategy Execution and Institutional Preparedness, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Houston
Chief Cancer Network Officer, Department of Cancer Network, Division of Cancer Network, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Department of Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Division of Clinical Operations, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1984 | Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 1979 | Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA, BA, Biochemistry |
Postgraduate Training
| 1991-1993 | Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 1990-1991 | Chief Resident, General Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA |
| 1987-1989 | Research Fellow, Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA |
| 1984-1985 | Internship, General Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA |
| 1984-1990 | Resident, General Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Vice President, Medical and Academic Affairs, Cancer Network, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2022
Executive Director, Cancer Network, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2021
Department Chair, Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2021
Co-Director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 1998 - 2022
Consultantships
Chair, External Advisory Board Member, NIH, New York University SPORE, New York, NY, 2011 - Present
External Advisory Board Member, NIH, New York University SPORE, New York, NY, 2010 - Present
External Advisory Board Member, NIH, Yale Skin Cancer SPORE, New Haven, CT, 2010 - 2011
External Advisory Board Member, NIH, Yale Skin Cancer SPORE, New Haven, CT, 2007 - 2008
Honors & Awards
| 2019 | MD Anderson Excellence in LEADership Award, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2019 | Inaugural Distinguished Alumni Visiting Professor, Department of Surgery, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA |
| 2011 | Outstanding Teacher Award, MD Anderson Department of Surgical Oncology Fellows |
| 2010 | Irving and Nadine Mansfield and Robert David Levitt Cancer Research Chair, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 1998 | Outstanding Teacher Award, MD Anderson Department of Surgical Oncology Fellows |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Parker NH, Basen-Engquist K, Rubin ML, Li Y, Prakash L, Ngo-Huang A, Gorzelitz J, Ikoma N, Lee JE, Katz MHG. Factors influencing exercise following pancreatic tumor resection. Ann Surg Oncol 28(4):2299-2309, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32886288.
- Kim BJ, Newhook TE, Blumenthaler A, Chiang YJ, Aloia TA, Roland CL, Katz MHG, Vauthey JN, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Sustained reduction in discharge opioid volumes through provider education: Results of 1168 cancer surgery patients over 2 years. J Surg Oncol. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33751605.
- Newhook TE, Soliz JM, Prakash LR, Hancher-Hodges S, Speer BB, Wilks JA, Ikoma N, Kim MP, Lee JE, Katz MHG, Tzeng CD. Impact of Intraoperative Dexamethasone on Surgical and Oncologic Outcomes for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 28:1563-1569, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32803553.
- Wei D, Zaid MM, Katz MH, Prakash LR, Kim M, Tzeng CD, Lee JE, Agrawal A, Rashid A, Wang H, Varadhachary G, Wolff RA, Tamm EP, Bhosale PR, Maitra A, Koay EJ, Wang H. Clinicopathological correlation of radiologic measurement of post-therapy tumor size and tumor volume for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatology 21(1):200-207, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33221151.
- Feng R, Wang Y, Ramachandran V, Ma Q, May MM, Li M, Zhou JX, Xu X, Xu K, Fang S, Xia W, Sui D, Liu H, Gao X, Prieto V, Blacklow SC, Lu M, Lee JE. Characterization of Novel Neutralizing Mouse Monoclonal Antibody JM1-24-3 Developed Against MUC18 in Metastatic Melanoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 39(1):273, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33278894.
- Lillemoe HA, Newhook TE, Aloia TA, Grubbs EG, Chang GJ, Katz MHG, Vauthey JN, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Perceptions of Opioid Use and Prescribing Habits in Oncologic Surgery: A Survey of the Society of Surgical Oncology Membership. J Surg Oncol 122(6):1066-1073, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32632993.
- Ikoma N, Kim MP, Tzeng CD, Tran Cao HS, Lee JE, Katz MHG. External Retraction Techniques for Robotic Pancreatoduodenectomy. J Am Coll Surg 231(5):e8-e10, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32805403.
- Arango NP, Prakash LR, Chiang YJ, Dewhurst WL, Bruno ML, Ikoma N, Kim MP, Lee JE, Katz MHG, Tzeng CD. Risk-Stratified Pancreatectomy Clinical Pathway Implementation and Delayed Gastric Emptying. J Gastrointest Surg, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33236322.
- Dai W, Liu H, Liu Y, Xu X, Qian D, Luo S, Cho E, Zhu D, Amos CI, Fang S, Lee JE, Li X, Nan H, Li C, Wei Q. Genetic variants in the folate metabolic pathway genes predict melanoma-specific survival. Br J Dermatol 183(4):719-728, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31955403.
- Perri G, Prakash L, Malleo G, Caravati A, Varadhachary GR, Fogelman D, Pant S, Koay EJ, Herman J, Maggino L, Milella M, Kim M, Ikoma N, Tzeng CW, Salvia R, Lee JE, Bassi C, Katz MHG. The Sequential Radiographic Effects of Preoperative Chemotherapy and (Chemo)Radiation on Tumor Anatomy in Patients with Localized Pancreatic Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 27(10):3939-3947, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32266574.
- Perri G, Prakash L, Qiao W, Varadhachary GR, Wolff R, Fogelman D, Overman M, Pant S, Javle M, Koay EJ, Herman J, Kim M, Ikoma N, Tzeng CW, Lee JE, Katz MHG. Response and Survival Associated With First-line FOLFIRINOX vs Gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel Chemotherapy for Localized Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma. JAMA Surg 155(9):832-839, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32667641.
- Kim BJ, Lillemoe HA, Newhook TE, Dewhurst WL, Arvide EM, Katz MHG, Aloia TA, Vauthey JN, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Educating surgical oncology providers on perioperative opioid use: A departmental survey 1 year after the intervention. J Surg Oncol 122(3):547-554, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32447769.
- Gu N, Dai W, Liu H, Ge J, Luo S, Cho E, Amos CI, Lee JE, Li X, Nan H, Yuan H, Wei Q. Genetic variants in TKT and DERA in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate pathway predict melanoma survival. Eur J Cancer 136:84-94, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32659474.
- Tzeng CD, Tran Cao HS, Roland CL, Teshome M, Bednarski BK, Ikoma N, Graham PH, Keung EZ, Scally CP, Katz MHG, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Vauthey JN. Surgical decision-making and prioritization for cancer patients at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: A multidisciplinary approach. Surg Oncol 34:182-185, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32891326.
- Altinmakas E, Perrier ND, Grubbs EG, Lee JE, Prieto VG, Ng CS. Diagnostic performance of adrenal CT in the differentiation of adenoma and pheochromocytoma. Acta Radiol 61(8):1080-1086, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31791129.
- Day RW, Taylor BM, Bednarski BK, Tzeng CD, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Grubbs EG. Virtual Interviews for Surgical Training Program Applicants During COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Recommendations. Ann Surg 272(2):e144-e147, 2020. PMID: 32675519.
- Newhook TE, Vreeland TJ, Dewhurst WL, Wang X, Prakash L, Feng C, Bruno ML, Kim MP, Aloia TA, Vauthey JN, Lee JE, Katz MHG, Tzeng CD. Clinical factors associated with practice variation in discharge opioid prescriptions after pancreatectomy. Ann Surg 272(1):163-169, 2020. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30499795.
- Keung EZ, Asare EA, Chiang YJ, Prakash LR, Rajkot N, Torres KE, Hunt KK, Feig BW, Cormier JN, Roland CL, Katz MHG, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy for non-pancreas retroperitoneal tumor resection. Am J Surg 220(1):140-146, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31843190.
- Fang S, Lu J, Zhou X, Wang Y, Ross MI, Gershenwald JE, Cormier JN, Wargo J, Sui D, Amos CI, Lee JE. Functional annotation of melanoma risk loci identifies novel susceptibility genes. Carcinogenesis 41(4):452-457, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31630191.
- Perri G, Prakash L, Qiao W, Varadhachary GR, Wolff R, Fogelman D, Overman M, Pant S, Javle M, Koay EJ, Herman J, Kim M, Ikoma N, Tzeng CW, Lee JE, Katz MHG. Postoperative chemotherapy benefits patients who received preoperative therapy and pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Ann Surg 271(6):996-1002, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31895709.
- Dai W, Liu H, Chen K, Xu X, Qian D, Luo S, Amos CI, Lee JE, Li X, Nan H, Li C, Wei Q. Genetic variants in PDSS1 and SLC16A6 of the ketone body metabolic pathway predict cutaneous melanoma-specific survival. Mol Carcinog 59(6):640-650, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32232919.
- Haydu LE, Lo SN, McQuade JL, Amaria RN, Wargo J, Ross MI, Cormier JN, Lucci A, Lee JE, Ferguson SD, Saw RPM, Spillane AJ, Shannon KF, Stretch JR, Hwu P, Patel SP, Diab A, Wong MKK, Glitza Oliva IC, Tawbi H, Carlino MS, Menzies AM, Long GV, Lazar AJ, Tetzlaff MT, Scolyer RA, Gershenwald JE, Thompson JF, Davies MA. Cumulative Incidence and Predictors of CNS Metastasis for Patients With American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th Edition Stage III Melanoma. J Clin Oncol 38(13):1429, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31990608.
- Joechle K, Vreeland TJ, Vega EA, Okuno M, Newhook TE, Panettieri E, Chun YS, Tzeng CD, Aloia TA, Lee JE, Vauthey JN. Anatomic Resection Is Not Required for Colorectal Liver Metastases with RAS Mutation. J Gastrointest Surg 24(5):1033-1039, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32162236.
- Landi MT, Bishop DT, MacGregor S, Machiela MJ, Stratigos AJ, Ghiorzo P, Brossard M, Calista D, Choi J, Fargnoli MC, Zhang T, Rodolfo M, Trower AJ, Menin C, Martinez J, Hadjisavvas A, Song L, Stefanaki I, Scolyer R, Yang R, Goldstein AM, Potrony M, Kypreou KP, Pastorino L, Queirolo P, Pellegrini C, Cattaneo L, Zawistowski M, Gimenez-Xavier P, Rodriguez A, Elefanti L, Manoukian S, Rivoltini L, Smith BH, Loizidou MA, Del Regno L, Massi D, Mandala M, Khosrotehrani K, Akslen LA, Amos CI, Andresen PA, Avril MF, Azizi E, Soyer HP, Bataille V, Dalmasso B, Bowdler LM, Burdon KP, Chen WV, Codd V, Craig JE, Debniak T, Falchi M, Fang S, Friedman E, Simi S, Galan P, Garcia-Casado Z, Gillanders EM, Gordon S, Green A, Gruis NA, Hansson J, Harland M, Harris J, Helsing P, Henders A, Hocevar M, Höiom V, Hunter D, Ingvar C, Kumar R, Lang J, Lathrop GM, Lee JE, Li X, Lubinski J, Mackie RM, Malt M, Malvehy J, McAloney K, Mohamdi H, Molven A, Moses EK, Neale RE, Novakovic S, Nyholt DR, Olsson H, Orr N, Fritsche LG, Puig-Butille JA, Qureshi AA, Radford-Smith GL, Randerson-Moor J, Requena C, Rowe C, Samani NJ, Sanna M, Schadendorf D, Schulze HJ, Simms LA, Smithers M, Song F, Swerdlow AJ, van der Stoep N, Kukutsch NA, Visconti A, Wallace L, Ward SV, Wheeler L, Sturm RA, Hutchinson A, Jones K, Malasky M, Vogt A, Zhou W, Pooley KA, Elder DE, Han J, Hicks B, Hayward NK, Kanetsky PA, Brummett C, Montgomery GW, Olsen CM, Hayward C, Dunning AM, Martin NG, Evangelou E, Mann GJ, Long G, Pharoah PDP, Easton DF, Barrett JH, Cust AE, Abecasis G, Duffy DL, Whiteman DC, Gogas H, De Nicolo A, Tucker MA, Newton-Bishop JA, GenoMEL Consortium, Q-MEGA and QTWIN Investigators, ATHENS Melanoma Study Group, 23andMe, SDH Study Group, IBD Investigators, Essen-Heidelberg Investigators, AMFS Investigators, MelaNostrum Consortium, Peris K, Chanock SJ, Demenais F, Brown KM, Puig S, Nagore E, Shi J, Iles MM, Law MH. Genome-wide association meta-analyses combining multiple risk phenotypes provide insights into the genetic architecture of cutaneous melanoma susceptibility. Nat Genet 52(5):494-504, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32341527.
- Lucci A, Hall CS, Patel SP, Narendran B, Bauldry JB, Royal RE, Karhade M, Upshaw JR, Wargo JA, Glitza IC, Wong MKK, Amaria RN, Tawbi HA, Diab A, Davies MA, Gershenwald JE, Lee JE, Hwu P, Ross MI. Circulating tumor cells and early relapse in node-positive melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 26(8):1886-1895, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32015020.
- Prakash LR, Wang H, Zhao J, Nogueras-Gonzalez GM, Cloyd JM, Tzeng CD, Kim MP, Lee JE, Katz MHG. Significance of Cancer Cells at the Vein Edge in Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Following Pancreatectomy with Vein Resection. J Gastrointest Surg 24(2):368-379, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30820801.
- Fisher SB, Habra MA, Chiang YJ, Wu SY, Graham PH, Grubbs EG, Lee JE, Perrier ND. Comparative Performance of the 7th and 8th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging Manual for Adrenocortical Carcinoma. World J Surg 44(2):544-551, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31493191.
- Newhook TE, Vega EA, Vreeland TJ, Prakash L, Dewhurst WL, Bruno ML, Kim MP, Ikoma N, Vauthey JN, Katz MH, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Early postoperative drain fluid amylase in risk-stratified patients promotes tailored post-pancreatectomy drain management and potential for accelerated discharge. Surgery 167(2):442-447, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31727324.
- Newhook TE, Vreeland TJ, Dewhurst WL, Arvide EM, Bruno ML, Robinson KA, Rajkot N, Aloia TA, Katz MHG, Vauthey JN, Lee JE, Tzeng CD. Opioid-prescribing Practices After Oncologic Surgery: Opportunities for Improvement and a Call to Action. Ann Surg 271(2):e9-e10, 2020. PMID: 31478982.
- Wu SY, Chiang YJ, Fisher SB, Sturgis EM, Zafereo ME, Nguyen S, Grubbs EG, Graham PH, Lee JE, Waguespack SG, Perrier ND. Risks of Hypoparathyroidism After Total Thyroidectomy in Children: A 21-Year Experience in a High-Volume Cancer Center. World J Surg 44(2):442-451, 2020. PMID: 31686157.
- Maxwell JE, Gule-Monroe MK, Subbiah V, Hu M, Perrier ND, Cabanillas ME, Lee JE, Graham PH, Cote GJ, Busaidy NL, Grubbs EG. Novel use of a Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA)-certified Cyclin-Dependent Kinase N2C (CDKN2C) loss assay in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Surgery 167:80-86, 2020. e-Pub 2019.
- Helmink BA, Reddy SM, Gao J, Zhang S, Basar R, Thakur R, Yizhak K, Sade-Feldman M, Blando J, Han G, Gopalakrishnan V, Xi Y, Zhao H, Amaria RN, Tawbi HA, Cogdill AP, Liu W, LeBleu VS, Kugeratski FG, Patel S, Davies MA, Hwu P, Lee JE, Gershenwald JE, Lucci A, Arora R, Woodman S, Keung EZ, Gaudreau PO, Reuben A, Spencer CN, Burton EM, Haydu LE, Lazar AJ, Zapassodi R, Hudgens CW, Ledesma DA, Ong S, Bailey M, Warren S, Rao D, Krijgsman O, Rozeman EA, Peeper D, Blank CU, Schumacher TN, Butterfield LH, Zelazowska MA, McBride KM, Kalluri R, Allison J, Petitprez F, Fridman WH, Sautès-Fridman C, Hacohen N, Rezvani K, Sharma P, Tetzlaff MT, Wang L, Wargo JA. B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures promote immunotherapy response. Nature 577(7791):549-555, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31942075.
- Zhou B, Zhao YC, Liu H, Luo S, Amos CI, Lee JE, Li X, Nan H, Wei Q. Novel genetic variants of ALG6 and GALNTL4 of the glycosylation pathway predict cutaneous melanoma-specific survival. Cancers (Basel) 12(2), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31991610.
- Lu G, Zhou B, He Y, Liu H, Luo S, Amos CI, Lee JE, Yang K, Qureshi A, Han J, Wei Q. Novel genetic variants of PIP5K1C and MVB12B of the endosome-related pathway predict cutaneous melanoma-specific survival. Am J Cancer Res 10(10):3382-3394, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33163277.
- Howe JR, Merchant NB, Conrad C, Keutgen XM, Hallet J, Drebin JA, Minter RM, Lairmore TC, Tseng JF, Zeh HJ, Libutti SK, Singh G, Lee JE, Hope TA, Kim MK, Menda Y, Halfdanarson TR, Chan JA, Pommier RF. The North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society Consensus Paper on the Surgical Management of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors. Pancreas 49(1):1-33, 2020. PMID: 31856076.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Training of Academic Surgical Oncologists |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Training of Academic Surgical Oncologists |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
| Role: | Mentor |
| Title: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Melanoma - Administrative Core |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Director |
| Title: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Melanoma - Career Enhancement Program, (CEP) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Director |
| Title: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Melanoma - Developmental Research Program (DRP) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Director |
| Title: | Integration of clinical and molecular biomarkers for melanoma survival |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |