Jegy Mary Tennison, M.D.
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Associate Professor (Adjunct), Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2006 | The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas, US, Doctor of Medicine, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 2007-2010 | Clinical Residency, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Edison, New Jersey |
| 2006-2007 | Clinical Internship, Transitional Year, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2026 | Basic Life Support |
| 2024 | Drug Enforcement Agency |
| 2012 | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2021
Assistant Professor, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2022
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Cancer Rehabilitation Fellow Selection, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2015 - Present
Academic Chief Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, John F. Kennedy - Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Edison, NJ, 2009 - 2010
Other Professional Positions
Staff Physician, Legacy Physiatry Group, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2015
Staff Physician, Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine Section (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) Scott & White Healthcare, Waco, TX, 2012 - 2013
Staff Physician, Department of Orthopedics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Section, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Houston, TX, 2010 - 2012
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Mid-Career Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Member, Institutional Research Grant - Clinical Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Member, Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2024
Member, Utilization Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Member, Readmissions Review Workgroup, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - 2023
Member, Junior Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2022
Member, John F. Kennedy - Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Resident Selection Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2010
Member, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Medical School Graduate Medical Education Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2009 - 2010
Member, John F. Kennedy - Johnson Rehabilitation Institute, Utilization Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2007 - 2008
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | Best Scientific Poster Award in Cancer Rehabilitation Poster Award, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine Annual Conference |
| 2022 | In the News: M D Anderson Research Highlights, MDACC: ScienMag and sciencenewsnet.in |
| 2021 - 2023 | Outstanding Member, Utilization Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2021 | Featured in American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine E-news for the publication Patient-Reported Continuity of Care and Functional Safety Concerns after Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine |
| 2019 | Best Papers in Cancer Rehabilitation for the publication Bleeding Characteristics Among Hematologic Malignancy Inpatient Rehabilitation Patients with Severe Thrombocytopenia, American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Annual Meeting |
| 2010 | Resident Teacher of the Year, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, John F. Kennedy - Johnson Rehabilitation Institute |
| 2009 - 2010 | Academic Chief Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, John F. Kennedy - Johnson Rehabilitation Institute |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Tennison JM, Gupta Sharma E, Lee R, Dev R, Farris D, Bruera E. Peripheral Edema in Advanced Cancer: Mechanisms and Management – A Scoping Review. J. Palliat. Med, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Dev R, Kadakia KC, Tennison JM, Amano K, Szafranski M, Bruera E, Naito T, Del Fabbro E. Nutrition Rehabilitation Programs and Cachexia Clinics for Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in Patients with Cancer. Oncologist 31(3), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41693023.
- Tennison JM, Minxing C, Hafeez A, Krishnan A, Khan S, Dev R, Admane S, Bruera E. Hypovitaminosis D in acute inpatient cancer rehabilitation: prevalence, predictors, and practical implications. PM&R. e-Pub 2026.
- Dev, R, Bramati, P, Guay, M, Fellman, B, Azhar, A, Tang, M, Tennison, JM, Becerra, J, Admane, S, Dalal, S, Hui, D, Del Fabbro, E, Bruera, E. Malnutrition Risk and the Psychological Burden of Anorexia and Cachexia in Patients with Advanced Cancer. JCSM Communications 8(e70001), 2025. e-Pub 2025.
- Gupta E, Lopez G, Narayanan S, Tennison JM, Elahi I, Rozman de Moraes A, Fellman BM, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of Integrative Oncology Referrals for Patients With Cancer Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation. Integr Cancer Ther 23:15347354241296810, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39498495.
- Ng AH, Tennison J, Fu JB, Gupta E, Lu Z, Bruera E. Predictors of a Preference for Telemedicine Virtual Visits in Patients Undergoing Cancer Rehabilitation. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 103(9):835-839, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38529616.
- Fu JB, Manne R, Ngo-Huang A, Tennison JM, Ng AH, Andersen C, Woodward WA, Bruera E. Onabotulinum toxin injections for shoulder and chest wall muscle pain in breast cancer survivors: Retrospective study - Preliminary report. BMJ Support Palliat Care, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38839248.
- Gupta E, Ng AH, Rozman de Moraes A, Fu JB, Tennison JM, Ahmed M, Fellman BM, Bruera E. Changes in Patterns of Referral for Inpatient Rehabilitation Cancer Patients due to COVID-19: A Retrospective Study. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 103(1):62-65, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 37602564.
- Gupta E, Tennison JM, Shin KY, Fu JB, Rozman de Moraes A, Naqvi SMA, Fellman B, Bruera E. Frequency, Characteristics, and Risk Factors for Falls at an Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Unit. JCO Oncol Pract 19(9):OP2300188, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37339393.
- Cheng JT, Leite VF, Tennison JM, Gutierrez C, Kline-Quiroz C, Capozzi LC, Yu S, Krause KJ, Langelier D, Parke SC. Rehabilitation Interventions for Head and Neck Cancer-Associated Lymphedema: A Systematic Review. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 149(8):743-753, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37382963.
- Tennison JM, Asher A, Hui D, Javle M, Bassett RL, Bruera E. Palliative rehabilitation in acute inpatient rehabilitation: prognostic factors and functional outcomes in patients with cancer. Oncologist 28(2):180-186, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36367387.
- Tennison JM, Pally A, Fellman BM, Westney OL, Bruera E. Urinary Dysfunction: Frequency, Risk factors, and Interventions in patients with Cancer during Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation. J Cancer 14(2):299-305, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36741257.
- Pally A, Tennison J. Rehabilitation in the Setting of Cancer-Associated Untreated Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis. Integr Cancer Ther 21:15347354221074349, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35112579.
- Tennison JM, Ng AH, Rianon NJ, Liu DD, Bruera E. Patient-Reported Continuity of Care and Functional Safety Concerns after Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation. Oncologist 26(10):887-896, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34080755.
- Tennison JM, Fricke BC, Fu JB, Patel TA, Chen M, Bruera E. Medical Complications and Prognostic Factors for Medically Unstable Conditions During Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation. JCO Oncol Pract 17(10):e1502–e1511, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33683918.
- Tennison JM, Rianon NJ, Manzano JG, Munsell MF, George MC, Bruera E. Thirty-Day Hospital Readmission Reasons, Rate, and Risk Factors after Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation. Cancer Med 10(18):6199– 6206, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34313031.
- Narayanan S, Tennison J, Cohen L, Urso C, Subramaniam B, Bruera E. Yoga-Based Breathing Techniques for Health Care Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic: Interests, Feasibility, and Acceptance. J Altern Complement Med 27(8):706–709, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33835830.
- Tennison JM, Sullivan CM, Fricke BC, Bruera E. Analysis of Adherence to Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation in Patients with Cancer. J Cancer 12(20):5987-5990, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34539872.
- Tennison JM, Narayanan S, Cummings R, Bruera E. Multicomponent Compression Bandaging for Refractory Bilateral Lower Extremity Edema of Multifactorial Origin in Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Case Series. J Pain Symptom Manage 58(6):e5-e8, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31494178.
- Tennison JM, Ngo-Huang A, Fu JB, Hill AE, Dibaj SS, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of Recommendations from Interdisciplinary Outpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Monthly Team Meetings. PM&R 11(3):252-257, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30010049.
- Tennison JM, Fu JB, Bruera E. Improvement of Refractory Lower Extremity Edema with Multilayered Compression Bandaging: A Case Report. Phys Ther 98(9):763-766, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30085127.
- Fu JB, Tennison JM, Rutzen-Lopez IM, Silver JK, Morishita S, Dibaj SS, Bruera E. Bleeding Characteristics Among Hematologic Malignancy Inpatient Rehabilitation Patients with Severe Thrombocytopenia. Support Care Cancer 26(9):3135-3141, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29594490.
Invited Articles
- de Vries K, Aschen I, Wright E, Tennison JM. Pelvic Rehabilitation in Patients with Cancer: Clinical Presentations and Management of Pelvic Disorders. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am, 2026.
- Qin E, Correa-Mendoza A, Tennison JM. Peripheral Edema in Advanced Cancer: Pathophysiology, Clinical Management, and Future Directions. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am, 2026.
- Tennison JM, Fu JB, Hui D. Palliative Rehabilitation in Patients with Cancer: Definitions, Structures, Processes and Outcomes. Current Oncology Reports, 2024. e-Pub 2024.
Abstracts
- Tennison JM, Ekta Sharma, Rachel Lee, Rony Dev, David Farris, Eduardo Bruera. Peripheral Edema In Advanced Cancer: Mechanisms And Management – A Scoping Review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Tennison JM, Minxing Chen, Areeba Hafeez, Ananya Krishnan, Sefia Khan, Rony Dev, Sonal Admane, Eduardo Bruera. Hypovitaminosis D In the Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Population: Prevalence, Predictors, and Practical Implications. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Kerryn Pike, Courtney Cross, Deborah Allen, Andreas Argyriou, Lori Bernstein, Joanne Bowen, Alexandre Chan, Oscar FrancoRocha, Josh Thomas Georgy, Nicolas Hart, Darren Haywood, Ashley Henneghan, Jennifer Leigh, Chloe Maxwell-Smith, Kaitlin Oswald-McCloskey, Anita Peoples, Andrea Perez de Acha, Julia Robertson, Parth Sharma, Jegy Tennison, Clifton Thornton, Julia Trudeau, Diane Von Ah, Hannah Wardill. Systematic Review To Inform Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Cancer Related Cognitive Impairment. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Tennison JM, Minxing C, Bruera E. Prevalence and Predictors of Hypovitaminosis D Among Adult Patients with Cancer Undergoing Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Doherty S, Tennison JM. Improving Outcomes After Radical Prostatectomy Using Intensive Pelvic Floor Muscle Training and Trunk Stabilization—A Case Study 105(4):e116, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Dev R, Kadakia KC, Tennison JM, Agosta M, Yaceczko S,, Del Fabbro E. Interdisciplinary Care for Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in Patients with Cancer. American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Gupta E, Lopez G, Fu JB, Narayanan S, Tennison JM, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of Integrative Oncology (IO) Consults in Patients with Cancer Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation. JCO Oncology Practice 19(11_suppl):285, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Dev R, Bramati P, Delgado Guay MO, Azhar A, Tang MJ, Tennison J, Becerra J, Hui D, Bruera E. Frequency of Malnutrition and Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in Advanced Cancer Patients Evaluated in an Outpatient Supportive Care Clinic. JCO Oncology Practice 19(11_suppl):257, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Tennison JM, Pally A, Fellman BM, Bruera E. Frequency, risk factors, and interventions for acute urinary dysfunction among patients with cancer undergoing inpatient rehabilitation 102(4S):A1-A234, 2023. e-Pub 2023.
- Pally A, Tennison J. Rehabilitation in the Setting of Untreated Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis and Severe Thrombocytopenia 101(7):p a1-a182, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Tennison JM, Asher A, Hui D, Javle M, Bassett R, Bruera E. Palliative rehabilitation in an acute inpatient rehabilitation setting: a study of prognostic factors, and functional outcomes in patients with cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer 30(S132), 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Gupta E, Ng A, Rozman de Moraes A, Fu JB, Tennison JM, Ahmed M, Fellman BM, Bruera E. Changes in patterns of referral for inpatient rehabilitation cancer patients due to COVID-19. Supportive Care in Cancer 30(S23), 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Ngo-Huang A, Tennison JM, Herbert A, Hicklen R, Ng A, Bruera E. Prehabilitation exercise interventions prior to hematologic stem cell transplantation, a systematic review 101(7):p a1-a182, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Tennison, JM. Medical Complications and Prognostic Factors for Medically Unstable Conditions During Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation 100(4), 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Tennison JM. Thirty-Day Hospital Readmission Rate after Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation 99(3S):a366, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Tennison JM. Patient Reported Safety Concerns After Acute Inpatient Cancer Rehabilitation: A Prospective Survey Study 99(3S):a334, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Tennison JM, Bruera E. Outcomes of Multicomponent Compression Bandaging for Bilateral Lower Extremity Edema in Patients at a Quaternary Cancer Center: A Case Series. Support Care Cancer 27(Suppl 1):S209, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Tennison JM, Ngo-Huang AT, Fu JB, Dibaj SS, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of Interventions from Interdisciplinary Outpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Monthly Team Meetings. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 61(Supplement):e287, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Tennison JM, Ngo-Huang AT, Fu JB, Dibaj SS, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of Interventions from Interdisciplinary Outpatient Cancer Rehabilitation Monthly Team Meetings. The Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 1(Supplement 1), 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Tennison JM, Guo Y, Fu JB, Bruera E. Improvement of Refractory Lower Extremity Edema with Multilayered Compression Bandaging: A Case Report. Support Care Cancer 26(Suppl 2):S286, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Tennison JM, Bruera E. Pain and Mobility Status Before and After Thrombolysis with Stent Angioplasty: A Case Report 98(10):e89, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Fu JB, Tennison JM, Rutzen-Lopez IM, Morishita S, Silver JK, Dibaj S. Bleeding Events Among Hematologic Inpatient Rehabilitation Patients with Severe Thrombocytopenia. PM&R 9(9S1):S284, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Tennison J, Lopez E. Functional Outcome in a Patient with an Acute Tetraparesis, Encephalopathy and Dysphagia Secondary to Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis: A Case Report. PM&R 1(9S):S123, 2009. e-Pub 2009.
Book Chapters
- Tennison JM, Patel TA. Basic Principles of Clinical Ethics. In: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review. Fourth. Springer Publishing Company, 925-927, 2019.
- Tennison JM, Patel TA. Ethics. In: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Board Review. Third. Demos Medical Publishing, 933-936, 2014.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified August 25, 2026