Oluchi C. Oke, MD
Department of General Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of General Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The Woodlands, TX
Assistant Professor (Joint appointment), Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The Woodlands, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of General Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Assistant Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Nocturnist, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2013 | University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, Illinois, US, MD |
| 2008 | Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, US, Communication Sciences & Disorders (Mj), African History (Mn), BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2016-2019 | Hematology/Oncology Fellow, Hematology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2013-2016 | Internal Medicine Residency, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee |
Board Certifications
| 2019 | Hematology |
| 2019 | Oncology |
| 2016 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
President, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) Student Government, Peoria, IL, 2012 - 2013
Vice President, Student National Medical Association: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria Chapter, Peoria, IL, 2011 - 2012
Vice President, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) Student Government, Peoria, IL, 2011 - 2012
President, UICOMP Christian Medical and Dental Association, Unknown, 2011 - 2012
M2 Class Representative, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) Student Government, Peoria, IL, 2010 - 2011
Secretary, Student National Medical Association: Midwest Region Midwest Regional, Unknown, 2010 - 2012
President, Student National Medical Association: University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana Chapter, Peoria, IL, 2009 - 2010
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Instructor, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Resident Teaching Academy, Nashville, TN, 2016 - 2016
Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellow, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2019
Hematology/Oncology Section Curator and Distributor, Lyndon B Johnson Hospital, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2016
Hematology/Oncology Section Curator and Distributor, Internal Medicine House Staff, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2016
Resident, Vanderbilt University Internal Medicine, Nashville, TN, 2013 - 2016
Pathology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL, 2011 - 2013
Volunteer, Manual High School Enrichment Program, Peoria, IL, 2011 - 2013
Co-Founder and Vice President, Quest Charter Middle School, Peoria, IL, 2011 - 2012
Math & Science Tutor, Driven and Empowered Youth Tutoring Organization, Chicago, IL, 2009 - 2009
Institutional Committee Activities
Representative, Breast in Africa ECHO MD Anderson Breast Medical Oncology, 2023 - Present
Review Panelist, Division of Cancer Medicine Faculty Recognition and Awards Program, 2022 - Present
Faculty Senator, General Oncology Faculty Senator, 2022 - 2024
Working Group, MD Anderson Breast Advisory to Improve Medical Record Collection, 2021 - Present
Working Group, MD Anderson Breast Department Peer to Peer, 2020 - Present
High Risk Liaison, MD Anderson HALs Clinical Cancer Genetics, 2020 - Present
HALs Liaison, MD Anderson Breast Access Committee, 2020 - Present
Faculty Representative, MD Anderson HALs The Woodlands Fall Committee, 2020 - Present
Contributor, MD Anderson Breast Medical Oncology Concepts and Protocols, 2019 - Present
Contributor, MD Anderson HALs Research Committee, 2019 - Present
Contributor, MD Anderson Breast Medical Oncology Tumor Board, 2019 - Present
Contributor, MD Anderson HALs The Woodlands General Weekly Tumor Board, 2019 - Present
Quality Improvement, MD Anderson Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Course, 2018 - 2018
Co-founder, Vanderbilt Landmark Articles Wiki (VLAW), 2014 - 2016
Volunteer, Manual High School Enrichment Program, 2011 - 2013
Co-Founder and Vice President, Guides: A Medical Student Organization for the Betterment of the Underserved Student, 2011 - 2012
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | MDACC Patient Experience Award: Top 1% Provider for FY24, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2023 | MDACC Patient Experience Award: Top 1% Provider for FY23, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2022 | MDACC Patient Experience Award: Top 1% Provider for FY22, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2021 | MDACC Division of Cancer Medicine Melvin L. Samuels Award for Excellence in Patient Care Nominee 2021, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2020 | MD Anderson Top 1% Provider for FY20, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2015 | Resident Travel Award, Conquer Cancer Foundation of American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2013 | Outstanding Student Achievement Award, Urban Health Program |
| 2012 - 2013 | The Doctor's Doctor, Merk Manual Award |
| 2012 | Inducted, Gold Humanism Honor Society |
| 2012 | Outstanding M3 Leadership and Volunteerism, University of Illinois at the Chicago College of Medicine Thomas C. Reeves Memorial Award |
| 2012 | Outstanding Medical Student Award, American College of Physicians Downstate Governor |
| 2011 - 2013 | Outstanding Volunteer Service to the University and Community, University of Illinois at Chicago Chancellor's Student and Leadership Award |
| 2011 - 2012 | Leadership Certificate Recipient, University of Illinois at the Chicago College of Medicine |
| 2011 - 2012 | Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, University of Illinois |
| 2010 - 2011 | Member of the Year, Student National Medical Association Midwest Regional |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Johnson, HM, Song, J, Warneke, CL, Martinez, A, Litton, J, Oke, OC. Outcomes of patients treated with chemotherapy for breast cancer during pregnancy compared with nonpregnant breast cancer patients treated with systemic therapy. Cancer 131(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39470464.
- Yam C, Patel M, Hill H, Sun R, Bassett R, Kong E, Damodaran S, Koenig K, Abouharb S, Saleem S, Bisen A, Murthy R, Ramirez D, Rauch G, Adrada B, Candelaria R, Wang X, Mittendorf E, Thompson A, White J, Ravenberg E, Clayborn A, Ding Q, Booser D, Oke O, Brewster A, Hortobagyi G, Ibrahim N, Litton J, Valero V, Arun B, Tripathy D, Chang J, Chen K, Korkut A, Moulder S, Huo L, Lim B, Ueno AN. Targeting the EGFR Pathway in Chemotherapy-resistant Triple-negative Breast Cancer-A Phase II Study. Cancer Res Commun 4(10):2823-2834, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39356138.
- Johnson H, Song J, Warneke C, Martinez A, Theriault R, Litton J, Oke O. Outcomes of Patients Treated with Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer during Pregnancy Compared with Non-pregnant Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Systemic Therapy. Cancer. e-Pub 2024.
- Ferrigno Guajardo AS, Vaca-Cartagena BF, Mayer EL, Bousrih C, Oluchi O, Saura C, Peccatori F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Cabrera-Garcia A, Lambertini M, Corrales L, Becerril-Gaitan A, Sella T, Newman AB, Pistilli B, Martinez A, Ortiz C, Joval-Ramentol L, Scarfone G, Buonomo B, Lara-Medina F, Sanchez J, Arecco L, Ramos-Esquivel A, Susnjar S, Morgan G, Villarreal-Garza C, Jr AH. Taxanes for the Treatment of Breast Cancer during Pregnancy: An international cohort study. J Natl Cancer Inst 116(2):239-248, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38059798.
- Licata L, Viale G, Giuliano M, Curigliano G, Chavez-MacGregor M, Foldi J, Oke O, Collins J, Del Mastro L, Puglisi F, Montemurro F, Vernieri C, Gerratana L, Giordano S, Rognone A, Sica L, Gentilini OD, Cascinu S, Pusztai L, Giordano A, Criscitiello C, Bianchini G. Oncotype DX Results Increase Concordance in Adjuvant Chemotherapy Recommendations for Early-stage Breast Cancer. NPJ Breast Cancer 9(1):51, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37291235.
- Oke O, Niu J, Chavez-MacGregor M, Zhao H, Giordano SH. Adjuvant Tamoxifen Adherence in Men with Early-stage Breast Cancer. Cancer 128(1):59-64, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34597415.
- Lang JJ, Issa R, Lombardi C, Garcia E, Oke OC, Ekwenna O. Trends in Race and Ethnicity Among Matriculants to US Oncology Training Programs, 2015-2020. JAMA Netw Open 4(10):e2128530, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34618042.
- Oke O, Ranasinghe W, Tang C, Shaaban S, Xiao L, Reichard CA, Anscher MS, Chapin BF, Aparicio A. Impact of Definitive Local Therapy in Men with Primary Small Cell Prostate Carcinoma. Eur Urol 80(3):389-390, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33824032.
- Parkes A, Warneke CL, Clifton K, Al-Awadhi A, Oke O, Pestana RC, Alhalabi O, Litton JK, Hortobagyi GN. Prognostic Factors in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Oncologist 11(23):1282-88, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30120166.
- Parkes A, Clifton K, Al-Awadhi A, Oke O, Warneke CL, Litton JK, Hortobagyi GN. Characterization of Bone Only Metastasis Patients with Respect to Tumor Subtypes. NPJ Breast Cancer 4(2):1-7, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29387785.
- Shanavas M, Popat U, Michaelis LC, Fauble V, McLornan D, Klisovic R, Mascarenhas J, Tamari R, Arcasoy MO, Davies J, Gergis U, Ukaegbu OC, Kamble RT, Storring J M, Majhail NS, Romee R, Verstovsek S, Pagliuca A, Vasu S, Ernst B, Atenafu EG, Hanif A, Champlin R, Hari P, Gupta V. Outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients with Myelofibrosis with Prior Exposure to Janus Kinase 1/2 Inhibitors. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplant 22(3):432–440, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Ukaegbu O, Sethi T, Goodman S, Rubinstein SM, Hung R, Jagasia MH, Kassim AA, Lacy S, Langone A, Lenihan D, Savani BN, Slosky D, Cornell RF. Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (AHCT) Offers Prolonged Progression Free and Overall Survival in Patients with Light Chain Amyloidosis (AL) Compared with Chemotherapy Alone. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplant 33(3):S233–S234, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Ukaegbu OC, Caldwell ME, Reddy NM. Concurrent B-cell Follicular and Refractory CD30+ Large Cell Transformation of Mycosis Fungoides Responsive to Rituximab and Brentuximab Vedotin. Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion 6(2):1000259, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
Abstracts
- Jambunathan S, Lang J, Mays M, Oke O. Sociodemographic Trends in COVID-19 Mortality in Patients with Cancer: A Nationwide Analysis. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Oke O, Tang C, Chapin B, Aparicio A. Impact of Definitive Local Therapy (LT) in Men with Primary Small Cell (or poorly differentiated neuroendocrine) Prostate Carcinomas (pSCPC). Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Oke O, Niu J, Chavez-MacGregor M, Zhao H, Giordano SH. Adjuvant Tamoxifen Adherence in Men with Early Breast Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology 36(15):550-550, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Oke O, Warneke CL, Chavez-Mac Gregor M, Milbourne A, Litton JK. Outcomes Related to Delayed Initiation of Anti-HER 2 Therapy in Pregnant HER2 Positive Breast Cancer Patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology 35(15), 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Shanavas M, Popat U, Michaelis LC, Fauble V, McLornan D, Klisovic R, Mascarenhas J, Tamari R, Arcasoy MO, Davies J, Gergis U, Ukaegbu OC, Kamble RT, Storring J M, Majhail NS, Romee R, Verstovsek S, Pagliuca A, Vasu S, Ernst B, Atenafu EG, Hanif A, Champlin R, Hari P, Gupta V. Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Offers Prolonged Progression Free and Overall Survival in Patients with Light Chain Amyloidosis Compared with Chemotherapy Alone. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 22(3):S233-S234, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Decker I, Ukaegbu OC, Goodman SA, Lenihan DJ, Hung RR, Kassim AA, Harrell SL, McDonagh K, Phillips SE, Rawling KT, Rubinstein SM, Sethi TK, Cornell RF. Six-Minute Walk Test as a Measure of Functional Change after Chemotherapy in Cardiac AL Amyloidosis. American Society of Hematology 126(23):1841, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Hill L, Ukaegbu OC, Savani BN, Sengsayadeth S, Goodman S, Brandt SJ, Chinratanalab W. Impact of Different Mobilization Methods on Graft Composition and Outcome after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: Implications for Upfront Use of Plerixafor. American Society of Hematology 124(21):1125, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Ferrigno Guajardo AS, Vaca-Cartagena BF, Mayer EL, Bousrih C, Oluchi O, Saura C, Peccatori F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Cabrera-Garcia A, Lambertini M, Corrales L, Becerril-Gaitan A, Sella T, Newman AB, Pistilli B, Martinez A, Ortiz C, Joval-Ramentol L, Scarfone G, Buonomo B, Lara-Medina F, Sanchez J, Arecco L, Ramos-Esquivel A, Susnjar S, Morgan G, Villarreal-Garza C, Jr AH. Taxanes for the Treatment of Breast Cancer during Pregnancy: An international cohort study. San Antonio Breast Conference.
- Johnson H, Song J, Warneke C, Martinez A, Theriault R, Litton J, Oke O. Outcomes of Patients Treated with Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer during Pregnancy Compared with Non-Pregnant Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Systemic Therapy. San Antonio Breast Conference.
Book Chapters
- Oke OC, et al. In: Empathy: Real Stories to Inspire and Enlighten Busy Clinicians. McGraw Hill LLC, 2022.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Regional Presentations
- 2019. Cohort Study of Women Treated with Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer during Pregnancy Compared with Non-Pregnant Breast Cancer Patients. Invited. San Antonio, TX, US.
- 2019. CDK 4/6 Inhibition in Advanced Male Breast Center. Invited. San Antonio, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2018. Adjuvant Tamoxifen Adherence in Men with Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Invited. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2016. Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Offers Prolonged Progression Free and Overall Survival in Patients with Light Chain Amyloidosis Compared with Chemotherapy Alone. Invited. Honolulu, HI, US.
- 2010. Analysis on the Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Survivorship Patients and its Correlations to Bone Health. Invited. Summer Research Fellowship Forum. New York, NY, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2024 - 2031 |
| Title: | 2023-0645: Carboplatin/paclitaxel combined with pembrolizumab in stage 1 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) |
| Funding Source: | Merck |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | AWARD/PROJECT # AWD00008255 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2025 |
| Title: | A de-escalation protocol of chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint blockade in neoadjuvant triple negative breast cancer |
| Funding Source: | Institutional Research Grant (IRG) Program |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | AWARD/PROJECT # 125310 |
| Date: | 2021 - Present |
| Title: | Jennifer Garlitz Endowment for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Pregnancy-Steward |
| Funding Source: | Jennifer Garlitz Endowment |
| Role: | PI |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified April 02, 2025