Parijatham Thomas, MD
Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Medical Director of Cancer Prevention, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Research Interests
Ongoing Research Support
Moonshot Grant, MD Anderson Cancer Center Brewster (PI) 09/1/15-08/31/17
Preventing Breast Cancer in Women with Precancerous Breast Lesions: Implementing a Program Improvement Project to Maximize Breast Cancer Preventive Therapy
The goal of this study is to increase uptake of breast cancer preventive therapy medications in women with proliferative breast lesions using a physician performance improvement metric.
Role: Collaborator
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2008 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Lubbock and El Paso, Texas, US, MD |
| 2004 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, US, BS in Human Biology |
| 2004 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, US, BS in Psychology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2014 | Clinical Fellowship, Hematology / Oncology, Columbia University - New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York |
| 2008-2011 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2021 | State of Florida License |
| 2015 | Medical Oncology |
| 2014 | Texas State Medical License |
| 2013 | Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2014 - 2020
Assistant Professor, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2014 - 2020
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Clinical Medical Director of Cancer Prevention Center, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2025 - Present
Division Patient Safety and Quality Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2023 - Present
Department Patient Safety and Quality Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2022 - Present
Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2022 - 2024
Associate Medical Director of Cancer Prevention, Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2020 - 2025
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Committee Member, Medical Records Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2024 - Present
Committee Member, Executive Committee of Medical Staff, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Committee Member, Institutional Patient Safety Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Peer Reviewer, Cancer Prevention and Control Grand Rounds Program Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - Present
Committee Member, Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021 - 2023
Committee Member, Navigation Task Force, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2021
Committee Member, PRS Retirement Board, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2023
Committee Member, Junior Faculty Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2021
Committee Member, Scientific Review Committee # 1 (SRC 1), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - 2023
Committee Member, (CRAC) Committee, Clinical Research Advisory Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2022
Committee Member, Samuel J. Hassenbusch MD, PhD PRS Leadership & Institutional Service Award (The L.I.S.A.) Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - 2018
Committee Member, Integrative Health Working Group, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2016 - Present
Committee Member, PRS Faculty Compensation and Benefits Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - 2017
Committee Member, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Lectureship Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - 2017
Committee Member, Faculty Academic Review Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2015 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Multi-Year Appointment Award |
| 2021 | 2021 President's Recognition of Faculty Excellence Award in Clinical Quality Improvement, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences |
| 2017 | Excellence in Research Award Faculty Finalist |
| 2015 | AACR/ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop Award |
| 2013 | ASCO Young Investigator Award |
| 2002 - 2004 | College Scholar Award |
| 2000 - 2004 | George McCorp Scholarship |
| 2000 - 2004 | Jesse H. Jones Scholarship |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2022. It's a Perfect Time to Talk About Cancer Prevention. Conference. 2022 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. 9 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Early Detection and Genetic Testing Making Cancer History Virtual Seminar Series. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2019. Cancer Prevention: Updates in Breast Cancer Screening. Conference. Medical Oncology and Hematology 2019: Multidisciplinary Approaches that Improve Coordination of Care. Houston, TX, US.
- 2017. A Patient Centered Intervention for Adaptation of Cancer Risk Reduction Guidelines in Breast Cancer Survivors. Conference. Fifth State of the Science Cancer Survivorship Research Symposium. Houston, TX, US.
- 2010. Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2018. Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Procedures. Conference. Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Procedures. San Antonio, TX, US.
- 2009. The Emergence of Waterborne Infections During a Natural Disaster: Hurricane Ike. Conference. Poster Presentation. New Orleans, LA, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Breast Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy in High Risk Populations. Invited. 2025 NC2 Cancer Summit. Lincoln, NE, US.
- 2011. The Effect of Myeloid Markers on Presentation and Outcome in ALL Patients. Conference. Baylor Research Symposium Poster Presentation. Houston, TX, US.
- 2009. Paget-Schroetter Syndrome. Conference. Poster Presentation at the Society of General Internal Medicine, Midwest Regional Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
International Presentations
- 2020. Breast Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy in High Risk Women. Madurai, IN.
- 2010. Feeling Weak All Over: Ectopic Cushing's Syndrome in Cholangiocarcinoma with Neuroendocrine Component. Conference. Clinical Vignette Poster Presentation. Toronto, CA.
Formal Peers
- 2020. Thomas PS. Breast Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy in High Risk Women. Invited.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2020 - 2021 |
| Title: | A Randomized Phase II Window-of Opportunity Trial of Ruxolitinib in Patients with High Risk and Premalignant Breast Conditions |
| Funding Source: | Incyte Corporation/Johns Hopkins University |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | NCT02928978 |
| Date: | 2019 - 2023 |
| Title: | Multicenter Trial of Decision Support for Breast Cancer Chemoprevention |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | CO-I |
| ID: | CA226060-01A1 |
| Date: | 2017 - 2021 |
| Title: | A Phase I Dose Escalation Study of Topical Bexarotene in Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | National Cancer Institute (NCI) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | HHSN261201200034I |
| Date: | 2015 - 2018 |
| Title: | Preventing Breast Cancer in Women with Precancerous Breast Lesions: Implementing a Program Improvement Project to Maximize Breast Cancer Preventive Therapy |
| Funding Source: | Moonshot Grant, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Date: | 2013 - 2014 |
| Title: | Microrna Expression in Benign Breast tissue as a Biomarker of Breast Cancer Risk |
| Funding Source: | American Society of Clinical Oncology (YIA) |
| Role: | PI |
| Title: | A Patient Centered Intervention for Adaptation of Cancer Risk Reduction Guidelines in Breast Cancer Survivors |
| Funding Source: | PA16-0553 |
| Role: | PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Johansson, H, Guerrieri-Gonzaga, A, Gandini, S, Bertelsen, BE, Macis, D, Serrano, D, Mellgren, G, Lazzeroni, M, Thomas, PS, Crew, KD, Kumar, N, Briata, IM, Galimberti, V, Viale, G, Vornik, L, Aristarco, V, Webber, TB, Spinaci, S, Brown, PH, Heckman-Stoddard, BM, Szabo, E, Bonanni, B, DeCensi, A. Alternative dosing regimen of exemestane in a randomized presurgical trial. npj Breast Cancer 10(1), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38238336.
- Serrano D, Gandini S, Thomas P, Crew KD, Kumar NB, Vornik LA, Lee JJ, Veronesi P, Viale G, Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Lazzeroni M, Johansson H, D'Amico M, Guasone F, Spinaci S, Bertelsen BE, Mellgren G, Bedrosian I, Weber D, Castile T, Dimond E, Heckman-Stoddard BM, Szabo E, Brown PH, DeCensi A, Bonanni B. Efficacy of Alternative Dose Regimens of Exemestane in Postmenopausal Women With Stage 0 to II Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36951827.
- Thomas PS, Patel AB, Lee JJ, Liu DD, Hernandez M, Muzzio M, Contreras A, Sepeda V, Mays C, Weber D, Vornik LA, Khan SA, Dimond E, Heckman-Stoddard BM, Perloff M, Brown PH. Phase I Dose Escalation Study of Topical Bexarotene in Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 16(1):47-55, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36228112.
- Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Serrano D, Thomas P, Crew KD, Kumar NB, Gandini S, Vornik LA, Lee J, Cagnacci S, Vicini E, Accornero CA, D'Amico M, Guasone F, Spinaci S, Webber TB, Brown PH, Szabo E, Heckman-Stoddard B, Bonanni B. Alternative dosing of exemestane in postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer. Design and methods of a randomized presurgical trial. Contemp Clin Trials 107:106498, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34216815.
- Thomas PS, Class CA, Gandhi TR, Bambhroliya A, Do KA, Brewster AM. Demographic, clinical, and geographical factors associated with lack of receipt of physician recommended chemotherapy in women with breast cancer in Texas. Cancer Causes Control 30(4):409-415, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30868330.
- Coletta AM, Marquez G, Thomas P, Thoman W, Bevers T, Brewster AM, Hawk E, Basen-Engquist K, Gilchrist SC. Clinical factors associated with adherence to aerobic and resistance physical activity guidelines among cancer prevention patients and survivors. PLoS One 14(8):e0220814, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31369653.
- Brewster AM, Thomas P, Brown P, Coyne R, Yan Y, Checka C, Middleton L, Do KA, Bevers T. A System-Level Approach to Improve the Uptake of Antiestrogen Preventive Therapy among Women with Atypical Hyperplasia and Lobular Cancer In Situ. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 11(5):295-302, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29618460.
- Bojadzieva J, Amini B, Day SF, Jackson TL, Thomas PS, Willis BJ, Throckmorton WR, Daw NC, Bevers TB, Strong LC. Whole body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) and brain MRI baseline surveillance in TP53 germline mutation carriers: experience from the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Education and Early Detection (LEAD) clinic. Fam Cancer 17(2):287-294, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 28988289.
- Kukafka R, Yi H, Xiao T, Thomas P, Aguirre A, Smalletz C, David R, Crew K. Why breast cancer risk by the numbers is not enough: Evaluation of a decision aid in multi-ethnic low-numerate women. J Med Internet Res 17(7):e165, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26175193.
- Reimers LL, Sivasubramanian PS, Hershman D, Terry MB, Greenlee H, Campbell J, Kalinsky K, Maurer M, Jayasena R, Sandoval R, Alvarez M, Crew KD. Breast cancer chemoprevention among high-risk women and those with ductal carcinoma in situ. Breast J 21(4):377-86, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25879521.
- Yi H, Xiao T, Thomas PS, Aguirre AN, Smalletz C, Dimond J, Finkelstein J, Infante K, Trivedi M, David R, Vargas J, Crew KD, Kukafka R. Barriers and Facilitators to Patient-Provider Communication When Discussing Breast Cancer Risk to Aid in the Development of Decision Support Tools. AMIA Annu Symp Proc 2015:1352-60, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26958276.
- Crew KD, Xiao T, Thomas PS, Terry MB, Maurer M, Kalinsky K, Feldman S, Brafman L, Refice SR, Hershman DL. Safety, Feasibility, and Biomarker Effects of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation Among Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer. Int J Food Sci Nutr Diet 2015(Suppl 1):1-16, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 28480224.
- Thomas, PS, Crew, KD. Biomarker endpoints for early-phase cancer-prevention studies. Current Breast Cancer Reports 5(3):194-201, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
Invited Articles
- Thomas PS. Diagnosis and Management of High Risk Breast Lesions. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 16(11):1391-1396, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30442737.
Other Articles
- Serrano D, Johansson H, Bertelsen BE, Gandini S, Mellgren G, Thomas P, Crew KD, Kumar NB, Macis D, Aristarco V, Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Lazzeroni M, D’Amico M, Buttiron-Webber T, Briata IM, Spinaci S, Galimberti V, Vornik LA, Villar-Sanchez E, Brown PH, Heckman-Stoddard BM, Szabo E, Bonanni B, DeCensi A Drug and biomarker tissue levels in a randomized presurgical trial on exemestane alternative schedules. JNCI, 2024.
- Thomas P, Bevers, Rahbar, Neuschler Optimizing MRI Breast Cancer Screening: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, 2015.
Editorials
- Thomas PS, Brown PH. Commentary on Breast- Cancer risk in Families with Mutations in PALB2. Breast Diseases: A Year Book Quarterly 26(3):206-208, 2015.
Abstracts
- Marx AN, Kai M, Fu M, Murphy HE, Willey JS, Sun H, Alexander A, Bassett RL, Whitman GJ, H T Carisa Le-Petross H, Patel M, Arun BK, Abouharb S, Thomas PS, Barcenas CH, Ibrahim NK, Valero V, FACP, Ueno NT, Layman RM, Lim B, Woodward W, Lucci A. A phase 1b study of neratinib with THP in metastatic and locally advanced breast cancer, and phase II study of THP followed by AC in HER2 + primary inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), and neratinib with taxol followed by AC in HR+ /HER2- IBC. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Thomas PS, Patel AB, Liu D, J Jack Lee J, Khan S, Muzzio M, Contreras A, Vornik L, Dimond EP, Perloff M, H Brown BHAP. Interim analysis of a phase I dose escalation study of topical bexarotene in women at high risk for breast cancer. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Thomas P, DeCensi A, Crew KD, Kumar N, Gandini S, Vornik L, Heckman-Stoddard B, Szabo E, Dimond E, Lee J, Liu D, Lazzeroni M, Cagnacci S, Serrano D, D'Amico M, Guasone F, Buttiron Webber T, Brown P, Bonanni B. Alternative dosing of exemestane before surgery in postmenopausal patients with stage 0-II estrogen receptor positive breast cancer: design and methodology. Poster Presentation at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Thomas P, Contreras A, Pruthi S, Jakub J, Krontiras H, Rimawi M, Garber J, Wang T, Hilsenbeck S, Vornik L, Gilmer T, Friedman R, Osbourne K, Heckman-Stoddard B, Dunn B, Kuerer H, Brown P. Effect of low dose lapatinib on breast tissue biomarkers in women with HER2+ or EGFR+ ductal carcinoma in situ. Poster Discussion at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Thomas P, Contreras A, Patel A, Vornik L, Liu D, Lee J, Sepeda V, Mays C, Weber D, Khan S, Dimond E, Perloff M, Heckman-Stoddard B, Brown P. A Phase I Dose Escalation Study of Topical Bexarotene in Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer. Poster Presentation at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Heckman-Stoddard B, Perloff M, Dimond E, Thomas P, Arun B, Brown P, Khan S, Ford L. Development of Topical Breast Cancer Prevention Agents in the National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Prevention Early Phase Clinical Trials Consortia Program. Milan Breast Cancer Conference, 2017. e-Pub 2017.
- Thomas PS, Klimitchek A, Nelson B, Garvin M, Feng L, Damani S, Bevers T. A Patient Centered Intervention for Adaptation of Cancer Risk Reduction Guidelines in Breast Cancer Survivors. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Coletta AM, Marquez G, Thomas P, Thoman W, Austin A, Bevers T, Brewster A, Hawk E, Basen-Engquist K, Lakoski SG. Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines in a Cancer Prevention and Control Setting: The Impact of Body Mass Index, 2016. e-Pub 2016.
- Thomas PS, Guo X, Xiao T, Namburi S, Ha R, Zhao B, Terry MB, Hershman DL, Refice S, Crew KD. Changes in breast density with mammography and breast MRI among high-risk postmenopausal women. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Yi H, Xiao T, Sivasubramanian PS, Aguire AN, Smalletz C, Crew KD, Kukafka R. Evaluation of an early prototype of a patient-centered decision aid to improve accuracy of breast cancer risk perception. American Medical Informatics Association Annual Meeting, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Sivasubramanian PS, Crew KD, Kalinsky K, Hershman DL, Maurer MA, Greenlee H, Reimers LL, Terry MB. Correlation between risk benefit index and uptake of breast cancer chemoprevention. American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Chicago, Il, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Sivasubramanian P, Reimers L, Campbell J, Greenlee H, Terry MB, Hershman D, Maurer M, Kalinsky K, Awad D, Xiao T, Sandoval R, Alvarez M, quirarte A, Crew KD. Uptake of breast cancer chemoprevention among high-risk women and those with ductal carcinoma in situ. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, Tx, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Sivasubramanian P, Xiao T, Hershman DL, Maurer M, Kalinsky K, Feldman S, Brafman L, Refice S, Kranwinkel G, Crew KD. Effects of vitamin D supplemantation on breast imaging and blood-based biomarkers of breast cancer risk. AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention, National Harbour, MD, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Crew KD, Sivasubramanian P, Aguirre A, Smalletz C, Ngan MC, Xiao T, Kukafka R. Identifying women at high-risk for breast cancer in the primary care setting. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, Tx, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Xiao T, Crew KD, Sivasubramanian P, Aguirre AN, Smalletz C, Kukafka R. Development of a patient-centered decision aid to improve accuracy of breast cancer risk perception. AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention, National Harbor, MD, 2013. e-Pub 2013.
- Sivasubramanian P, Aguirre A, Smalletz C, Ngan MC, Xiao T, Kukafka R. Pilot study of a 1-year intervention of high-dose vitamin D in women at high risk for breast cancer. Poster Presentation at San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
- Jackson I, Volk R, Thomas P, Bevers T, Leal V, Hinde J, Lowenstein L, Brewster A. A decision support intervention to promote the use of preventive therapy among women at high risk for invasive breast cancer. 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
- Khan SA, Kocherginsky M, Benante K, Xu Y, Schering T, Amin AL, Chow HHS, Fabian CJ, Hoskins K, Hughes KL, King TA, Pilewskie ML, Thomas P, Toriola A, Eriksson M, Krol D, Heckman-Stoddard B. Refining tamoxifen dose for premenopausal breast cancer risk reduction (RENAISSANCE). RISE UP for Breast Cancer.
- Briata IM, Spinaci S, Webber TB, D’Amico M, Gandolfo N, Guasone F, Firpo E, Rattaro A, Rutigliani M, Oliva M, Gualco M, Peresi M, Uncini S, Guerrieri-Gonzaga A, Johansson H, Gandini S, Serrano D, Lazzeroni M, Minucci S, Veronesi P, Vornik L, Gonzalez AG, Lozano M, Heckman-Stoddard B, Dimond E, Sauter E, Vilar-Sanchez E, Thomas P, Bonanni B, De Censi A. Time restricted Eating And Metformin (TEAM) in invasive breast cancer or DCIS: a randomized, phase IIb, window of opportunity presurgical trial. RISE UP for Breast Cancer.
- Nangia J, Basura S, Wang T, Ku A, Thomas D, Meszoely I, Thomas P, Parker C, Feldman S, Fisher C, Gallagher K, Gupta G, Thompson A, Otte K, Gutierrez C, Nagi C, Miles G, Hilsenbeck S, Li Y, Osborne K, Rimawi M. A Randomized Phase II Window-of-opportunity Trial of Ruxolitinib in Patients with High Risk and Premalignant Breast Conditions. 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Book Chapters
- Thomas PS, Bevers, TB. Breast History and Clinical Evaluation. In: A Practical Guide to Managing Breast Cancer for Low-Middle Income Countries. National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2019.
- Bevers, TB, Thomas, PS. Clinical management of the patient at increased or high risk, 1004-1010.e1, 2017.
- Bevers T, Thomas PS. The Breast. In: Chapter 80 – Clinical Management of the Patient at Increased or High Risk. The Breast (Fifth Edition), Pages 1004–1010.e2, 2017.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified January 02, 2026