Susan Y. Wu, MD
Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology
About Dr. Susan Y. Wu
Dr. Susan Wu received her BA, magna cum laude, from Rice University. She subsequently received her MD with Distinction in Research from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, followed by residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of California San Francisco, where she also served as chief resident.
Dr. Wu strives to provide personalized and compassionate care to all of her patients. Her research interests include using imaging to guide therapeutic decisions, improving treatment outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory disease, and minimizing the side effects of radiotherapy.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences Department, The University of Houston, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2015 | University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA, MD, Medicine |
| 2010 | Rice University, Houston, TX, USA, BA, Economics and Biological Sciences |
Postgraduate Training
| 2016-2020 | Clinical Residency, Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA |
| 2015-2016 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, TX |
Experience & Service
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Chief Resident, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 2018 - 2019
Medical Student Clerkship Coordinator, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 2017 - 2018
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Division of Radiation Oncology New Technology Committee (NTC), 2020 - 2022
Member, UCSF Diversity Committee, 2018 - 2019
Member, UCSF Residency Selection Committee, 2018 - 2019
Member, UCSF Resident and Fellow Council, 2018 - 2019
Representative, UCSF Resident and Fellow Council, 2017 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2020 | Junior Brachytherapy Travel Grant, Elekta |
| 2019 | MIT Outstanding Abstract Award, AAWR/ASTRO |
| 2019 | Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award, RSNA |
| 2019 | Multidisciplinary Thoracic Cancers Symposium Travel Grant |
| 2018 | Clinical and Translational Science Institute Travel Award, University of California San Francisco |
| 2018 | Young Oncologist Essay Award, American Radium Society |
| 2017 | Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award, ASCO |
| 2014 | Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society |
| 2012 | Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship |
| 2009 | Loewenstern Fellowship |
| 2008 | Leadership Rice Summer Fellowship |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Wu SY, Braunstein SE, Rubenstein JL, Sneed PK. Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma. Cureus 15(2):e34817, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36915845.
- Wu SY, Short NJ, Nasr L, Dabaja BS, Fang PQ. Central Nervous System Prophylaxis and Treatment in Acute Leukemias. Curr Treat Options Oncol 23(12):1829-1844, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36510037.
- Wu SY, Pinnix CC. Chemoradiation to Improve Local Control, and Thereby Overall Survival for Limited Stage Nasal NKTCL. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 111(5):1105-1106, 2021. PMID: 34793730.
- Wu SY, Wong AC, Shinohara K, Roach M, Cunha JAM, Valdes G, Hsu IC. Salvage high dose rate brachytherapy for recurrent prostate cancer after definitive radiation. Pract Radiat Oncol 11(6):515-526, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34077809.
- Wu SY, Yee E, Vasudevan HN, Fogh SE, Boreta L, Braunstein SE, Hong JC. Risk Stratification for Imminent Risk of Death at the Time of Palliative Radiotherapy Consultation. JAMA Netw Open 4(7):e2115641, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34196716.
- Wu SY, Yee E, Chan JW, Chapman CH, Boreta L, Braunstein SE. Timing of Urgent Inpatient Palliative Radiation Therapy. Adv Radiat Oncol 6(3):100670, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33817413.
- Fang PQ, Gunther JR, Wu SY, Dabaja BS, Nastoupil LJ, Ahmed S, Neelapu SS, Pinnix CC. Radiation and CAR T-cell Therapy in Lymphoma: Future Frontiers and Potential Opportunities for Synergy. Front Oncol 11:648655, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33842363.
- Wu SY, Lazar AA, Gubens MA, Blakely CM, Gottschalk AR, Jablons DM, Jahan TM, Wang VEH, Dunbar TL, Wong ML, Chan JW, Guthrie W, Belkora J, Yom SS. Evaluation of a National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines-Based Decision Support Tool in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 3(9):e209750, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32997124.
- Wu SY. Consolidative Whole Brain Radiation for Those with Residual Disease, Reserving Focal Radiation for Salvage. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 107(3):401-402, 2020. PMID: 32531382.
- Wu SY, Braunstein SE. In Reply to Leung. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 107(3):604-605, 2020. PMID: 32531390.
- Dabaja B, Milgrom S, Parikh R, Wu S, Tsang R. The challenges of applying radiation in primary central nervous system lymphoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 107(3):398-400, 2020. PMID: 32531380.
- Wu SY, Sath C, Schuster JM, Dominello MM, Burmeister JW, Golden DW, Braunstein SE. Targeted Needs Assessment of Treatment Planning Education for United States Radiation Oncology Residents. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 106(4):677-682, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31786277.
- Hohenstein NA, Chan JW, Wu SY, Tahir P, Yom SS. Diagnosis, Staging, Radiation Treatment Response Assessment, and Outcome Prognostication of Head and Neck Cancers Using PET Imaging: A Systematic Review. PET Clin 15(1):65-75, 2020. PMID: 31735303.
- Wu SY, Yom SS. Current Standards for Organ Preservation in Locoregionally Advanced Non-nasopharyngeal Head and Neck Cancer and Evolving Strategies for Favorable-Risk and Platinum-Ineligible Populations. Curr Treat Options Oncol 20(12):89, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31797157.
- Xu MJ, Kornberg Z, Gadzinski AJ, Diao D, Cowan JE, Wu SY, Boreta L, Spratt DE, Behr SC, Nguyen HG, Cooperberg MR, Davicioni E, Roach M, Hope TA, Carroll PR, Feng FY. Genomic Risk Predicts Molecular Imaging-detected Metastatic Nodal Disease in Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol Oncol 2(6):685-690, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31411984.
- Morshed RA, Wu SY, Sneed PK, McDermott MW. Radiotherapy for recurrent intracranial epidermoid cysts without malignant transformation: A single-institution case series. J Neurooncol 144(1):89-96, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31168670.
- Boreta L, Gadzinski AJ, Wu SY, Xu M, Greene K, Quanstrom K, Nguyen HG, Carroll PR, Hope TA, Feng FY. Location of Recurrence by Gallium-68 PSMA-11 PET Scan in Prostate Cancer Patients Eligible for Salvage Radiotherapy. Urology 129:165-171, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30928607.
- Wu SY, Boreta L, Shinohara K, Nguyen H, Gottschalk AR, Hsu IC, Roach M, Westphalen AC, Feng FY, Carroll PR, Chang AJ, Hope TA. Impact of Staging 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET Scans on Radiation Treatment Plansin Patients With Prostate Cancer. Urology 125:154-162, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30580002.
- Wu SY, Singer L, Boreta L, Garcia MA, Fogh SE, Braunstein SE. Palliative radiotherapy near the end of life. BMC Palliat Care 18(1):29, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30904024.
- Cooksey R, Wu SY, Klesse L, Oden JD, Bland RE, Hodges JC, Gargan L, Vega GL, Bowers DC. Metabolic syndrome is a sequela of radiation exposure in hypothalamic obesity among survivors of childhood brain tumors. J Investig Med 67(2):295-302, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30530528.
- Wu SY, Boreta L, Wu A, Cheung JP, Cunha JAM, Shinohara K, Chang AJ. Improved rectal dosimetry with the use of SpaceOAR during high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy 17(2):259-264, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29203149.
- Wu SY, McCavit TL, Cederberg K, Galindo RL, Leavey PJ. Chemotherapy for Generalized Infantile Myofibromatosis With Visceral Involvement. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 37(5):402-5, 2015. PMID: 24608078.
Other Articles
- Wu SY, Yom SS Current standards for organ preservation in locoregionally advanced non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer and evolving strategies for favorable-risk and platinum-ineligible patients. Current Treatment Options in Oncology 20(12):89, 2019.
Book Chapters
- Wu SY and Yom SS. Deintensification of treatment for HPV-associated cancers of the oropharynx. In: Textbook of Oral Cancer: Prevention, Diagnosis and Management. 1st. King’s College London: UK, 2020.