
Yvonne J Heung, M.D., M.S.
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, & Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
2011 | Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA, MD, Medicine |
2008 | Union Graduate College, Schenectady, NY, USA, MS, Healthcare Management |
2007 | Union College, Schenectady, NY, USA, BS, Biology, Music, Leadership in Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
2014-2015 | Clinical Fellowship, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
2012-2014 | Clinical Residency, Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai St. Luke's-Roosevelt, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY |
2011-2012 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai St. Luke's-Roosevelt, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY |
Board Certifications
2018 | Hospice and Palliative Medicine |
2016 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 2016 - 2017
Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 2016 - 2017
Instructor, Department of Family Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, 2015 - 2016
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, MD Anderson Cancer Center Emergency Center Transformation Workstream, 2020 - Present
Member, MD Anderson Cancer Center Goals of Care Palliative Care Interventions Workgroup, 2020 - Present
Senator, MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Cancer Medicine Faculty Senate, 2019 - Present
Member, MD Anderson Cancer Center Junior Faculty Committee, 2019 - Present
Member, MD Anderson Cancer Center Annual Interdisciplinary Conference on Supportive Care, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Conference Planning Committee, 2017 - Present
Member, Loma Linda University Cancer Center Committee, 2015 - 2017
Member, Albany Medical College Admission Committee, 2007 - 2011
Honors & Awards
2011 | Kenneth B. Olsen Prize, Albany Medical College |
2003 | Union College Presidential Scholarship, Union College |
2003 | Union College Dean's List, Union College |
1999 | Top 10% of Class, La Jolla High School |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Hui D, Abdelghani E, Chen J, Dibaj S, Zhukovsky D, Dev R, Tanco K, Haider A, Azhar A, Reddy A, Epner D, Arthur J, Dalal S, Heung Y, Reddy S, De La Cruz M, Liu D, Bruera E. Chronic Non-Malignant Pain in Patients with Cancer Seen at a Timely Outpatient Palliative Care Clinic. Cancers (Basel) 12(1), 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31952220.
- Reddy A, Vidal M, Stephen S, Baumgartner K, Dost S, Nguyen A, Heung Y, Kwan S, Wong A, Pangemanan I, Azhar A, Tayjasanant S, Rodriguez E, Waletich J, Lim KH, Wu J, Liu D, Williams J, Yennurajalingam S, Bruera E. The Conversion Ratio From Intravenous Hydromorphone to Oral Opioids in Cancer Patients. J Pain Symptom Manage 54(3):280-288, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28711751.
- Reddy A, Tayjasanant S, Haider A, Heung Y, Wu J, Liu D, Yennurajalingam S, Reddy S, de la Cruz M, Rodriguez EM, Waletich J, Vidal M, Arthur J, Holmes C, Tallie K, Wong A, Dev R, Williams J, Bruera E. The opioid rotation ratio of strong opioids to transdermal fentanyl in cancer patients. Cancer 122(1):149-56, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26451687.
- Xue L, Zhou B, Liu X, Heung Y, Chau J, Chu E, Li S, Jiang C, Un F, Yen Y. Ribonucleotide reductase small subunit p53R2 facilitates p21 induction of G1 arrest under UV irradiation. Cancer Res 67(1):16-21, 2007. PMID: 17210678.
- Xue L, Zhou B, Liu X, Wang T, Shih J, Qi C, Heung Y, Yen Y. Structurally dependent redox property of ribonucleotide reductase subunit p53R2. Cancer Res 66(4):1900-5, 2006. PMID: 16488986.
Abstracts
- Yvonne Heung, MD MS, MD Ahsan Azhar, MD FACP Janet Williams, MBA, MPH Seyedeh Dibaj, PhD Eduardo Bruera, MD FAAHPM. Frequency and Characteristics of First-Time Palliative Care Referrals During the Last Day of Life. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 60(1):271-272, 2020.
- Heung Y, Azhar A, Park M, Williams J, Liu D, Bruera E. Frequency and Characteristics of First-Time Palliative Care Referrals During the Last Day of Life. Supportive Care in Cancer 27(Supplement 2):S192, 2019.
Book Chapters
- Heung Y, Reddy A, Reddy S. Introduction to Pain. In: Supportive and Palliative Care Handbook. 6th, 11-16, 2018.
- Heung Y, Reddy A, Reddy S. Pain Management. In: Supportive and Palliative Care Handbook. 6th, 17-40, 2018.
- Heung Y, Reddy A, Reddy S. Introduction to Pain. In: Supportive and Palliative Care Handbook. 5th, 11-16, 2015.
- Heung Y, Reddy A, Reddy S. Pain Management. In: Supportive and Palliative Care Handbook. 5th, 16-38, 2015.
Letters to the Editor
- Reddy A, Heung Y, Bruera E. Authors' Response. J Pain Symptom Manage 56: e3-e5, 2018.