Faculty Pages - Dr. Richard C. Zellars

Richard C. Zellars, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
Assistant Professor of Oncology

Dr. Richard C. Zellars is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences and in the Department of Oncology. He is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan.

Previous appointments include Assistant Professorship in the Department of Radiation Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center and Vice Chairmanship of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Zellars’ primary clinical and research interests are in the treatment of Breast and Gynecologic cancers. He has received several grants to perform research in the treatment of breast cancer. Presently he is enrolling patients into a partial breast irradiation and concurrent chemotherapy trial of his design. This clinical trial decreases the duration of standard breast cancer therapy (chemotherapy followed by radiation after lumpectomy) from 5-6 months to less than 2 months.

Personal Quotation
“This Partial Breast Irradiation and Concurrent Chemotherapy trial follows the basic theme of our funded research. The research mission of our patient-centered breast program is to not only facilitate breast radiation therapy but to also increase its efficacy and most importantly improve its safety.”

Professional Societies
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology And Oncology (ASTRO)
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

Education:

1986	A.B., Chemistry, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
1991	M.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Certification
1992	Michigan Licensure Registration
1996	American Board of Radiology - Radiation Oncology
1996	Texas Licensure Registration
2000	Maryland Licensure Registration
2000	Washington D.C. Licensure Registration
2000	Virginia Licensure Registration

Honors/Awards:

1995	ACRO Fellowship
1995	Radiation Research Society Young Investigators Travel Scholarship
1994-1995	ASTRO Research Fellowship
1985	Cornell University Summer Research Fellowship

Selected References:

Publications

1. Zellars RC, Frassica D. The Year in Review. Curr Opin Oncol 14(6):594-599, 2002.

2. Zellars RC, Frassica D. Radiation Therapy in The Management of Breast Cancer: An Annual Review of Selected Publications. Curr Opin Oncol 13(6):431-435, 2001.

3. Zellars RC, Clark GM, Allred DC, Herman TS, and Elledge R. Prognostic Value of p53 for Local For Local Failure in Mastectomy Treated Breast Cancer Patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology 9:1906-1913, 2000.

4. Zellars RC, Roberson P, Sandler H, TenHaken R, McLaughlin PW. Prostate Motion Late in Therapy: Patterns and Predictors. Int J Radiat Oncol Bio Phys 47:655-660, 2000.

5. Redding SW, Zellars RC, Kirkpatrick WR, McAtee RK, Caceres MA, Fothergill AW, Lopez-Ribot JL, Bailey CL, Patterson TF. Epidemiology of Candida Colonization and Infection in Patients Receiving Radiation for Head and Neck Cancer. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 12:3896-3900, 1999.

6. Zellars RC, Naida JD, Davis MA, Lawrence TS. The Effect of p53 Overexpression on Radiation Sensitivity of Human Colon Cancer Cells. Radiation Oncology Investigations 5:43-49, 1997.

7. Parsels LA, Zellars RC, Loney TL, Parsels JD, Clarke MF, Lawrence TS, Maybaum J. Prevention of Flurodeoxyuridine-Induced Cytotoxicity and DNA Damage in HT29 Colon Carcinoma Cells by Conditional Expression of Wild-Type p53 Phenotype. Molecular Pharmacology 52: 600-605, 1997.

8. Zellars RC, Hilsenbeck S, Clark GM, Allred DC, Herman TS, and Elledge R. Prognostic Value of p53 for Local Regional Failure in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Breast Conserving Therapy. Submitted for publication IJROBP.

9. Zellars RC Prognostic Factors in DCIS – Year Review Current Opinion. OB/GYN. In Press.

Abstracts

1. Zellars RC, Diab S, Otto RA, Tan W, Tin-UC, Villalona-Calero M, Barnes J, Hardy JB, Bready BB, Herman TS. Phase I/II Study of Weekly Paclitaxel, Daily Cisplatin, and Concurrent Radiation with or without Amifostine in Unresectable Head and Neck Cancer. Accepted for presentation at the 1999 Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.

2. Tan W, Tin C, Zellars RC et al: Phase I Study of Weekly Paclitaxel in Combination with Daily Cisplatin and Radiation in Locally Advanced Head and Neck, Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma, and Esophageal Carcinoma. Abstract accepted for publication at the 1999 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting.

3. Zellars RC, Salter BJ, and Sadeghi A. Rotational, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (RIMRT) to Treat Post-Mastectomy Breast Cancer Patients. Abstract accepted for presentation at the 1998 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

4. Zellars RC, Clark GM, Allred DC, Herman TS, and Elledge R. Prognostic Value of p54 for Local Failure in Mastectomy Treated Breast Cancer Patients. Abstract presented at the 1998 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting.

5. Zellars RC, Clark GM, Allred DC, and Elledge R. Prognostic Value of p53 for Local Failure in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Mastectomy or Breast Conserving Therapy. Abstract presented at the 1998 American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting.

6. Zellars RC, Davis MA, and Lawrence TS. Role of p53 Status in Radiation Sensitivity and Cell Cycle Progression and Its Effect on FdUurd Cytotoxicity. Abstract presented at the 1995 American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting.

7. Zellars RC, Davis MA, and Lawrence TS. Altered Expression of GRP 78 and the Effect on Radiosensitivity. Abstract presented at the 1995 Radiation Research Society (RRS) meeting.

8. Zellars RC, Oberman H, Lichter AS, and Pierce LJ. Is an Axillary Dissection Indicated in Micro-Invasive Carcinoma of the Breast? Abstract presented at the 1995 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

9. Zellars RC, Roberson P, Sandler H, and McLaughlin H. Prostate Motion During the Course of Radiation Therapy. Abstract presented at the 1993 Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.

10. Zellars RC, Ulutin HC, Zahurah M, and Bristow RE, Prognostic Factors For Local Failure and Survival in Patients with Vulvar Cancer. Accepted for presentation at the 2003 Society of Gynecologic Oncologists Meeting.

11. Zellars RC, Uluten HC, Weiss S, Shoukl AY, Frassica D, Lange J. Is There a Difference
In The Rate of True Recurrences/New Primaries in Patients Who Have Failed Breast Conserving Therapy of Invasive or Non-Invasive Breast Cancer. Accepted for presentation of the 2002 Radiologic Society of North America Meeting

12. Weiss S, Zellars RC, Latronico D, Bell L, Myers L. Superior Dosimetry at the Supraclavicular Match Line Utilizing Breast Targets with Isocentive Half-Beam Blocking and Micro-Multi-leaf Techniques. Accepted for presentation at the 2002 Radiologic Society of North American.