Physicians

Departments / Divisions

• Radiation Oncology / Radiation Onc-Clinical Sup
• Surgery / Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Address
DUMC 3085
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone
919-660-2100

Office Telephone
919-668-5637

Fax Telephone
919-668-7345

Training

• MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Illinois), 1983

Residency

• Radiation Oncology, Harvard Joint Center for Radiation Therapy (Massachusetts), 1983-1987

Clinical Interests
Head and neck cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, targeted therapy, tumor physiology

Research Interests
Head and neck cancer has constituted both my principal clinical and research foci since I came to Duke University in 1987. I designed and led a single institution phase 3 randomized clinical trial, initiated in 1989, which was one of the first in the world to demonstrate that radiotherapy and concurrent chemotherapy (CRT) was more efficacious than radiotherapy alone (RT) for treating locally advanced head and neck cancer. CRT has since been established as the non-surgical standard of care for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Reduction of treatment-induced toxicity has also been a major interest of mine because more intensive therapeutic regimens improve efficacy but also increase morbidity. I was the principal investigator of the pivotal multinational randomized trial of amifostine in head and neck cancer, which established proof of principle for pharmacologic radioprotection and led to FDA approval of this drug for protection against radiation induced xerostomia in the treatment of head and neck cancer in 1999. I have also investigated role of recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor KGF in the amelioration of mucositis in both preclinical and clinical settings.
I have an ongoing commitment to the study of in situ tumor physiology and biology. I was one of the initial investigators to initiate direct measurement of tumor oxygenation in humans on a systematic basis. This work revealed a prognostic relationship between tumor hypoxia and local-regional failure and survival in head and neck. Parallel studies of tumor oxygenation in soft tissue sarcomas resulted in the first published literature to demonstrate that hypoxia at a primary tumor site was associated with a significant increase in the risk of subsequent distant metastatic recurrence after completion of treatment. We have also demonstrated that elevated lactate concentrations in head and neck cancer primary tumors is associated with an increased risk of metastatic failure in patients undergoing primary surgical therapy for head and neck cancer.
These interests and accomplishments provide the foundation for my present efforts, which are devoted to the development of functional metabolic imaging, both MRI and PET. We are using imaging to characterize the inherent, non-treatment induced variability of several physiologic and metabolic parameters in both tumors and normal tissues and to measure treatment induced changes in them. The long- term intent is to improve our abilities to predict treatment outcome, to better understand the relationships between physical dose delivery and the risk of toxicity, and to choose more customized treatment strategies for our patients that will increase the chances of cure and decrease the risks of serious side effects

Industry Relationships and Collaborations (What's this?)

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has a working relationship (i.e. consulting, research, and/or educational services) with the companies listed below. These relations have been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts.

• Chartrounds.com
• Imedex
• Siemens Molecular Imaging
• Up to Date

Representative Publications
Higgins, KA; Hoang, JK; Roach, MC; Chino, J; Yoo, DS; Turkington, TG; Brizel, DM. Analysis of pretreatment FDG-PET SUV parameters in head-and-neck cancer: tumor SUVmean has superior prognostic value. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2012;82:548-553. (2012) Abstract

Roach, MC; Turkington, TG; Higgins, KA; Hawk, TC; Hoang, JK; Brizel, DM. FDG-PET assessment of the effect of head and neck radiotherapy on parotid gland glucose metabolism. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2012;82:321-326. (2012) Abstract

Yoo, DS; Kirkpatrick, JP; Craciunescu, O; Broadwater, G; Peterson, BL; Carroll, MD; Clough, R; MacFall, JR; Hoang, J; Scher, RL; Esclamado, RM; Dunphy, FR; Ready, NE; Brizel, DM. Prospective trial of synchronous bevacizumab, erlotinib, and concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced head and neck cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. 2012;18:1404-1414. (2012) Abstract

Brizel, DM. Head and neck cancer as a model for advances in imaging prognosis, early assessment, and posttherapy evaluation. The Cancer Journal. 2011;17:159-165. (2011) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Lydiatt, W; Colevas, AD. Controversies in the locoregional management of head and neck cancer. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN. 2011;9:653-662. (2011) Abstract

Brizel, DM. Targeting the future in head and neck cancer. Lancet Oncology. 2009;10:204-205. (2009) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Vokes, EE. Induction chemotherapy: to use or not to use? That is the question. Seminars in Radiation Oncology. 2009;19:11-16. (2009) Abstract

Murphy, BA; Beaumont, JL; Isitt, J; Garden, AS; Gwede, CK; Trotti, AM; Meredith, RF; Epstein, JB; Le, QT; Brizel, DM; Bellm, LA; Wells, N; Cella, D. Mucositis-related morbidity and resource utilization in head and neck cancer patients receiving radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. 2009;38:522-532. (2009) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Murphy, BA; Rosenthal, DI; Pandya, KJ; Glück, S; Brizel, HE; Meredith, RF; Berger, D; Chen, MG; Mendenhall, W. Phase II study of palifermin and concurrent chemoradiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2008;26:2489-2496. (2008) Abstract

Brizel, DM. Pharmacologic approaches to radiation protection. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2007;25:4084-4089. (2007) Abstract

Dewhirst, MW; Navia, IC; Brizel, DM; Willett, C; Secomb, TW. Multiple etiologies of tumor hypoxia require multifaceted solutions. Clinical Cancer Research. 2007;13:375-377. (2007) Abstract

Kasibhatla, M; Kirkpatrick, JP; Brizel, DM. How much radiation is the chemotherapy worth in advanced head and neck cancer?. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2007;68:1491-1495. (2007) Abstract

Vujaskovic, Z; Thrasher, BA; Jackson, IL; Brizel, MB; Brizel, DM. Radioprotective effects of amifostine on acute and chronic esophageal injury in rodents. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2007;69:534-540. (2007) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Esclamado, R. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced, nonmetastatic, squamous carcinoma of the head and neck: consensus, controversy, and conundrum. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006;24:2612-2617. (2006) Abstract

Prosnitz, RG; Yao, B; Farrell, CL; Clough, R; Brizel, DM. Pretreatment anemia is correlated with the reduced effectiveness of radiation and concurrent chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2005;61:1087-1095. (2005) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Prosnitz, RG; Hunter, S; Fisher, SR; Clough, RL; Downey, MA; Scher, RL. Necessity for adjuvant neck dissection in setting of concurrent chemoradiation for advanced head-and-neck cancer. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2004;58:1418-1423. (2004) Abstract

Chen, L; Brizel, DM; Rabbani, ZN; Samulski, TV; Farrell, CL; Larrier, N; Anscher, MS; Vujaskovic, Z. The protective effect of recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor on radiation-induced pulmonary toxicity in rats. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2004;60:1520-1529. (2004) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Overgaard, J. Does amifostine have a role in chemoradiation treatment?. Lancet Oncology. 2003;4:378-381. (2003) Abstract

Vujaskovic, Z; Feng, QF; Rabbani, ZN; Samulski, TV; Anscher, MS; Brizel, DM. Assessment of the protective effect of amifostine on radiation-induced pulmonary toxicity. Experimental Lung Research. 2002;28:577-590. (2002) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Schroeder, T; Scher, RL; Walenta, S; Clough, RW; Dewhirst, MW; Mueller-Klieser, W. Elevated tumor lactate concentrations predict for an increased risk of metastases in head-and-neck cancer. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2001;51:349-353. (2001) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Wasserman, TH; Henke, M; Strnad, V; Rudat, V; Monnier, A; Eschwege, F; Zhang, J; Russell, L; Oster, W; Sauer, R. Phase III randomized trial of amifostine as a radioprotector in head and neck cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2000;18:3339-3345. (2000) Abstract

Wasserman, T; Mackowiak, JI; Brizel, DM; Oster, W; Zhang, J; Peeples, PJ; Sauer, R. Effect of amifostine on patient assessed clinical benefit in irradiated head and neck cancer. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 2000;48:1035-1039. (2000) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Dodge, RK; Clough, RW; Dewhirst, MW. Oxygenation of head and neck cancer: changes during radiotherapy and impact on treatment outcome. Radiotherapy and Oncology. 1999;53:113-117. (1999) Abstract

Carter, DL; Hebert, ME; Smink, K; Leopold, KA; Clough, RL; Brizel, DM. Double blind randomized trial of sucralfate vs placebo during radical radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Head and Neck: journal for the sciences and specialities of the head and neck. 1999;21:760-766. (1999) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Albers, ME; Fisher, SR; Scher, RL; Richtsmeier, WJ; Hars, V; George, SL; Huang, AT; Prosnitz, LR. Hyperfractionated irradiation with or without concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. New England Journal of Medicine. 1998;338:1798-1804. (1998) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Hage, WD; Dodge, RK; Munley, MT; Piantadosi, CA; Dewhirst, MW. Hyperbaric oxygen improves tumor radiation response significantly more than carbogen/nicotinamide. Radiation Research. 1997;147:715-720. (1997) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Sibley, GS; Prosnitz, LR; Scher, RL; Dewhirst, MW. Tumor hypoxia adversely affects the prognosis of carcinoma of the head and neck. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1997;38:285-289. (1997) Abstract

Prosnitz, LR; Brizel, DM; Light, KL. Radiation techniques for the treatment of Hodgkin's disease with combined modality therapy or radiation alone. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1997;39:885-895. (1997) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Scully, SP; Harrelson, JM; Layfield, LJ; Bean, JM; Prosnitz, LR; Dewhirst, MW. Tumor oxygenation predicts for the likelihood of distant metastases in human soft tissue sarcoma. Cancer Research. 1996;56:941-943. (1996) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Scully, SP; Harrelson, JM; Layfield, LJ; Dodge, RK; Charles, HC; Samulski, TV; Prosnitz, LR; Dewhirst, MW. Radiation therapy and hyperthermia improve the oxygenation of human soft tissue sarcomas. Cancer Research. 1996;56:5347-5350. (1996) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Lin, S; Johnson, JL; Brooks, J; Dewhirst, MW; Piantadosi, CA. The mechanisms by which hyperbaric oxygen and carbogen improve tumour oxygenation. British Journal of Cancer. 1995;72:1120-1124. (1995) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Rosner, GL; Prosnitz, LR; Dewhirst, MW. Patterns and variability of tumor oxygenation in human soft tissue sarcomas, cervical carcinomas, and lymph node metastases. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1995;32:1121-1125. (1995) Abstract

Berlangieri, SU; Brizel, DM; Scher, RL; Schifter, T; Hawk, TC; Hamblen, S; Coleman, RE; Hoffman, JM. Pilot study of positron emission tomography in patients with advanced head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Head and Neck: journal for the sciences and specialities of the head and neck. 1994;16:340-346. (1994) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Leopold, KA; Fisher, SR; Panella, TJ; Fine, RL; Bedrosian, CL; Kenan, PD; Huang, A; Womack, T; Bjurstrom, T. A phase I/II trial of twice daily irradiation and concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1994;28:213-220. (1994) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Rosner, GL; Harrelson, J; Prosnitz, LR; Dewhirst, MW. Pretreatment oxygenation profiles of human soft tissue sarcomas. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1994;30:635-642. (1994) Abstract

Brizel, DM; Klitzman, B; Cook, JM; Edwards, J; Rosner, G; Dewhirst, MW. A comparison of tumor and normal tissue microvascular hematocrits and red cell fluxes in a rat window chamber model. International Journal of Radiation: Oncology - Biology - Physics. 1993;25:269-276. (1993) Abstract