Roger E. McLendon, MD

Chief, Neuropathology and Surgical Pathology
Director, Anatomic Pathology Services
Director, Brain Tumor Center Tissue Bank

Department / Division:
Pathology

Address:
DUMC 3712
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone:
919-684-2533

Office Telephone:
919-684-6940

Fax Telephone:
919-681-7634

• MD, Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine, 1982

• Anatomic Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, 1983-1985
• Neuropathology, Duke University Medical Center, 1985-1987

Clinical Interests:
Surgical and autopsy pathology of the brain, spinal cord, and their coverings, muscle, and nerve. Call 919-684-3648 for nerve-submission protocols.

Research Interests:
Brain tumors are diagnosed in more than 20,000 Americans annually.  The most malignant neoplasm, glioblastoma, is also the most common.  Similarly, brain tumors constitute the second most common neoplasm in children of which the medulloblastoma is the most common.  My research is dedicated to bringing molecular advances involved in the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of brain tumors to clinical application.  My primary interest is in finding markers of prognostic significance in medulloblastoma and adult gliomas.   Amplification of oncogenes, particularly EGFR, and losses of tumor suppressors such as PTEN have been studied in adult astrocytic gliomas to identify unusually aggressive tumors.  We have used Fluorescent in situ hybridization techniques to develop objective profiles of EGFR and PTEN genetic derangements that can be used for prognostic purposes. In collaboration with Dr. Henry Friedman, we have developed assays for MGMT that allow the identification of high grade gliomas that may respond to alkylating chemotherapy.  In collaboration with Drs. Darell Bigner and Jeremy Rich we have developed assays to characterize the activation status of the EGFR second messenger system in order to identify those patients who may benefit from EGFR therapeutic inhibitors.  We are currently working with Dr. Jeremy Rich to identify the therapeutic and prognostic significance of cells found in many gliomas that exhibit features of stem cells.

Representative Publications:
McLendon RE, Turner K, Perkinson K, Rich J. Second messenger systems in human gliomas. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2007 Oct;131(10):1585-90. (2007) Abstract

Grunkemeier MN, Turner K, McLendon RE. Recurrent glioblastoma diagnosed by fluorescence in situ hybridization for EGFR. Acta Neuropathol. 2007 Feb;113(2):217-9. (2007) Abstract

Maxwell JA, Johnson SP, Quinn JA, McLendon RE, Ali-Osman F, Friedman AH, Herndon JE 2nd, Bierau K, Bigley J, Bigner DD, Friedman HS. Quantitative analysis of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase in malignant glioma. Mol Cancer Ther. 2006 Oct;5(10):2531-9. (2006) Abstract

Bao S, Wu Q, Sathornsumetee S, Hao Y, Li Z, Hjelmeland AB, Shi Q, McLendon RE, Bigner DD, Rich JN. Stem cell-like glioma cells promote tumor angiogenesis through vascular endothelial growth factor. Cancer Res. 2006 Aug 15;66(16):7843-8. (2006) Abstract

Bao S, Wu Q, McLendon RE, Hao Y, Shi Q, Hjelmeland AB, Dewhirst MW, Bigner DD, Rich JN. Glioma stem cells promote radioresistance by preferential activation of the DNA damage response. Nature. 2006 Dec 7;444(7120):756-60. (2006) Abstract

McLendon, R.E., Bigner, D.D., Bigner, S.H., and Provenzale, J.M.: Pathology of Tumors of the Central Nervous System: A Guide to Histologic Diagnosis. Arnold, London, 2000. (2000)

McLendon, R.E., Friedman, H.S., Fuchs, H.E., Kun, L.E., and Bigner, S.H.: Diagnostic markers in pediatric medulloblastomas: a Paediatric Oncology Group Study. Histopathology 34: 154-162, 1999. (1999)

McLendon, R.E., Cleveland, L., Pegram, C., Bigner, S.H., Bigner, D.D., and Friedman, H.S.: Immunohistochemical detection of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in formalin fixed paraffin embedded astrocytomas. Lab. Invest. 78: 643-644, 1998. (1998)

Bigner, D.D., McLendon, R., and Bruner, J., eds.: Russell and Rubinstein's Pathology of Tumors of the Nervous System. Sixth edition. Arnold, London, 1998. (1998)

McLendon, R.E., Bentley, R.C., Parisi, J.E., Tien, R.D., Harrison, J.C., Tarbell, N.J., Billitt, A.L., Gualtieri, R.J., and Friedman, H.S.: Malignant supratentorial glial-neuronal neoplasms: Report of two cases and review of the literature. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 121: 485-492, 1997. (1997)

McLendon, R.E., Robinson, J.S., Jr., Chambers, D.B., Grufferman, S., and Burger, P.C.: The glioblastoma multiforme in Georgia: 1977-1981. Cancer 56:894 897, 1985. (1985)