Hans Hammers, M.D., Ph.D.

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Eugene P. Frenkel, M.D. Scholar in Clinical Medicine

Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
Kidney Cancer

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Biography

Hans Hammers, M.D., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He is the first Eugene P. Frenkel, M.D. Scholar in Clinical Medicine.

Dr. Hammers received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the Medical University of Luebeck in Germany. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and performed his fellowship in medical oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.

Also at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Hammers led the kidney cancer research efforts and played a major role in the development of immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors in kidney cancer. His work in immunotherapy has been nationally recognized, and he has been the principal investigator on several industry- and investigator-sponsored trials.

Dr. Hammers joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2016. He is co-leader of clinical research and immunotherapy for the kidney cancer research program and will be continuing his research efforts to develop novel immunotherapies for kidney cancer.

Meet Dr. Hammers

Kidney Cancer Specialist in Dallas

Hans Hammers, M.D., Ph.D., is a nationally and internationally recognized medical oncologist who focuses primarily on treating kidney cancer. Dr. Hammers’s expertise results in direct benefits for his patients, who receive access to the most advanced and promising treatment options.

Dr. Hammers trained as a fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2009; he led the medical oncology efforts in kidney cancer there through mid-2016.

During his time at Johns Hopkins, the kidney cancer program grew significantly in size and made important contributions to practice-changing research – in particular in immunotherapy.

Dr. Hammers appreciates the opportunity to focus on one disease.

“Many oncologists in the community may see only one or two kidney cancer patients a year. I am focused on this disease,” he says.

In his clinic, Dr. Hammers puts patients and their families first, offering cutting-edge treatments in a compassionate and caring environment.

“I treat every patient as I would want care for myself or my family,” he says.

He approaches patient care with the highest standards, guided by the individual’s wishes and goals.

“I’m straightforward with my patients but also empathetic and approachable,” he says. “I work with an outstanding team of multidisciplinary specialists, and we put together treatment plans that are best suited for each individual.”

Immunotherapy Expert

Dr. Hammers is an international thought leader in immunotherapy, a form of treatment that boosts the body’s own immune defenses to help fight cancer – and one that is changing the kidney cancer landscape.

His goal is to continue to develop and improve innovative immunotherapies for kidney cancer and provide access to them for UT Southwestern patients.

“Immunotherapy holds curative potential. It’s a real game changer in oncology, and UT Southwestern is helping to lead the way in the development of new treatments for kidney cancer patients,” Dr. Hammers says.

Education & Training

Residency - The Johns Hopkins Hospital (2002-2005), Internal Medicine
Fellowship - Johns Hopkins University (2005-2009), Medical Oncology
Medical School - Medizinische Hochschule Luebeck, Germany (1992-1999)

Honors & Awards

Eugene P. Frenkel Scholar Award 2016, UT Southwestern

Books & Publications

Publications
- Screening assay for blood vessel maturation inhibitors.
  Fu C, van der Zwan A, Gerber S, Van Den Berg S, No E, Wang WC, Sheibani N, Carducci MA, Kachhap S, Hammers HJ Biochemical and biophysical research communications 2013 Aug 438 2 364-9
- Antagonists of PD-1 and PD-L1 in Cancer Treatment.
  Lipson EJ, Forde PM, Hammers HJ, Emens LA, Taube JM, Topalian SL Seminars in oncology 2015 Aug 42 4 587-600
- Survival, Durable Response, and Long-Term Safety in Patients With Previously Treated Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Nivolumab.
  McDermott DF, Drake CG, Sznol M, Choueiri TK, Powderly JD, Smith DC, Brahmer JR, Carvajal RD, Hammers HJ, Puzanov I, Hodi FS, Kluger HM, Topalian SL, Pardoll DM, Wigginton JM, Kollia GD, Gupta A, McDonald D, Sankar V, Sosman JA, Atkins MB Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2015 Jun 33 18 2013-20
- Nivolumab for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Results of a Randomized Phase II Trial.
  Motzer RJ, Rini BI, McDermott DF, Redman BG, Kuzel TM, Harrison MR, Vaishampayan UN, Drabkin HA, George S, Logan TF, Margolin KA, Plimack ER, Lambert AM, Waxman IM, Hammers HJ Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2015 May 33 13 1430-7
- Nivolumab versus Everolimus in Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma.
  Motzer RJ, Escudier B, McDermott DF, George S, Hammers HJ, Srinivas S, Tykodi SS, Sosman JA, Procopio G, Plimack ER, Castellano D, Choueiri TK, Gurney H, Donskov F, Bono P, Wagstaff J, Gauler TC, Ueda T, Tomita Y, Schutz FA, Kollmannsberger C, Larkin J, Ravaud A, Simon JS, Xu LA, Waxman IM, Sharma P The New England journal of medicine 2015 Nov 373 19 1803-13
- Cabozantinib versus Everolimus in Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma.
  Choueiri TK, Escudier B, Powles T, Mainwaring PN, Rini BI, Donskov F, Hammers H, Hutson TE, Lee JL, Peltola K, Roth BJ, Bjarnason GA, Géczi L, Keam B, Maroto P, Heng DY, Schmidinger M, Kantoff PW, Borgman-Hagey A, Hessel C, Scheffold C, Schwab GM, Tannir NM, Motzer RJ The New England journal of medicine 2015 Nov 373 19 1814-23
- Safety and clinical activity of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)- tyrosine kinase inhibitors after programmed cell death 1 inhibitor treatment in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
  Nadal R, Amin A, Geynisman DM, Voss MH, Weinstock M, Doyle J, Zhang Z, Viudez A, Plimack ER, McDermott DF, Motzer R, Rini B, Hammers HJ Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology / ESMO 2016 Apr
- Immunotherapy in kidney cancer: the past, present, and future.
  Hammers H Current opinion in urology 2016 Aug
- Cabozantinib versus everolimus in advanced renal cell carcinoma (METEOR): final results from a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.
  Choueiri TK, Escudier B, Powles T, Tannir NM, Mainwaring PN, Rini BI, Hammers HJ, Donskov F, Roth BJ, Peltola K, Lee JL, Heng DY, Schmidinger M, Agarwal N, Sternberg CN, McDermott DF, Aftab DT, Hessel C, Scheffold C, Schwab G, Hutson TE, Pal S, Motzer RJ The Lancet. Oncology 2016 Jun
- Safety and Efficacy of Nivolumab in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated Beyond Progression: A Subgroup Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.
  George S, Motzer RJ, Hammers HJ, Redman BG, Kuzel TM, Tykodi SS, Plimack ER, Jiang J, Waxman IM, Rini BI JAMA oncology 2016 May