Outsmarting breast cancer with novel pre-operative therapy and personalized radiation
May 5, 2023
Prasanna Alluri, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in the treatment of breast cancer.
He earned his medical degree at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and received a Ph.D. in chemical biology from UT Southwestern Medical Center. He then completed a research fellowship in translational oncology and a residency in radiation oncology at the University of Michigan Medical School, where he was also a chief resident.
Dr. Alluri has received many recognitions for both his research contributions and clinical care, including Conquer Cancer Foundation/Breast Cancer Research Foundation Young Investigator Award, Department of Defense's Breast Cancer Research Program Breakthrough Award, DocStar Award, and METAvivor Translational Breast Cancer Research Award. He has also been named a Top Doctor in Radiation Oncology by Castle Connolly.
He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Association for Cancer Research.
His work has been published in major journals, including Cell Research, Breast Cancer Research, and Journal of the American Chemical Society.
As a physician and scientist, Prasanna Alluri, M.D., Ph.D., brings a unique combination of skills to his patients and colleagues.
His clinical focus is on breast cancer where he sees the entire spectrum of breast cancer patients – from newly diagnosed early stage breast cancer patients seeking curative treatments to metastatic breast cancer patients looking for innovative clinical trials.
Dr. Alluri also directs a research laboratory that's focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of
treatment resistance in breast cancer.
“Through my research I focus on patients with the most aggressive forms of breast cancer who have progressed on several lines of treatments,” Dr. Alluri says. “Our goal is to develop new targeted therapies based on a more intricate understanding on what’s driving these cancers.”
Targeted therapies, unlike chemotherapy, are less toxic and more effective. Dr. Alluri’s team is also studying if combining targeted therapies with radiation improves the efficacy of the treatment.
While traditional radiation treatments for breast cancer last six to seven weeks, there are ongoing efforts to shorten the length of treatment.
“With the newer technologies we have, we're investigating how we can significantly shorten treatment duration, while not causing any extra side effects or reducing the treatment’s efficacy,” Dr. Alluri says. “We have many ongoing trials to address this question, and we're one of the leaders in defining new treatment paradigms for breast cancer.”
UT Southwestern's multidisciplinary efforts to treat breast cancer and the breadth of its research expertise are just a few of the reasons why UT Southwestern is an exceptional and unique place to work, according to Dr. Alluri.
“We have to keep pushing the boundaries to improve patient care,” Dr. Alluri says. “The opportunities to work with colleagues who are leaders in clinical care and basic/translational research are truly unmatched. I can’t think of a better place to work.”
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