Available to mentor
My clinical interests include the complex set of head and neck cancers comprised of HPV mediated
oropharyngeal tumors, HPV negative tumors of the oropharynx, oral cavity, hypopharynx, and larynx as
well as salivary gland tumors, sinonasal tumors and advanced cutaneous malignancies. I also specialize
in robotic surgery for oropharyngeal tumors and in reconstructive surgery to restore form and function for
patients undergoing cancer treatment.
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Resident PhysicianUniversity of Michigan Medical School, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2022
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T32 Research FellowshipUniversity of Michigan–Ann Arbor, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2020
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FellowshipWashington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Head and Neck Surgery- Microvascular Reconstruction
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MDUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, 2016
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BSStanford University, Stanford, 2011
My research interests focus on translational questions in head and neck oncology. Specific areas of focus
include understanding the how hypoxia drives radiation and chemoradiation failure in HPV-mediated
oropharyngeal tumors and predictors of failure in larynx cancer in patients undergoing organ preserving
therapy. Utilizing novel techniques including liquid biopsies and single cell sequencing, our group is
striving to better understand the tumor microenvironment, tumor mutational signatures, and immune
landscape that predict treatment failure. From a clinical perspective my research focuses on outcomes of
HPV-mediated treatments in the setting of ongoing de-escalation trials to improve predictions of functional
outcomes such as speech and swallowing after treatment.
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Smith JD, Sridharan SS, Contrera KJ, Richmon JD, Feng AL, Chinn SB, Heft-Neal ME, Spector ME. Oral Oncol, 2024 Mar 22; 152: 106757Journal ArticleUse of the spider limb positioner for fibular free flap reconstruction of head and neck bony defects.
DOI:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106757 PMID: 38520757 -
Swiecicki PL, Bellile E, Dragovic AF, McHugh J, Udager A, Mierzwa ML, Shah J, Heft Neal M, Rosko A, Malloy KM, Casper K, Chinn SB, Shuman AG, Stucken C, Chepeha DB, Wolf GT, Bradford CR, Eisbruch A, Prince MEP, Worden FP, Spector ME. Clin Cancer Res, 2024 Mar 22;Journal ArticleUpfront neck dissection for treatment selection and improvement in quality of life as a novel treatment paradigm for deintensification in HPV+ OPSCC.
DOI:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-23-3247 PMID: 38517480