Robert T Dess, MD

Robert-Dess.jpg
Clinical Physician Lead
Clinical Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Medical School
University of Michigan
Radiation Oncology
1500 E. Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5010
[email protected]
Available to mentor
Robert T Dess, MD
Robert-Dess.jpg
Clinical Associate Professor
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  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications
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  • About

    Dr. Dess is a clinical and translational researcher focused on genitourinary malignancy. He has worked with a global network of collaborators to create novel prognostic models to characterize prostate cancer disease aggressiveness, to identify novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers, to analyze racial outcomes differences and settings in which disparities are minimized, and to advance more convenient forms of treatment including stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and high-dose rate brachytherapy (HDR). He is interested in maximizing efficacy, minimizing burden, and understanding the long-term toxicity risks of treatment. His work has been published high profile in peer-reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and JAMA Oncology.

    Links

    • Radiation Oncology Homepage
    • Bio
    • Weiser Center for Prostate Care
    • Brighton Center for Specialty Care - Radiation Oncology

    Research Overview

    His research focuses on prognostic and predictive biomarker development, racial disparities, high-quality care, patient reported outcomes, and long-term toxicities of radiation therapy. Dr. Dess has been recognized for his research accomplishments through his publications in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, JAMA Oncology and the New England Journal of Medicine. He was the recipient of Radiological Society of North America Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award for his early career achievements

    Recent Publications

    See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      Metastasis-directed Therapy in Oligometastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: From Chasing the Last Metastasis to Changing the Game?
      Zilli T, Zaorsky NG, Maitre P, Desai N, Seibert TM, Sun Y, Dess RT, Tree A, Koontz BF. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, 2026 May 1; 125 (1): 11 - 14. DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2025.10.019
      PMID: 42000353
    • Journal Article
      Understanding randomized controlled trial generalizability through an embedded molecular diagnostics trial.
      Lewicki P, Srivastava A, Jiang R, Johnson A, Ghani K, Ginsburg K, Borza T, Stensland K, Salami SS, Davicioni E, Dunn RL, Daignault-Newton S, Palapattu GS, Spratt DE, Cher M, Schipper M, Dess RT, Morgan TM, Singhal U. JNCI Cancer Spectr, 2026 Apr 24; DOI:10.1093/jncics/pkag040
      PMID: 42026952
    • Journal Article
      PURE-MRI: An international study assessing physician accuracy in delineating the prostate and urethra on prostate MRI
      Nguyen L, Song Y, Dornisch A, Baxter M, Barrett T, Dale AM, Harisinghani M, Kamran SC, Liss MA, Dess RT, Margolis DJA, Weinberg EP, Seibert TM. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2026 Mar 1; 216: DOI:10.1016/j.radonc.2025.111333
      PMID: 41412436
    • Journal Article
      Population-level trends in radiation treatment of low-risk prostate cancer.
      Odayar V, Monda S, Yin H, Tucker Gonzalez R, Casas SJ, Hopfensperger K, Kendrick D, Mietzel MA, Mislmani M, Zaki MA, McLaughlin PW, Morgan TM, Jackson WC, Schipper MJ, Heimburger DK, Bryant AK, Pierce LJ, Borza T, Dess RT. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026 Mar 4; 44 (7_suppl): 336 - 336. DOI:10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.336
    • Presentation
      "Drugs on the Horizon"
      Dess R, Lang J, Beltran H, Sartor O, McKay R. 2026 Feb 6;
    • Presentation
      "Physicist / Physician Partnerships"
      Dess R. 2026 Feb 16;
    • Journal Article
      Incidence and oncologic outcomes of patients with prostate-specific antigen persistence after radical prostatectomy
      Lane BR, Lewicki P, Noyes SL, Labardee C, Meah S, Daignault-Newton S, Hafron J, Morgan TM, Radhakrishnan A, Dess RT, Montie J, Ghani KR, Ginsburg KB, Borza T. Cancer, 2026 Feb 15; 132 (4): DOI:10.1002/cncr.70291
      PMID: 41645394
    • Journal Article
      How breast cancer research is helping prostate cancer patients
      Dess RT, Spratt DE, Chien J, Aggarwal R. National Geographic, 2026 Jan 23; 1 - 17.

    Featured News & Stories

    Department News

    Weiser Center for Prostate Cancer Celebration

    The Weiser Center for Prostate Cancer celebrated its programs, patient advocates, and all the prostate care team members across multiple departments and care team roles.