Kenneth B. Roberts, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Therapeutic Radiology
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kenneth.roberts@yale.edu Phone: 203.785.2957 Appt Phone: Fax: 203.785.4622 Yale University School of Medicine Department of Therapeutic Radiology Hunter Radiation Therapy Center P.O. Box 208040 New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8040 |
Degrees/Education :
B.S. (Chemistry), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1979)
B.S. (Life Sciences), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1979)
M.D., Duke University School of Medicine (1984)
Masters of Legal Studies, Duke University School of Law (1984)
Faculty Appointments :
Assistant Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology (1992-99)
Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Therapeutic Radiology (1999-present)
Medical Director, Shoreline Medical Center - Radiation Oncology, Yale University School of
Medicine/Yale-New Haven Hospital (2003-present)
Certifications/Honors/National Committees:
American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology — Travel Award to the 1998 European Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland; visiting fellow at Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, September 14-18, 1998.
American Cancer Society – Clinical Research Training Grant, 1997-2000
Yale-New Haven Medical Center – New Clinical Program Developmental Fund, Director of Endovascular Brachytherapy Program, 2001-2004
Visiting Professor at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, Australia, 2/2002-6/2002.
New York Magazine Best Doctors, 2006, 2007
America's Top Doctors for Cancer (Castle and Connolly-2nd edition), 2006, 2007
Scientific Program Committee, American Radium Society, 2007
Children's Oncology Group member, (Hodgkin's disease committee)
Connecticut Radiation Response Planning Group
ASTRO-Government Relations Committee, 2007
Clinical Interests :
General radiation therapy; pediatric radiation therapy; hematologic malignancy; lymphoma; Hodgkin’s disease; total body irradiation; endovascular brachytherapy; onocologic brachytherapy; gynecologic cancer; cervix cancer; gastrointestinal cancer; colo-rectal cancer
Research Interests :
As a practicing, productive academic physician, my current clinical interests have emphasized the role of radiotherapy in pediatric malignancies, lymphomas, sarcomas, and benign inflammatory conditions. Correspondingly, my clinical research interests have been translational and practical, emphasizing combined modality therapy in cancer management, late effects of therapy including secondary malignancies, and the utilization of brachytherapy (implanted radiation sources) in both malignant and benign disease. During my first ten years on the Yale faculty, I participated in clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of bioreductive alkylating agents as an adjunct to radiotherapy in cervix cancer. This built on similar clinical trials experience at Yale in Head and Neck cancer, which in turn was an extension of basic research from the laboratories of Drs. Sartorelli and Rockwell. A Phase I pilot study of porfiromycin has demonstrated this agent’s safety in conjunction with radiotherapy. A Phase III study comparing radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy plus Mitomycin C for cervix cancer has been completed in Venezuela with preliminary results showing a significant improvement in disease-free survival with the addition of Mitomycin C, which is a hypoxic cell cytotoxin. A final analysis of this trial is underway. For several years, I have been collaborating with Interventional Cardiology and Medical Physics in a clinical program utilizing coronary brachytherapy to manage in-stent restenosis. Some current or upcoming clinical research projects include: 1) modifying radiation dose and volume in advanced stage Hodgkin’s disease based on response to initial chemotherapy (a cooperative group trial); 2) retrospective review of radiation dose required to cure early stage diffuse large B cell lymphomas after initial chemotherapy; 3) genotoxicity of scattered dose radiotherapy from Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy; and 4) an examination of the economic forces that drive the use and demand for radiotherapeutic modalities. Regarding this latter concept, in the management of localized prostate cancer, brachytherapy is in a decline while Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy is in ascendancy for complex reasons. Coronary brachytherapy has experienced a several year surge in usage and interest amongst cardiologists, but now is less frequently needed due to the efficacy of drug eluting stents, a complementary albeit expensive technology. Palliative radiotherapy in terminally ill cancer patients has become less frequently used, due in part to the capitated reimbursement for hospice care and the relatively high expense and inconvenience of radiotherapy versus medical therapy. A collaboration is being initiated with the Hospice Program to re-examine the use of palliative radiotherapy by making it economically and logistically more attractive. In doing so we plan to prospectively evaluate quality of life and symptom (particularly pain) control as well as a financial analysis (e.g. reduction in pharmacy costs) related to radiotherapy in this group of patients approaching end-of-life.
Selected PubMed article listing
Training:
Residency: Ohio State University Hospitals, Internal Medicine (1984-87)
Duke University Medical Center, Radiation Oncology (1989-92)
Fellowship: Duke University Medical Center, Hematology-Oncology (1987-89)
Board Certification: Internal Medicine, Board Certified (1989)
Medical Oncology, Board Certified ((1989)
Radiation Oncology, Board Certified (1995)
