Name: Thomas A. Buchholz, M.D., F.A.C.R.
Title: Professor and Division Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
What are your duties as the premier radiologist at MD Anderson?
Currently, I am the premier radiologist at MD Anderson with my main focus centering on the clinical and translational research in breast cancer and radiation oncology. My other interests include studying molecular determinants of treatment resistance and investigating novel combinations of targeted therapy with radiation to improve the therapeutic outcome. I also serve as a mentor for the junior faculty and trainees in both clinical and translational research.
What is Moonshine?
I am so excited to launch Moonshine, which is our program to put an end to triple negative breast cancer and take breast cancer research to the “moon.” I am proud to be a breast cancer physician and I am inspired by my patient’s everyday. My patients teach me the urgency of research and the need to eradicate this disease.
Why should African American women get tested for the triple negative tumor?
The triple negative breast cancer tumor is the worst sub type and represents 20 percent of all breast cancer, but for young African Americans, it represents 40 percent. My goal is to make a difference by finding the positive in the triple negative.
What developing projects are you working on that will benefit the cancer society?
We are coming up with new treatments and exciting new research by partnering with the Sisters Network, which is an African American cancer organization, and cancer survivor Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to end triple negative breast cancer.
