Eric Chang, MD, FASTRO

Attending Physician; Hematology, Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology, Keck School of Medicine of USC

Eric L. Chang, MD, FASTRO uses advanced radiation therapy techniques to treat a variety of benign and malignant brain tumors, and spine tumors. He is considered a world authority in the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of benign conditions and malignant tumors of the central nervous system, and is highly experienced in handling both routine cases and the most complex cases requiring radiotherapeutic evaluation in a multi-disciplinary setting of experts comprising neuro-radiation oncologists, neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists, and neuro-radiologists.

Prior to joining the Keck School of Medicine of USC as Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Chang was on the faculty as an attending radiation oncologist at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for over 12 years, rising to an academic rank of Professor. Having established the first Gamma Knife radiosurgery program at M. D. Anderson which treats over 450 patients a year, he served as the Director of the CNS Stereotactic Radiation Program comprising the Gamma Knife program, and the Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) program for spine which treats over 100 spine patients a year. He is board certified by the American Board of Radiology in radiation oncology and specializes in the radiotherapeutic evaluation and management of patients with tumors of the central nervous system. He attended Harvard Medical School where he received his Doctorate in Medicine.

Dr. Chang's post-graduate training was conducted at the Harvard Joint Center for Radiation Therapy, in Boston, Massachusetts. He has held research leadership roles including having served as member, and Chair of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Clinical Research Committee (CRC) Chair. He is the 2011 CNS track leader for the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Scientific Program Committee, and member of the ASCO Cancer Education Committee. Dr. Chang is currently the co-leader for the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) brain metastasis guidelines development task force and member of the Annual Program Committee of the Educational Council of ASTRO. He is a current member of the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria Expert Panel on bone metastases. He has been listed in the Best Doctors Directory. Dr. Chang led a phase III randomized controlled trial on brain metastasis published in the Lancet Oncology 2009 which is starting to change the practice patterns for metastatic brain disease. Dr. Chang has been selected as a plenary speaker for past meetings of ASTRO and the American Association for Neurological Surgeons (AANS). He has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers and abstracts.

Clinical Interests

Central Nervous System

Education

Medical School

Harvard Medical School

Internship

California Pacific Medical Center - Radiation Oncology

Residency

Harvard Joint Center for Radiation Oncology - Radiation Oncology

Accomplishments

Certifications

Radiation Oncology - American Board of Radiology

Professional Memberships

American Society for Radiation Oncology
Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Children's Oncology Group (COG)
Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA)
American Radium Society
Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO)
International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society (ISRS)
North American Skull Base Society (NASBS)
Pediatric Radiation Oncology Society (PROS)
American College of Radiology (ACR)
Harris County Medical Society Member
Texas Medical Association Member

Awards

Castle Connolly Top Doctor
Listed in Best Doctors in America
James D. Cox Mentorship Award
Highest rating for teaching in all categories by Residents
Named in Strathmore's Who's Who
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), Travel Grant to attend ESTRO and visit Institute Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif, France
The American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO), Howard H. Wong Fellowship in Radiation Oncology
American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Award, Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop, Vail, Colorado
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship Winner
Sigma Xi Research Society

Publications

Chang EL, Allen P, Wu C, Ater J, Kuttesch J, Maor MH. Acute toxicity and treatment interruption related to electron and photon craniospinal irradiation in pediatric patients treated at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2002 Mar; 52(4):1008-1016. PMID: 11958896

Kudchadker RJ, Chang EL, Bryan F, Maor MH, Famiglietti R. An evaluation of radiation exposure from portal films taken during definitive course of pediatric radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2004 Jul; 59(4):1229-35.  Erratum in: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2004 Sep; 60(1):350. PMID: 15234060

Lee CT, Bilton SD, Famiglietti RM, Riley BA, Mahajan A, Chang EL, Maor MH, Woo SY, Cox JD, Smith AR. Treatment planning with protons for pediatric retinoblastoma, medulloblastoma, and pelvic sarcoma: how do protons compare with other conformal techniques? Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2005 Oct 1;63(2):362-72. PMID: 16168831

Nguyen QN, Chang EL, Allen PK, Maor MH, Ater JL, Mahajan A, Wolff JE, Weinberg JS, Woo SY. Focal and craniospinal irradiation for patients with intracranial germinoma and patterns of failure. Cancer. 2006 Nov 1;107(9):2228-36. PMID: 17019739

Olch AJ, Geurts M, Thomadsen B, Famiglietti R, Chang EL. Portal imaging practice patterns of children's oncology group institutions: Dosimetric assessment and recommendations for minimizing unnecessary exposure. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys.  2007 Feb; 67(2):594-600. PMID: 1726976

Research

  • Pediatric brain tumor
  • Pediatric cancer
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Stereotactic body radiotherapy