Stephanie E. Weiss, MD, FASTRO

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Clinical Locations

Fox Chase Cancer Center
333 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111
Phone: 888-369-2427

Chief, Division of Neurologic Oncology

Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology

Director, Radiation Oncology Residency and Fellowship Training Program

NCCN, Central Nervous System Cancers Panel Member

Specialties

Radiation Oncology ;
Neurologic Radiation Oncology

Areas of Expertise

Brain & Spinal Tumors, Metastatic, Brain & Spinal Tumors, Breast Cancer

Treatment Focus

Adult malignant and benign tumors of the central nervous system

Distinctions

Treatment Philosophy

It has been my long-term ambition to treat patients suffering from cancer. Even before medical school, I had been a member of a cancer research team at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City where I had the opportunity to contribute to several scientific publications on the subject of breast cancer. As a medical student at St. George’s University School of Medicine I pursued this interest by taking a number of electives in the field. I chose to specialize in radiation oncology because it affords me the opportunity to interact directly with patients on a daily basis and to participate in clinical research programs designed to explore new treatment modalities.

After my internship at Upstate Medical University in NY, I trained in radiation oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and obtained broad experience in all subspecialty areas of radiation oncology. In my final year I was appointed as Chief Resident.

Following completion of my residency I received an appointment as attending physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute and was on faculty at Harvard Medical School. I specialized in the treatment of brain tumors and in 2007 was appointed Chief of Adult Tumors of the Central Nervous System Tumors and Radiosurgery.

I have extensive experience with several technologies used in treating cancer patients including stereotactic radiosurgery, hypo-fractionation, volumetric arc therapy and intensity modulated radiotherapy. My research activities are primarily involved in seeking to improve outcomes for patients, and has been presented at national and international meetings, won grants, and been selected for plenary sessions. (see publications).

In 2012 I joined the Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center as attending physician and Associate Professor. I will continue to be involved in the treatment of patients with cancer and also contribute to the development of the brain tumor service. My clinical research activities will, as in the past, focus on developing and assessing new treatment protocols that will provide better outcomes for patients.

As a member of several national and international professional organizations I regularly avail of the opportunity to share and exchange expertise with other specialists in the field. This allows me to continue giving my patients the best in current care.

My treatment philosophy is patient-centered. I believe that patients should be integrally involved in decision making at all stages of their treatment programs. It is my belief that a strong relationship with each patient is central to selecting the best treatment program for his or her clinical needs. Patient confidence is something that I prize highly and constantly strive to attain. Community outreach is also important to me and I regularly contribute to education programs and symposiums organized for the benefit of patients and their families to update them on specific topics pertaining to patient treatment and management.

Finally, it is a great pleasure to me to contribute to the future development of the field of Radiation Oncology through participation in the training programs at Fox Chase Cancer Center for younger colleagues, students, residents and fellows.

Educational Background

Fellow, American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), 2018 class
Chief Resident, Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, 2002-2004
Resident, Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, 2000-2002
MD, St. George’s University School of Medicine, University Centre, Grenada, West Indies, 1999

Certifications

American Board of Radiology - Radiation Oncology

Memberships

National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
- Central Nervous System Cancers Panel
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
European Association of Neuro-Oncology
European Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society
Radiological Society of North America
Society of Neuro-Oncology
Society of Translational Oncology

Honors & Awards

Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors, 2018-2020, 2023-2024
America's Top Doctors^®, 2017
STAR Award for Outstanding Physician, Upstate Medical University, 2000

Link to /sites/default/files/styles/patient_story/public/images/patient-stories/Never%20Smokers_Tiffany%20Fagnani.jpg?h=1c77f84e&itok=-H78PxAC

Tiffany Fagnani

Lung Cancer

I am 40 years old and currently live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Although I work as a case manager for an insurance company now, I was previously employed as a full-time nurse. I have always been a busy person with plenty on my plate, so when I started feeling tired and losing weight, I thought it was caused by the stress of my daily routine.

It wasn’t until July 2017 that I couldn’t ignore my symptoms any longer. When I developed a migraine and felt a tremor in my arm and eye, I knew I was about to lose consciousness. I immediately called 911.

VIEW PATIENT STORY

Dan Sullivan

Lung Cancer

Sometimes I think that my timing was just incredible. If I had been diagnosed with cancer a few years earlier, my prognosis would have looked much different than it does today—especially if I had not gone to Fox Chase!

VIEW PATIENT STORY

Katrice Graham

Breast Cancer

Before I was diagnosed with Stage II estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, I lived a pretty well-rounded life. I’m still getting used to my new normal.

VIEW PATIENT STORY

Selected Publications

Fareed MM, Eldib AA, Weiss SE, Hayes SB, Li J, Ma CC. A treatment planning comparison between a novel rotating gamma system and robotic linear accelerator based intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy. Physics in medicine and biology, 63(3):035029, 2018. PubMed

Lee, EQ, Kaley TJ, Duda DG, Schiff D, Lassman AB, Wong ET, Mikkelsen T, Purow BW, Muzikansky A, Ancukiewicz, Huse JT, Ramkissoon S, Drappatz J, Norden AD, Beroukhim R, Weiss SE, Alexander BM, McCluskey CS, Gerard M, Smith KH, Jain RK, Batchelor TT, Ligon KL, Wen PW. A multicenter, phase II, randomized, non-comparative clinical trial of radiation and Temozolomide with or without vandetanib in newly-diagnosed glioblastoma patients. Clinical Cancer Research Submitted.

Murphy C, Tianya, Wang, LS, Obeid EI, Bleicher RJ, Eastwick G, Johnson ME, Hayes SB, Weiss SE, Anderson PR. Comparison of adjuvant radiation therapy alone versus radiation therapy and endocrine therapy in elderly women with early stage, hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer Accepted.

Weiss SE. “In regard to Fokas et al.” International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics. 2014. 90(5): 1250.

Rajakesari S, Arvold ND, Jimenez RB, Christianson LW, Horvath M, Claus EB, Golby AJ, Johnson MJ, Dunn IF, Lee EQ, Lin NU, Friesen S, Mannarino EG, Wager M, Hacker FL, Weiss SE, Alexander BM. Local Control after fractionated stereotactic radiation therapy for brain metastasis. Journal of Neuro-Oncology 120(2): 339-46.

Dyer MA, Arvold ND, Chen YH, Pinnell NE, Mitin T, Lee EQ, Hodi FS, Ibrahim N, Weiss SE, Kelly PJ, Floyd SR, Mahadevan A, Alexander BM. The role of whole brain radiation therapy in the management of melanoma brain metastasis Radiation Oncology 9(1):42, 2014

Aizer AA, Arvold ND, Catalano P, Claus EB, Golby AJ, Johnson MD, Al-Mefty O, Wen PY, Reardon DA, Lee EQ, Nayak L, Rinne ML, Beroukhim R, Weiss SE, Ramkissoon SH, Abedalthagafi M, Santagata S, Dunn IF, Alexander BM. Neuro-oncology. 16(11):1547-53.

Heron DE, Beal K, Wagner H, Allen A, Weiss SE, Shoshan Y, Tomblyn MB, Davidson ILAN, Ben-Ami M. Apoptosis imaging with 18F-ML-10 for early detection of response of brain metastases to stereotatic radiosurgery. Radiotherapy and Oncology. 2012 103(3)

Dyer MA, Kelly PJ, Chen YH, Pinnell NE, Claus EB, Lee EQ, Weiss SE, Arvold ND, Lin NU, Alexander BM Importance of extracranial disease status and tumor subtype for patients undergoing radiosurgery for breast cancer brain metastases.. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012 Jul 15;83(4)

Kelly PJ, Lin NU, Claus EB, Quant EC, Weiss SE, Alexander BM. Salvage stereotactic radiosurgery for breast cancer brain metastases: outcomes and prognostic factors. Cancer. 2012 Apr 15;118(8):2014-20.

Kelly PJ, Lin YB, Yu AY, Alexander BM, Hacker F, Marcus KJ, Weiss SE. Stereotactic irradiation of the postoperative resection cavity for brain metastasis: a frameless linear accelerator-based case series and review of the technique. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2012 Jan 1;82(1):95-101.

Arvold ND, Hsu L, Chen WY, Benzaquen LR, Weiss SE. Marantic endocarditis with cardioembolic strokes mimicking leptomeningeal metastases in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2011 Oct 10;29(29):e743-6.

Kelly PJ Dinkins MJ, Drappatz J, O’Regan KN, Weiss SE. Unexpected late radiation neurotoxicity following Bevacizumab after radiation to the central nervous system. Journal of Neuro-Oncology102(3):485, 2011

Kelly PJ, Lin YB, Yu AY, Ropper AE, Nguyen PL, Marcus KJ, Hacker FL, Weiss SE. Linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery for brainstem metastases: the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center experience. Kelly PJ, Lin YB, Yu AY, Ropper AE, Nguyen PL, Marcus KJ, Hacker FL, Weiss SE. J Neurooncol. 2011 Sep;104(2):553-7.

Horky L; Hsiao EH; Drappatz J; Weiss SE; Gerbaudo VH. Dual Phase FDG-PET imaging of brain metastases provides superior assessment for recurrence versus necrosis. Journal of Neuro-Oncology103(1):137-46. 2010

Kelly PJ, Weiss SE, Sher DJ, Perez-Atayde AR, Dal Cin P, Choueiri TK. Sunitinib-induced pseudoprogression after whole-brain radiotherapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2010 Sep 1;28(25):e433-5.

Additional Publications

Dr. Weiss on PubMed

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