Miami Cancer Institute Adds Two Leading Proton Therapy Experts to its Comprehensive Radiation Oncology Department

MIAMI, FL – October 20, 2016 — Marcio Fagundes, M.D., and Michael Chuong, M.D., have joined Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida’s unique and integrated Radiation Oncology department, which will offer both standard photon therapy and, beginning in 2017, the region’s first proton therapy center. Dr. Fagundes will serve as the department’s medical director and vice chair, and Dr. Chuong as lead physician for proton therapy – a highly advanced form of radiation technology that targets cancer cells with pencil-beam scanning precision while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. The physicians, both experts in the two forms of radiation, will work alongside internationally renowned radiation oncologist Minesh Mehta, M.D., Miami Cancer Institute’s deputy director and chief of Radiation Oncology, to provide innovative cancer care and conduct clinical trials designed to help find new and innovative ways to treat cancer with radiation therapy.

“The addition of Drs. Fagundes and Chuong to Miami Cancer Institute is another critical step for us as we position ourselves as the region’s top destination for leading-edge radiation treatment,” said Michael J. Zinner, M.D., founding CEO and executive medical director of Miami Cancer Institute. “Thanks to the pinpoint accuracy of pencil-beam scanning, our newest experts will utilize proton therapy to treat some of the most challenging tumors we’ll see, offering more patients in this region access to a precise form of radiation treatment with reduced risk of side effects.”

Dr. Fagundes is Board-certified in radiation oncology and has extensive experience in proton therapy. He has conducted significant research and presented research results showing the advantages of proton therapy for prostate cancer, breast cancer and head and neck cancer at numerous meetings of the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group and the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncologists. He also has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the International Journal of Particle Therapy and the International Journal of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Fagundes received his medical degree from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and completed a radiation oncology residency at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine/Jackson Memorial Hospital – Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also completed a fellowship in radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He gained teaching experience as an assistant professor of radiation oncology at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and currently trains his peers on an innovative treatment protocol for prostate cancer. Before joining Miami Cancer Institute, Dr. Fagundes was medical director of the Provision Center for Proton Therapy in Knoxville, Tenn.

Dr. Chuong is Board-certified in radiation oncology. As a faculty member at the Maryland Proton Treatment Center, he developed clinical practice guidelines for using proton therapy across disease sites. His clinical specialty and research focus is on the use of radiation therapy to treat gastrointestinal cancers and lymphomas. Dr. Chuong has received numerous awards for his work, including the Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award from the American Society of Clinical Medicine and the Clinical Research Award from the Moffitt Cancer Center Research Symposium. He received his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa. He completed his residency in radiation oncology at the University of South Florida/H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, also in Tampa, where he served as chief resident. Before joining Miami Cancer Institute, he was an assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Miami Cancer Institute will begin to move into its new, $430 million state-of-the-art facility on the Baptist Hospital of Miami campus early next year. Opening day for patient care is planned for January 16, 2017.

About Miami Cancer Institute
Baptist Health South Florida is developing Miami Cancer Institute into a destination cancer center known for its leading clinical care, exceptional patient experience, advanced clinical research and state-of-the-art technology – including the first proton therapy center in South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. To accelerate its mission of hope, caring and innovation, Miami Cancer Institute has announced plans to join the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, a dynamic partnership that will ultimately enable cancer patients to access potential breakthrough therapies in South Florida. For more information, visit MiamiCancerInstitute.com.

Miami Cancer Institute is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with seven hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital), nearly 50 outpatient and urgent care facilities, Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Health Quality Network and internationally renowned centers of excellence. The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has approximately 16,000 employees and 2,300 affiliated physicians. Baptist Health South Florida has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/BaptistHealthSF and on Twitter and Instagram @BaptistHealthSF.

# # #