For Immediate Release
July 8, 2005

Radiation Oncologist Appointed at Roswell Park Cancer Institute

BUFFALO, NY – Dheerendra Prasad, MD, M-Ch, has been appointed Director of Neuro- & Pediatric Radiation Medicine and Co-Director, Gamma Knife Unit in the Department of Radiation Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). 

Dr. Prasad will be responsible for treating brain and spinal tumors in adults and children as well as other childhood cancers, with radiation; for treating brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia (tic pain), and vascular malformation of the brain with gamma knife radiosurgery, and for directing research in brain tumor radiosurgery.

Dr. Prasad comes to RPCI from the University of Virginia where he has served as both a neurosurgeon and radiation oncologist over a 12-year distinguished career. He earned his medical degree (1985) and completed an internship (1986) and residency training in Neurosurgery (1992) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. He was honored by the University of Virginia (UV) with the Lars Leksell Fellowship in Radiosurgery in 1993. After several years as a member of the Department of Neurosurgery at UV, he completed residency training in Radiation Oncology (2005).

Dr. Prasad’s research interests include basic and clinical aspects of radiosurgery, and the development of computer-assisted operative neurosurgical techniques. His research has focused on stereotactic imaging for gamma knife surgery and the treatment of epilepsy with radiosurgery.
Dr. Prasad is a member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, American Brachytherapy Society, American College of Radiology, American Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, International Society of Neurosurgical Inventors, North American Skull Base Society, Leksell Gamma Knife Society, and the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies.

Dr. Prasad has authored or co-authored more than 70 journal articles, abstracts, book chapters. 
The Department of Radiation Medicine provides quality, state-of-the-art patient care in radiation oncology, including gamma knife radiosurgery, an effective alternative to conventional neurosurgery or traditional radiation therapy in the treatment of certain brain disorders. A team of specialists includes board-certified physicians, physicists and dosimetrists who provide cutting-edge treatment options, offer clinical studies and serve as a statewide and national resource for all aspects of radiation medicine.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York.  RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers.  For more information, visit the RPCI website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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