In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Kazhdan also holds a doctorate degree in Hematology from Leningrad's Institute of Hematology in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Dr. Kazdan's experience includes Physician/Scientist in the Dept. of Internal Medicine and Central Scientific Laboratory and in the Dept. of Blood Transfusion and Laboratory of Immunology and Serology at 1st Pavlov's Leningrad Medical Institute, and Associate Researcher and Assistant Professor in Biochemistry at the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  She completed a Fellowship in Medical Oncology at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, TX while also serving as Assistant Professor in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.

Dr. Kazdan has published extensively in peer-reviewed medical journals related to her basic science oncology research while on the faculty of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the University of Pennsylvania and 1st Pavlov's Leningrad Medical Institute.

Prior to joining Cancer Care Centers of South Texas, Dr. Kazhdan was in private practice specializing in Medical Oncology and Hematology.

Dr. Santillan specializes in the care of patients with gynecologic malignancies.  His areas of expertise include minimally-invasive, robot-assisted surgery for complicated pelvic and abdominal surgery, targeted and personalized chemotherapy and clinical trial research.  He is the co-author of 25 peer-reviewed articles in medical journals, two book chapters, and 23 abstracts and presentations. 

Additional Fellowship:  The Felix Rutledge Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Professional Experience:

• Assistant Professor, Gynecologic Oncology Service, Dept. of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Texas Tech University School of Medicine, Lubbock, Texas
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, The Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service, Dept. of Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

Professional Affiliations:

• Society of Gynecology Oncology, Candidate Member
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fellow Member (FACOG)
• International Gynecologic Cancer Society, Member
   

In addition to his Medical Degree, Dr. Zweibach also holds a Ph.D. in Hematology from the St. Petersburg Institute Hematology.

He has published 23 articles in peer-reviewed journals and is the co-author of several books. In addition, Dr. Zweibach does journal review for Hematology and Blood Transfusion. He is also a reviewer for the American Board of Medical Oncology and Hematology, and serves as a board member of Hope Hospice.

In his spare time, Dr. Zweibach enjoys drama theater and photography.

Dr. Wilks’ career began in the US Air Force where she received her medical education, remained in medical service for 12 years and received two medals of commendation. While in the military, Dr. Wilks was successful in bringing the first breast cancer prevention clinical trial to Wilford Hall Medical Center in 1995, was appointed as the physician to head the breast cancer prevention program and received two Department of Defense Grants to develop early screening programs that included providing free mammograms to over 800 women. Following service in the military, Dr. Wilks joined Cancer Care Centers of South Texas and continued her educational efforts and community advocacy in addition to maintaining a busy oncology practice.

Dr. Wilks has worked to foster a collaboration between several San Antonio breast cancer organizations, to bring these groups together to better meet community needs and work toward a common goal. She founded and now chairs an organization that involves the Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC), the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Cancer Society (ACS), WINGS, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the University of Texas Nursing School, and provides the annual "Breast Cancer Update" every October for the public and healthcare providers.

In addition, Dr. Wilks founded the Alamo Breast Cancer Council in 2005 to secure grant monies to fill a need that she had identified, and was awarded a sizable grant from the Baptist Healthcare Foundation to produce a patient-friendly booklet providing concise information for newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients regarding available treatment options, and to give patients decision-making tools in their journey through seeing specialists and beginning their treatment. Over 10,000 English copies and over 5000 copies in Spanish have been distributed so far. In 2006, Dr. Wilks changed the name to the Alamo Cancer Council (ACC) after seeing the need to provide the same type of information to patients with colon cancer, and wrote a similar booklet for these patients. Both booklets fill the large information gap that all patients feel between the time they receive their diagnosis and the time they see their first specialist. Due to the success of the ACC, the organization has been officially recognized by the Texas Cancer Council.

Dr. Wilks has taken leadership roles in numerous other community organizations including, serving as the Chairman of the Cancer Committee for Baptist Healthcare System, working as a mentor for the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, sitting on the board of directors and the grants committee of the local Susan G. Komen Foundation and is an active speaker for both the ACS and the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. She is currently a reviewer for the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners and an investigator for the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Wilks has the honor of being selected to "Texas Super Doctors" published in Texas Monthly magazine in 2010 and 2011.

In her spare time, Dr. Wilks enjoys reading, walking, shopping and travel. Her husband is a private practice cardiologist and they have three children, two girls and a boy.

Dr. Santiago currently serves as Assistant Professor of Hematology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. During his fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, Dr. Santiago received funding from the National Institute of Health and the American Heart Association for research in biochemistry, cell biology and specifically, to study blood clotting factors.  In addition, at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, he has participated in research studying the use of novel anticoagulants. 

Dr. Santiago is on staff at the following hospitals:  St. Luke's Baptist, Methodist, Methodist Specialty and Transplant, Kindred, LifeCare, Methodist Texsan, Christus Santa Rosa and Uvalde Memorial.  He is a member of the Bexar County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association, the Mexican American and Hispanic Physicians Association in San Antonio, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

For the past 13 years, Dr. Santiago has been devoted to the care and treatment of patients with cancer, and malignant and non-malignant hematological disorders.  During this time he has also participated in clinical research studies involving new investigational drugs for cancer and hematological disorders.

Personally, Dr. Santiago devotes his free time to his family and his church.  His hobby is sailing on Lake Medina and he is a member of the Woodlawn Sailing Club.

Dr. Preston attended the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School. In addition to his degree in Medicine, he holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He received M.S. and B.S. degrees in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Riverside, respectively. Dr. Preston completed an internal medicine internship and residency at Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and a fellowship in oncology and hematology also at Brooke Army Medical Center.
 

While in the service, Dr. Preston served as the chief of the Hematology/Oncology clinic at Brooke Army Medical Center, and has received numerous awards including those for research. He has served as the director of the Maxwell Thurman Drug Development Unit at Brooke Army Medical Center in collaboration with the Cancer Therapy and Research Center in San Antonio. He has also served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine while serving at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. He completed his career in the Army at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and received the Meritorious Service Medal upon leaving the Army in 2006. He is a member of the Burnet-Lampasas County Medical Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, Texas Medical Association, and the Christian Medical Society. He is also a volunteer speaker for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Marble Falls.

Dr. Preston’s oncology interests include the development and implementation of new anticancer drugs with special interest in lung, colon and breast cancer. While practicing oncology and hematology in Marble Falls, Dr. Glenn Preston also serves the Burnet, Llano, Horseshoe Bay and Highland Lakes areas of Texas.  He devotes his free time to his wife and four children and enjoys hiking and football.

Dr. Rao’s work includes oncology research as well as publications and presentations. At The University of Texas Health Science Center Research Day on May 15, 2002, he received the First Prize Clinical Fellow Category for his oral presentation, “Contrasting Effects of CC Chemokine Receptors CCR5 and CCR2 in Graft-Versus-Host disease”.

Dr. Medellin has served as the chairman of the Cancer Committee in the Division of Medical Oncology at Baptist Health Systems, and as a principal investigator within the research program at Baptist.

His hobbies include tennis, volleyball, and running. He also volunteers as a coach for soccer, tennis and children’s sports programs. Dr. Medellin and his wife have three young children.

In the U.S. Army, Dr. McCracken was chief of the Oncology Service at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma and later Chief of the Hematology/Oncology Service Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. Dr. McCracken retired from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Colonel.

Currently, Dr. McCracken is a Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He is board certified through the American Board of Internal Medicine in Medical Oncology and also is a licensed with the National Board of Medical Examiners. Along with membership to numerous professional organizations, Dr. McCracken has served as President of the Texas Society of Medical Oncology and the San Antonio Metropolitan Unit of the American Cancer Society.

Dr. McCracken’s special interests in oncology are geriatric oncology and gastrointestinal cancer. He has participated in numerous clinical trials, serving as the principal investigator.

In his spare time, Dr. McCracken and his family enjoy spending time at their ranch. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, golf, and travel. Dr. McCracken and his wife are enjoying the late blessing of an 8 year old son in addition to their four grown children.

During his residency in internal medicine, Dr. Hesita served as Chief Resident at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He received the award of "Outstanding Fellow of the Year 2005-2006" at Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Dr. Hesita is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, Louisiana State Medical Society, American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association.

In addition to his medical degree, Dr. Hesita has a degree in Medical Technology and is certified as a Cytotechnologist through the American Society of Clinical Pathology. He served in the U.S. Army for five and a half years at Fort Carson, Colorado, and at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Dr. Hesita’s interests in oncology include breast cancer, lung and colon cancer.

He enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife have 2 small boys. In his spare time, he likes to run and participate in team sports and he is an avid Spurs fan.

Dr. Harroff served as staff physician at Willford Hall Medical Center, as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and as the Medical Director of the Wilford Hall Medical Center Hematology-Oncology Clinic. In addition, Dr. Harroff has been active in numerous clinical research studies. She is a member of the American College of Physicians, Society of Air Force Physicians, American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

Dr. Harroff’s special interests in oncology and hematology include breast cancer treatment and prevention.

Dr. Guzley served in the United States Navy from 1978 through 1987 and in the U.S. Naval Reserve until 1990. While in the Navy, he served as Medical Officer on the USS Durham and the USS Peleliu. Dr. Guzley is currently a Clinical Associate Professor in Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Guzley has served many leadership roles within the American Cancer Society as chairman of numerous committees. He recently serviced three years as the chairman of the Cancer Pain Subcommittee Patient Services Committee within the Texas Division of the American Cancer Society, and was chairman of the Texas-American Cancer Society Pain Initiative. In addition, he has been a speaker with the Physicians Oncology Education Program of the Texas Medical Association since 1993 as well as for the American Cancer Society. Dr. Guzley has the honor of being listed as a "Best Physician" in San Antonio in 2007, and also as a SuperDoctor in the Texas Monthly magazine in 2007.

Dr. Guzley is a member of the Americal Society fo Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, International ASsociation for the Study of Pain and the American Cancer Society.

Dr. Guzley’s special interests in oncology and hematology include pain management issues, quality of life, the mangement of all adult solid tumors, lymphomas and leukemias. In his spare time, Dr. Guzley enjoys cooking Texas-style barbecue, piloting an airplane, reading and multi-media computer presentations. He and his wife have two children and enjoy traveling.

Dr. Gordon currently serves as a Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Locally, at the Baptist Memorial Hospital System in San Antonio, Dr. Gordon has served as the President of the Medical Executive Board in 1989, the Chief of Staff in 1988, and as an Associate to the Board of Trustees from 1988 through 1990. In addition, Dr. Gordon has served leadership roles with the American Cancer Society, serving on the Advisory board, and the Bexar County Medical Society.

Dr. Gordon’s special interests in oncology include hematologic malignancies, breast cancer, lung cancer, and cancer research. He has served as the Principal Investigator on numerous clinical trials and is the author of 11 published articles.

In his spare time, Dr. Gordon enjoys travel, skiing, and golf. He is married and has two grown children. Dr. Gordon’s wife is a practicing psychologist.

Dr. Gagnon’s professional experience includes publications in Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior and the Journal of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics.  In addition, he has presented at the 2004 NW Academy of Otolaryngology and the Oregon Academy of Otolaryngology Annual conference and also at the Oregon Radiation Oncology Society.  He is a member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and the Texas Medical Association.

In addition to his medical degree, Dr. Friedman earned a Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Friedman is a member of numerous professional and scientific societies. He has served previously as the Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at the Audie L. Murphy Veterans’ Administration Hospital, Division of Hematology, and as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Fisher is a member of numerous organizations including the Bexar County Medical Society, Texas Medical Association, Texas Medical Foundation, and the American College of Physicians.

Currently, Dr. Fisher serves as the Chief of the Department of Oncology-Hematology at the Baptist Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Oncology research is a special interest of Dr. Fisher’s and he has served as the Principal Investigator for several research clinical trials. His special interests also include breast and colon cancer.

In his spare time, Dr. Fisher enjoys stone faceting, photography, target shooting, playing guitars, ranching, and wildlife management.

Dr. Ellis is interested in all aspects of cancer. His work includes articles and publications in medical journals, as well as serving as the Chief, in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital. He serves as a Clinical Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Ellis also serves as the Medical Director of the in-patient Hospice Unit and of Palliative Care for Methodist Healthcare.

Dr. DeLeon joined Cancer Care Centers of South Texas in Fredericksburg in July of 2007 after serving 13 years as a physician in the United States Air Force.

While in the Air Force, Dr. DeLeon served as a staff physician and department chair in Hematology-Oncology at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio.  He reached the rank of Lt. Colonel, and gained valuable practice experience treating numerous patients with many varieties of cancer and blood disorders.  Dr. DeLeon also participated in numerous areas of clinical research as an investigator with Southwest Oncology Group, the Prostate Cancer Prevention Study and the Drug Development Program at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Dr. DeLeon is a member of the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and has recently re-certified his American Board of Internal Medicine certifications in both Hematology and Medical Oncology.

In Fredericksburg, Dr. DeLeon is proud to work in a truly unique office, with a phenomenal group of experienced nurses, assistants, lab technicians, and administrators, all of whom are dedicated to providing compassionate and efficient health care in a professional and friendly manner.  He is on the active medical staff at Hill Country Memorial Hospital.  He lives in the Hill Country with his four children.

Dr Daggubati has a special interest in breast and gastrointestinal malignancies. She is especially interested in clinical trials. Her work includes a publication in the Journal of the European Society of Cardiology, and presentations at the American College of Gastroenterology meeting and The 79th Annual Meetings of the Endocrine Society.

Dr. Daggubati scored in the top 10 percentile upon taking her American Board of Internal Medicine board exams.

During her internal medicine residency, Dr. Challagundla reviewed the Hematology and Oncology section in the 7th edition of Cecil’s Essentials of Medicine.  In addition, she researched gene methylation and contributed a chapter in Dr. Paulette Mehta’s book, Stem Cell Transplantation.  During her fellowship, Dr. Challagundla worked on several case reports and published an abstract in ASCO, “Outcomes of Patients with Burkitt’s Lymphoma Using Hyper-CVAD/CODOX-M“.  Dr. Challagundla is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Challagundla’s special clinical interests include malignant hematological disorders and solid tumors, especially breast cancer and gastrointestinal malignancies.

Dr. Beeram attended medical school at Osmania Medical College University of Health Sciences in India. He completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital of Evanston in Evanston, Illinois, and a three-year fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, where he served as Clinical Fellow in Hematology/Medical Oncology. During his fellowship, Dr. Beeram was awarded a merit award for his poster presentation at the 2005 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Beeram worked as a hospitalist and also in the bone marrow transplant unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition he was an instructor in Internal Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology and American College of Physicians.

Dr. Beeram is board certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

In oncology, Dr. Beeram is especially interested in new treatment modalities for lung cancer and clinical trial research. In his spare time, Dr. Beeram enjoys reading, traveling and photography.

Dr. Barrington is a member of numerous medical organizations including the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, Texas Medical Association, Bexar County Medical Society, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Kerr County Medical Society.

Currently, Dr. Barrington is the chief of staff at Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital in Kerrville, Texas.

As an oncologist, Dr. Barrington is especially interested in breast cancer. Her personal hobbies and interests include cooking, crossword puzzles, basketball, and gardening.

Dr. Dham has experience in stem cell transplantation, benign and malignant hematological disorders as well as tertiary oncology care. Her research activities include work on pulmonary embolism after transplant, and coagulation disorders in Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Dr. Dham’s work with renal cancer was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in 2007. Dr. Dham is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.  In addition, Dr. Dham is a member of the Cancer Committee with Methodist Healthcare System.

Dr. Dham’s clinical interests include malignant hematological disorders and solid tumors, especially breast cancer, gastrointestinal and thoracic malignancies. In addition, she has a special interest in the many issues that are faced by cancer survivors.

Publications:

Sequential therapy with sorafenib and sunitinib in renal cell carcinoma. Cancer. 2008 Dec 2:115(1):61-67.

Sequential therapy with sorafenib and sunitinib in renal cell carcinoma.  Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings, Part I, Vol. 25, Vol. 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2007: 5106.

Dham A, Truskinovsky AM, Dudek, AZ.  Thymic carcinoid responds to neoadjuvant therapy with sunitinib and octreotide: a case report. J Thorac Oncol. 2008 Jan: 3(1):94-7.

Dham, A, Peterson, BA. Castleman disease. Curr Opin Hematol.  2007 Jul: 14(4):354-9.

Dr. Lyons has served leadership roles with many professional societies, organizations, and institutions, including Bexar County Hospital District, South Texas Regional Blood Bank, Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital, and Humana Hospital of San Antonio.

Currently, Dr. Lyons is the president of Cancer Care Centers of South Texas (CCCST)  and the medical director for the Myelodysplasia Foundation Center of Excellence at CCCST.  Dr. Lyons has served for five years on the editorial board for the publication Blood, as well as serving as an alternate on the Carrier Advisory Counsel for Medicare of Texas.  In addition, Dr. Lyons is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. 

Dr. Lyons has received the special honor of being listed repeatedly in the Best Doctors in America.

Dr. Lyons is actively involved in clinical research. His special interests in oncology are in hematologic malignancies, such as myelodysplasia, leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. He is also interested in non-malignant hematological disorders such as thrombosis, coagulation, platelet, and vascular disorders. He has published over 42 articles and 72 abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, and has taken a leading role in over 40 research studies.