John Nicholas Lukens, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Leader, Clinical Pathways Task Force, H&N Service Line , University of Pennsylvania
Member, Head and Neck Executive Committee, University of Pennsylvania
Site Chief, Head and Neck Service, University of Pennsylvania
Department: Radiation Oncology
Contact information
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
2-West
Philadelphia, PA 19104
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
2-West
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-662-6567
Education:
BA ((Distinction in History))
Yale University, 1999.
M.D.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2008.
Permanent linkBA ((Distinction in History))
Yale University, 1999.
M.D.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2008.
Description of Clinical Expertise
My clinical expertise is in the treatment of head and neck cancers and gastrointestinal cancers. Additionally, I have specialized training in brachytherapy, which consists of placing radioactive sources within, or directly adjacent to a tumor, as a means of delivering highly targeted radiation. I have experience in head and neck, prostate, and gastrointestinal brachytherapy, as well as intra-operative radiotherapy. I have a particular clinical interest in the re-treatment of patients who have undergone a prior course of radiation, through the integration of highly targeted techniques such as proton therapy and brachytherapy. I believe strongly in the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, and work closely with my surgical and medical oncology colleagues to optimize patient outcomes.Description of Research Expertise
My research focuses on the multidisciplinary management of head and neck cancers, in particular novel strategies to understand and mitigate the toxicities associated with head and neck radiotherapy. Additionally, I am interested in identifying subsets of patients with HPV+ cancer who may benefit from treatment de-intensification, and conversely, those with high-risk disease who may benefit from novel targeted therapy and/or immunotherapy.Selected Publications
Berlin E, Ma DJ, Bakst RL, Quon H, Lin A, Lukens JN: Close Margins Following Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) for HPV+ Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: A review of the literature and practical recommendations. Pract Radiat Oncol Jan 2023.Deng J, Lukens JN, Cohn JC, McMenamin E, Murphy B, Spinelli BA, Murphy N, Steinmetz AK, Landriau MA, Lin A: Conducting a supportive oncology clinical trial during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and strategies. Trials 23(1): 927, Nov 2022 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06804-w.
Deng J, Lukens JN, Cohn JC, McMenamin E, Murphy B, Spinelli BA, Murphy N, Steinmetz AK, Landriau MA, Lin A: Conducting a supportive oncology clinical trial during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and strategies. Trials 23(1): 927, Nov 2022.
Nugent ST, Lukowiak TM, Cheng B, Stull C, Miller CJ, Aizman L, Perz AM, Etzkorn J, Sobanko JF, Shin TM, Giordano CN, Lukens JN, Miura JT, Modi MB, Higgins HW 2nd: High compliance with National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines and no local recurrences for patients receiving Mohs micrographic surgery for Merkel cell carcinoma: a single-center retrospective case series. J Am Acad Dermatol Nov 2022.
Anstadt EJ, Chu B, Yegya-Raman N, Han X, Doucette A, Poirier K, Mohiuddin JJ, Maity A, Facciabene A, Amaravadi RK, Karakousis GC, Cohen JV, Mitchell TC, Schuchter LM, Lukens JN: Moderate Colitis Not Requiring IV Steroids Is Associated with Improved Survival in Stage IV Melanoma after Anti-CTLA4 Monotherapy, But Not Combination Therapy. Oncologist 27(9): 799-808, Sep 2022 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1093/oncolo/oyac108.
Sun L, Brody R, Candelieri D, Anglin-Foote T, Lynch JA, Maxwell KN, Damrauer S, Ojerholm E, Lukens JN, Cohen RB, Getz KD, Hubbard RA, Ky B: Association Between Up-front Surgery and Risk of Stroke in US Veterans With Oropharyngeal Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 148(8): 740-747, Aug 2022 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2022.1327.
Hobday SB, Brody RM, Kriegsman B, Basu D, Newman J, Cohen RB, Lukens JN, Singh A, D'Avella CA, Sun L: Outcomes Among Patients With Mucosal Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Checkpoint Inhibitors. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 148(10): 918-926, August 2022 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2022.2284.
Udupa JK, Liu T, Jin C, Zhao L, Odhner D, Tong Y, Agrawal V, Pednekar G, Nag S, Kotia T, Goodman M, Wileyto EP, Mihailidis D, Lukens JN, Berman AT, Stambaugh J, Lim T, Chowdary R, Jalluri D, Jabbour SK, Kim S, Reyhan M, Robinson CG, Thorstad WL, Choi JI, Press R, Simone CB 2nd, Camaratta J, Owens S, Torigian DA: Combining natural and artificial intelligence for robust automatic anatomy segmentation: Application in neck and thorax auto-contouring. Med Phys July 2022.
Kim KN, Harton J, Mitra N, Lukens JN, Lin A, Amaniera I, Doucette A, Gabriel P, Baumann B, Metz J, Wojcieszynski A: Acute toxicity in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with proton versus intensity-modulated radiation therapy for nonmetastatic head and neck cancers. Head Neck July 2022.
Brody RM, Shimunov D, Cohen RB, Lin A, Lukens JN, Hartner L, Aggarwal C, Duvvuri U, Montone KT, Jalaly JB, LiVolsi VA, Carey RM, Shanti RM, Rajasekaran K, Chalian AA, Rassekh CH, Cannady SB, Newman JG, O'Malley BW, Weinstein GS, Gimotty PA, Basu D: A benchmark for oncologic outcomes and model for lethal recurrence risk after transoral robotic resection of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers. Oral Oncol 127: 105798, March 2022 Notes: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.105798.