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Eric Chen

Eric Chen

Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology

Biography

Eric Chen, M.D., is Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine and UC Irvine Health / Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Chen completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, where he served as Chief Resident in 2023, following a preliminary internship in General Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He received his Doctor of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 2019 and his B.A. Honors in Molecular Cell Biology with a focus on Immunology & Pathogenesis from the University of California Berkeley in 2012.

Dr. Chen's research focuses on health equity in cancer care, particularly addressing transportation barriers to radiation therapy and improving care for sexual and gender minority patients with cancer. His work on hospital-provided rideshare services for radiation therapy patients has been presented at national meetings and published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, where it was selected for CME activity. He has also contributed to multi-institutional studies examining treatment outcomes in older adults with head and neck cancer and has authored articles on the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in clinical trials.

Dr. Chen serves on the NRG Oncology Early Career & New Investigator Committee and the American Society for Radiation Oncology Sexual & Gender Minority Task Force. He has mentored seven medical students and residents in research projects and currently serves on the Program Evaluation Committee and Clinical Competency Committee for the Radiation Oncology Residency Program at UC Irvine. Dr. Chen received the Conquer Cancer Merit Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2023 and the Patient Transportation Grant from the American Cancer Society in 2023.

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Education

  • B.A. in Molecular Cell Biology – Immunology & Pathogenesis, University of California Berkeley, 2012
  • M.D., Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 2019
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Distinctions

  • Manuscript selected for CME activity, Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2023
  • Conquer Cancer Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2023
  • Radiation Oncology Institute (ROI) Publication Excellence Award, 2023
  • Inclusion and Diversity Achievement Award, Case Western Reserve University, 2018
  • CWRU Pride LGBT Ohio Leadership Award, Case Western Reserve University, 2017
  • Top-scoring Abstract Award, UH Research & Innovation Day Abstract Competition, 2022
  • Scholarship in Teaching Award, School of Medicine, CWRU, 2018
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Areas of Expertise

  • Radiation Oncology
  • Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
  • Surgical Oncology Outcomes
  • Perioperative Chemotherapy Efficacy
  • Sexual and Gender Minority Healthcare
  • Transportation Barriers in Cancer Care
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery Techniques

Recent Publications

  • Kim U, Johnie Rose, Bryan T Carroll, Richard S Hoehn, Eric Chen, Jeremy S Bordeaux, Siran M Koroukian, “Recovery From COVID-19-Related Disruptions in Cancer Detection”, JAMA Network Open, 2024.
  • Patel R, Chen E, Sun H, Zaorsky N, “Caring for Sexual and Gender Minority Patients with Genitourinary Cancer: A Primer for Inclusive Practices”, Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations, 2024.
  • Vassantachart A, Ehret F, Chen E, Kumar R, Gogineni E, Andraos T, Sahgal A, Redmond K, Lo S, Chang E, Sheehan J, Chao S, Kim G, Kresl J, Schulder M, Palmer J, Gibbs I, Santacroce A, Shih H, “A case-based guide for World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 meningioma radiosurgery and radiotherapy from The Radiosurgery Society”, Practical Radiation Oncology, 2024.
  • Chen E, Deshane A, Choi S, Bhatt A, “Reply to "Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Rideshare Services on Radiation Therapy Completion and Patient Outcomes"”, Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2023.
  • Dickstein D, Chen E, Zaorsky N, Hoffman K, Nguyen P, “Do ask, do tell: improving health outcomes for sexual and gender minorities with cancer”, JNCI Cancer Spectrum, 2023.
  • Rühle A, Weymann M, Behrens M, Marschner S, Haderlein M, Fabian A, Senger C, Dickstein D, Kraft J, Grun J, Chen E, Aquino-Michaels T, Domschikowski J, Bickel A, Altay-Langguth A, Kalinauskaite G, Lewitzki V, Bonomi M, Blakaj D, Jhawar S, et al., “A Multicenter Evaluation of Different Chemotherapy Regimens in Older Adults With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Definitive Chemoradiation”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 2023.
  • Rühle A, Marschner S, Haderlein M, Fabian A, Weymann M, Behrens M, Senger C, Dickstein D, Kraft J, Grun J, Chen E, Aquino-Michaels T, Domschikowski J, Bickel A, Altay-Langguth A, Kalinauskaite Goda, Lewitzki V, Ferentinos K, Zamboglou C, Schnellhardt S, et al., “Efficacy of Concomitant Systemic Treatment in Older Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Definitive Radiotherapy – Results of a Multicenter Cohort Study (SENIOR)”, JAMA Network Open, 2023.
  • Chen E, Dickstein D, Kim U, Zaorsky N, Sanghvi P, “Inclusion of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Clinical Trials is Necessary for Health Equity”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 2023.
  • Chen E, Deshane A, Damico N, Kharouta M, Kim U, Kemmann M, Kyasaram R, Wu A, Biswas T, Dorth J, Mansur D, Choi S, Bhatt A, “An Analysis of Cancer Center-Provided Rideshare Utilization for Radiation Therapy”, Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2023.
  • Chen E, Sun Y, Kim U, “Impact of Free Hospital-Provided Rideshare Service on Radiation Therapy Completion Rates: a Matched Cohort Analysis”, 2023. Presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2023.
  • Fredman E, Kharouta M, Chen E, Gross A, Dorth J, Patel M, Padula G, Yao M, “Dehydration Reduction in Head & Neck Cancer: DRIHNC trial: Daily oral fluid and electrolyte maintenance to prevent Acute Care Clinic and Emergency Department visits for patients receiving radiation for Head & Neck and esophageal cancer”, Advances in Radiation Oncology, 2022.
  • Aquino-Michaels T, Arsenault T, Chen E, “DOTATATE PET/CT-Guided Stereotactic Radiosurgery Target Delineation of Glomus Jugulare Tumors: A Case Series”, 2022. Presented at University Hospitals Research & Innovation Day, Cleveland, OH, 2022.
  • Batra S, Lochner R, Chen E, “Association of Advanced Gynecologic Cancers and Development of Brain Metastasis”, 2022. Presented at Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL, 2022.
  • Batra S, Chen E, Aquino-Michaels T, “Patients with Brain Metastasis from Gynecologic Malignancy: A Single Institution Experience”, 2022. Presented at Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, 2022.
  • Sachar S, Chen E, “Impact of Hormone Receptor Status on Development of Brain Metastases from HER2+ Breast Cancer”, 2022. Presented at American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2022.
  • Chen E, “Patterns of Regional Radiotherapy Following Breast Conserving Surgery in Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer with Limited Nodal Disease: a Single Institutional Experience”, 2022. Presented at American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2022.
  • Chen E, Aquino-Michaels T, “Outcomes of patients who received radiation therapy for brain metastases from gynecologic malignancies”, 2022. Presented at National Comprehensive Cancer Network Annual Meeting, virtual, 2022.
  • Chen E, “The Role of Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Non-Metastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Analysis of a National Hospital-based Registry”, 2021. Presented at American Society for Radiation Oncology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2021.
  • Chen E, Senders Z, Hardacre J, Kim J, Ammori J, “Perioperative Outcomes and Survival of Octogenarians Undergoing Curative Resection for Esophagogastric Cancer”, Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2020.
  • Kim U, Chen E, McNamara M, “Development of a Pre-Clinical LGBTQ+ Health Elective”, 2019. Presented at Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting, Washington, DC, 2019.
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Contact Information

Email: echen9@uci.edu

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This profile was created with the help of AI.

Last updated on 6/2/2026.