Pavani Chalasani, MD, MPH

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Associate Professor, Medicine
Biography
Dr. Chalasani completed her medical school at Gandhi Medical College in India, Internship, Residency and Fellowship in Hematology-Oncology at the University of Arizona. Dr. Chalasani is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Tenure) at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. She specializes in breast cancer and sees patients with breast cancer for treatment decisions regarding hormonal therapy (anti-estrogen therapy), chemotherapy, and second opinions. She is the Fellowship Program Director for University of Arizona Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program.
Cancer Focus
Dr. Chalasani's primary clinical and research focus is on breast cancer. In addition to seeing patients in clinic, she is very active in research and has several ongoing translational and clinical projects. She leads the Breast Cancer Disease Oriented Team (DOT) and oversees Breast Cancer clinical research program. She has a translation laboratory which focuses on investigating and developing predictive and prognostic biomarkers. She is the Principal Investigator on several investigator-initiated trials, industry, and co-operative group protocols. She is the medical oncology study chair for NCI study in women with inflammatory breast cancer (S1706) and lead investigator for a randomized phase II trial in women with metastatic HER2+ breast cancer. She has received research funding from NIH/NCI, American Cancer Society, Better Than Ever and The University of Arizona Cancer Center-pilot funding mechanism.
Selected Publications
Segar, J. M., R. Pandey, K. J. Farr, R. Nagle, L. LeBeau, V. J. Gonzalez, and P. Chalasani, "Clinicopathological and Molecular Characteristics of Pleomorphic Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.", Int J Breast Cancer, vol. 2020, pp. 8816824, 2020. PMCID: PMC7704199 PMID: 33299611
Chalasani, P., M. Taljanovic, J. Segar, K. Farr, H. Win, B. C. Wertheim, M. Chu-Pilli, S. Ehsani, D. J. Roe, and L. Gimber, "Diffuse tensor imaging of lower extremities: a novel MR imaging technique for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.", Breast Cancer Res Treat, vol. 184, issue 3, pp. 771-778, 2020 Dec. PMID: 32860167
Badger, T. A., C. Segrin, A. Sikorskii, A. Pasvogel, K. Weihs, A. María López, and P. Chalasani, "Randomized controlled trial of supportive care interventions to manage psychological distress and symptoms in Latinas with breast cancer and their informal caregivers.", Psychol Health, vol. 35, issue 1, pp. 87-106, 2020 01. PMID: 31189338
Segar, J. M., D. Reed, A. Stopeck, R. B. Livingston, and P. Chalasani, "A Phase II Study of Irinotecan and Etoposide as Treatment for Refractory Metastatic Breast Cancer.", Oncologist, vol. 24, issue 12, pp. 1512-e1267, 2019 12. PMCID: PMC6975935 PMID: 31383812
Chalasani, P., "Optimizing Quality of Life in Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Treatment Options and Considerations.", Oncology, vol. 93, issue 3, pp. 143-156, 2017. PMID: 28614816
Martinez, J. A., P. Chalasani, C. A. Thomson, D. Roe, M. Altbach, J-P. Galons, A. Stopeck, P. A. Thompson, D. Evelyn Villa-Guillen, and H-H. Sherry Chow, "Phase II study of metformin for reduction of obesity-associated breast cancer risk: a randomized controlled trial protocol.", BMC Cancer, vol. 16, pp. 500, 2016 07 19. PMCID: PMC4950218 PMID: 27430256