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Wayne State University School of Medicine

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Maria Vlachaki, M.D.
Residency Program Director / Associate Professor
Wayne State University - Medicine
Radiation Oncology
 
mvlachaki@med.wayne.edu
Biography

Chief of Radiation Oncology Service at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

EDUCATION
10/78- 07/87          University of Athens Medical School (Greece), MD
06/00-11/03           University of Crete-Faculty of Medicine (Greece), Ph.D
08/02-05/04           University of Houston-CT Bauer College of Business, MBA
 
POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING
10/87-01/89           General Practitioner, National System of Health, Greece
07/90-06/93           Resident, Internal Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY
07/93-06/97           Resident, Radiation Oncology, Univ of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
 
FACULTY APPOINTMENTS
1998-2004             Assistant Professor of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine,Houston, TX
2004-2006             Associate Professor, Dept of Radiation Oncology, New York University Medical Center (NYU), New York, NY
2006-Present        Associate Professor, Dept of Radiation Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSU), Detroit, MI
 
HOSPITAL OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
1998-2004             Chief of Radiotherapy, Michael DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), Houston, TX
1998-2004             Director of Clinical Residency Training, Michael DeBakey VAMC
1998-2004             Director of Radiobiology Residency Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
2004-2006             Director of Clinical Operations, Department of Radiation Oncology, NYU, New York, NY
2005-2006             Residency Program Director, Department of Radiation Oncology, NYU, New York, NY           
2006-2007             Associate Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, WSU, Detroit, MI
2006-Present        Residency Program Director, Department of Radiation Oncology, WSU, Detroit, MI
2007-Present        Interim Chairman, Department of Radiation Oncology, WSU, Detroit, MI
2007-Present        Chief of Radiation Oncology Service, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI
Awards & Honors
  • 2009  Fellowship, American College of Radiology
  • 2007  Fellowship, American College of Radiation Oncology
  • 2004  Baylor Cancer Center: Second Place Honors in Clinical Research: “Phase I/II Trial Evaluating Combined Radiotherapy and In-Situ Gene-Therapy with or without Hormonal Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer - A Report on PSA Response and Biopsy Data” 
  • 2004 SouthCentral VA HealthCare Network Award for Superior Quality in Patient Care
  • 2002 First Investigation Award of the University of Nuevo Leon in Mexico, “Impact of Preimmunization in the Therapeutic Efficacy and Toxicity of Antitumoral Gene Therapy”
  • 1997 ASTRO Research Fellowship Award, “The Role of Bcl-2 and Glutathione in an Antioxidant Pathway to Prevent Radiation-Induced Apoptosis"
  • 1996 The Gilbert Fletcher Society Resident Essay Award, “Long Term Outcome of Treatment for Ann Arbor Stage I Hodgkin's Disease: Patterns of failure, late toxicity and second malignancies”, The Gilbert Fletcher Society 21st Annual Meeting, Williamsburg, VA
Publications
  1. Maria T. Vlachaki, Ignacio Castellon, Carlos Leite, Tania Perkins and Salahuddin Ahmad. “Impact of Respiratory Gating Using 4-Dimensional Computed Tomography (4D-CT) On the Dosimetry of Tumor and Normal Tissues in Patients with Thoracic Malignancies”, accepted for publication, American Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2008.
  2. S. M. MacDonald, S. Ahmad, S. Kachris, B. J. Vogds, M. DeRouen, A. E. Gittleman, K. DeWyngaert, M. T. Vlachaki. “Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Versus Three-Dimensional Conformal Therapy (3DCRT) for High-Grade Gliomas: A Dosimetric Comparison”, J Appl Clin Med Phys Vol. 8(2):47-60, 2007
  3. Vlachaki MT, Teslow TN, Ahmad S. “Impact of Endorectal Balloon in the Dosimetry of Prostate and Surrounding Normal Tissues in Patients with Prostate Cancer Treated with the IMRT, Medical Dosimetry Vol. 32 (4):281-6, 2007
  4. J. D. Mitchell, C. Hitchen, M. T. Vlachaki. “Role of Ovarian Transposition Based on the Dosimetric Effects of Craniospinal Irradiation (CSI) on the Ovaries: A Case Report” Medical Dosimetry Vol. 32 (3):204-10, 2007
  5. Castellon I, Turrisi AT III, Vlachaki MT. Medically inoperable lung cancer, www.CancerNews.com, 2007
  6. Tetzlaff, MT. Teh BS, Timme TL, Fujita T, Satoh T, Tabata KI, Mai WY, Vlachaki MT, Amato RJ, Kadmon D, Miles BJ, Ayala G, Wheeler TM, Aguilar-Cordova E, Thompson TC, Butler EB. Expanding the therapeutic index of radiation therapy by combining in situ gene therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer, Technol Cancer Res Treat. Vol. 5(1):23-36, 2006
  7. Fujita T, Timme TL, Tabata K, Naruishi K, Kusaka N, Watanabe M, Abdelfattah E, Zhu JX, Ren C, Ren C, Yang G, Goltsov A, Wang H, Vlachaki MT, Teh BS, Butler EB, Thompson TC. “Cooperative effects of adenoviral vector-mediated interleukin 12 gene therapy with radiotherapy in a preclinical model of metastatic prostate cancer”. Gene Ther. Vol. 14(3):227-36, 2007
  8. Varveris H, Kachris S, Mazonakis M, Lyraraki E, Petineli E, Varveris A, Fasoulaki A, Tzedakis A, Kouloulias V, Zolindaki A, Vlachaki M. “Phase I/II Trial of External Irradiation plus Medium-Dose Brachytherapy Given Concurrently to Liposomal Doxorubicin and Cisplatin for Advanced Uterine Cervix Carcinoma”. Strahlenther Onkol. Vol. 182(3):125-134, 2006
  9. Ahmad S, Vlachaki MT, Teslow TN, Amosson CM, Butler EB, and Grant WH. “Impact of Set-up Uncertainty in the Dosimetry of Prostate and Surrounding Tissues in Prostate Cancer Patients Treated with Peacock/IMRT”, Medical Dosimetry Vol. 30 (1):1-7, 2005
  10. Vlachaki MT, Teslow TN, Amosson CM, Uy WN, Ahmad S. “IMRT Versus Conventional 3DCRT on Prostate and Normal Tissue Dosimetry Using an Endorectal Balloon for Prostate Immobilization”, Medical Dosimetry Vol. 30(2):69-75, 2005
  11. Ahmad S. and Vlachaki MT. “Impact of Margin on Tumor and Normal Tissue Dosimetry in Patients Treated With Imrt Using an Endorectal Balloon for Prostate Immobilization, Australas. Phys Eng. Sci. Med. Vol. 28(4):209-15, 2005
  12. Bin Teh, Gustavo Ayala, Laura K. Aguilar, Wei-Yuan Mai, Terry Timme, Maria Vlachaki, Brian Miles, Dov Kadmon, Thomas Wheeler, James Caillouet, Maria Davis, L. Steven Carpenter, Hsin Lu, J. Kam Chiu, Shiao Woo, Timothy C. Thompson, Estuardo Aguilar-Cordova, E. Brian Butler. “Phase I-II Trial Evaluating Combined Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and In-Situ Gene Therapy with or without Hormonal Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer- An Interim Report on PSA Response and Biopsy Data”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics Vol. 58:1520-29, 2004
  13. Takefumi Satoh Bin S. Teh, Terry L. Timme, Wei-Yuan Mai, Yehoshua Gdor, Tetsuo Fujita, C.K. Pramudji, Maria T. Vlachaki, Gustavo Ayala, Thomas Wheeler, Roberto Amato, Brian Miles, Dov Kadmon, Edward B. Butler, Timothy C. Thompson. “Enhanced systemic T-cell activation following in situ gene therapy with radiotherapy in prostate cancer patients”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics Vol. 59(2):562-71, 2004
  14. H. Varveris, S. Kachris, M. Mazonakis, E. Lyraraki, A. Markouizou, S. Karampekios, A. Tzedakis, K. Perisinakis, J. Damilakis, M. Vlachaki. “Pegulated Liposomal Doxorubicin and Cisplatin Given Concurrently with Conventional Radiotherapy. A Phase I Dose Escalation Trial for Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck and Lung”. Oncology Reports Vol. 12(2): 473-81, 2004
  15. H. Varveris, S. Kachris, M. Vlachaki, E. Lyraraki, A. Markouizou, A. Aeraki, E. Giannoulaki, A. Mesaritaki, B. Sandalou, E. Garedaki, B. Riga. “Medical-Psychosocial Principles in Oncology - Part 2”. Oncologic Update, Vol. 5(1):54-60, 2003
  16.  H. Varveris, M. Mazonakis, M. Vlachaki, S. Kachris, E. Lyraraki, O. Zoras, T. Maris, M. Froudarakis, J. Velegrakis, C. Perysinakis, J. Damilakis, G. Samonis. “A phase I trial of Weekly Doxetaxel and Cisplatinum combined to Hyperfractionated Radiotherapy for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck”, Oncology Reports. Vol. 10(1):185-195, 2003
  17. H. Varveris, E. Lyraraki, S. Kachris, M. Vlachaki, A. Markouizou, A. Armenaki, E. Markodimitraki, E. Giannoulaki, M. Kakoulaki, M. Paraskevaidis, B. Riga, P. Karageorgis. “Medical-Psychosocial Principles in Oncology - Part 3”. Oncologic Update, Vol. 5(1):104-110, 2003
  18. H. Varveris, M. Mazonakis, S. Kachris, E. Lyraraki, M. Vlachaki, M. Xenaki, A. Markouizou, E. Prokopakis, A Benakis, H. Papadakis, P. Karageorgis. “Concomitant Chemoradiotherapy for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck”. Oncologic Update, Vol. 5(4):244-249, 2003
  19. Andres Hernandez-Garcia, Maria T. Vlachaki, Michael Ittman, Hugo A. Barrera Saldana, Estuardo Aguilar-Cordova. “Effect of Preimmunization in the Therapeutic Efficacy and Toxicity of Antitumoral Gene Therapy”. Science UANL. Vol. 6(4):497-507, 2003
  20. Teh, BS, Woo, SY, Mai WY, Mc Gary JE, Carpenter LS, Lu HH, Chiu JK, Vlachaki MT, Grant WH 3rd, Butler EB. “Clinical experience with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer with the use of rectal balloon for prostate immobilization”. Med. Dosim. Vol. 27(2):105-13, 2002
  21. Vlachaki MT, Hernandez-Garcia A, Ittman M, Chhikara M, Aguilar L, Zhu X, The BS, Butler EB, Woo S, Thompson, TC, Aguilar-Cordova A. “Impact of Preimmunization in Adenoviral Vector Expression and Toxicity in a Subcutaneous Mouse Cancer Model”. Molecular Therapy. Vol. 6(3):342-348, 2002
  22. Teh, BS, Aguilar-Cordova E, Vlachaki MT, Aguilar L, Mai WY, Caillouet, J, Davis M, Kadmon D, Ayala G, Lu HH, Chiu JK, Carpenter, LS, Woo, SY Grant WH III, Wheeler, T, Thompson, TC, Butler EB. “Combining Radiotherapy with Gene Therapy (from the bench to the bedside): A Novel Treatment Strategy for Prostate Cancer. Oncologist. Vol. 7(5):458-466, 2002.
  23. H. Varveris, S. Kachris, E. Lyraraki, A. Zolindaki, M. Vlachaki. “The Role of Oxygen in Radiation Therapy - Part 1”. Oncologic Update. Vol. 4(1):36-40, 2002
  24. H. Varveris, S. Kachris, E. Lyraraki, M. Mazonakis, A. Zolindaki, M. Vlachaki. “The Role of Oxygen in Radiation Therapy - Part 2”. Oncologic Update. Vol. 4(2):107-112, 2002
  25. H. Varveris, S. Kachris, M. Vlachaki, E. Lyraraki, E. Markodimitraki, M. Kakoulaki, X. Fragiadaki, A. Spanou, B. Riga. “Medical-Psychosocial Principles in Oncology - Part 1”. Oncologic Update, Vol. 4(4):243-250, 2002
  26. Maria T. Vlachaki M.D. and Terrance N. Teslow, Ph.D. “Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer”, Federal Practitioner, Vol. 18(2):21-27, 2001
  27. Madhu Chhikara, Hanxian Huang, Maria Vlachaki, Xiaohong Zhu, Kam J. Chiu, Shiao Woo, Timothy C. Thompson, E. Brian Butler, Estuardo Aguilar-Cordova, "Enhanced Therapeutic Effect of Hsv-tk Gene Therapy and Ionizing Radiation for Prostate Cancer", Molecular Therapy, Vol. 3(4):536-542, 2001
  28. Liao Z, Ha CS, Vlachaki MT, McLaughlin PW, Cabanillas F, Hess M, Cox JD, “Mantle Irradiation Alone for Pathologic Stage I and II Hodgkin’s Disease: Long Term Follow-up and Patterns of Failure”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. Vol. 50(4):971-977, 2001
  29. Maria Vlachaki, Madhu Chhikara, Laura Aguilar, Xiaohong Zhu, Kam J. Chiu, Shiao Woo, Bin S. The, Timothy C. Thompson, E. Brian Butler, Estuardo Aguilar-Cordova, "Enhanced Therapeutic Effect of Multiple Injections of Hsv-tk+ GCV Gene Therapy in Combination with Ionizing Radiation In a Mouse Mammary Tumor Model", International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. Vol. 51(4):1008-17, 2001
  30. Bin S. Teh, Estuardo Aguilar-Cordova, Kenneth Kernen, Chieng Chung Chou, Moshe Shalev, Maria T. Vlachaki, Brian Miles, Dov Kadmon, Wei-Yuan Mai, James Caillouet, Maria Davis, Gustavo Ayala, Thomas Wheeler, Jett Brady, L. Steve Carpenter, Hsin H. Lu, J. Kam Chiu, Shiao Y. Woo, Timothy Thompson, E. Brian Butler, “Phase I-II Trial Evaluating Radiotherapy and In-Situ Gene Therapy with or without Hormonal Therapy in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer-A Preliminary Report”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. Vol. 51 (3):605-13, 2001
  31.  T.V. Taylor, T.G. Hayes and M.T. Vlachaki, “Carcinoma of the Esophagus”, Current Practice of Medicine, Vol. 2(12):2343-2349, 1999
  32. Maria T. Vlachaki and Raymond E. Meyn, "The role of Bcl-2 and Glutathione in an Antioxidant Pathway to Prevent Radiation-Induced Apoptosis" ASTRO Research Fellowship Award, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Vol. 42(1):185-190, 1998
  33. Maria T. Vlachaki, C.S. Ha, F. B. Hagemeister, L. M. Fuller, C. S. Ha, M.A. Rodriguez, M. A. Hess, B. Brown, F. Cabanillas and J. D. Cox, “Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy for Stage I Hodgkin’s Disease: The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience 1967-1997”, Radiology, Vol. 208(3):739-747, 1998
  34. Maria T. Vlachaki, F. B. Hagemeister, L. M. Fuller, P. C. Besa, M.A. Rodriguez, M. A. Hess, B. Brown, F. Cabanillas and J. D. Cox, “Long Term Outcome of Treatment for Ann Arbor Stage I Hodgkin's Disease: Patterns of Failure, Late Toxicity and Second Malignancies”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Vol. 39(3):609-616, 1997
  35. Maria T. Vlachaki, F. B. Hagemeister, L. M. Fuller, P. C. Besa, M. A. Hess, B. Brown, F. Cabanillas and J. D. Cox, “Long Term Outcome of Treatment for Ann Arbor Stage I Hodgkin's Disease: Prognostic Factors for Survival and Freedom from Progression”, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Vol. 38(3):593-599, 1997
  36. Sanath Kumar,AhmadHammoud, Bo Zhao, Krisha Opferman, Maria T. Vlachaki “Comparison of Helical TomoTherapy versus conventional radiation treatment plans for a case of Hodgkin’s lymphoma”, (manuscript in preparation).
  37. T Kumar, J Rakowski, J Burmeister, M Alkhafazi, B Zhao, A Tammy, M Vlachaki. “Helical Tomotherapy versus Stereotactic Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Single and Multiple Brain Tumors: A Dosimetric Comparison”, (manuscript in preparation).