Practice Contact Information
Sanford Health\Sanford Research, University of South Dakota Department of Surgery
1310 West 22nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
57105
United States
Phone: 605-328-8200
Email: headandneckcancer@sanfordhealth.org
Web Site: https://www.sanfordhealth.org/sioux-falls/services/head-neck-cancer/team
Areas of surgical specialization in Head and Neck Surgery
Endocrine Surgery, Head and Neck Research, Head and Neck Surgeon, Reconstructive Head & Neck Surgery
Biography/Statement
My academic and medical training background includes a strong track record of cancer focused research. My laboratory focuses on the interaction between the immune system and the cancer cells in human papillomavirus driven head and neck cancers. I also have an active medical practice caring for and treating head and neck cancer patients. The failure of treatment in some patients and the morbidity associated with treatment motivate me to search for an improved molecular understanding of head and neck cancer through research. Current treatment for recurrent metastatic head and neck cancer is limited in efficacy with significant side effects. My recent research is focused on the interaction of the cancer cell, in the context of chemotherapy treatment, with the immune system and surrounding extracellular environment. I hope to find ways to augment and modulate that interaction to improve response to treatment and to find less toxic therapy options. Clinical research is also an important component of my role and I am principal investigator on several trials at Sanford Health. My overall goal is to improve the treatment for head and neck cancer patients to limit morbidity and increase efficacy and I see research and clinical trials as the main way to make progress over the next five years.
Clinical Trials
Thyroid Cancer Collaborative Registry
Understanding Head and Neck Cancer Tissue Repository
Checkmate 358 (BMS)
Merck 689
NCCORP Sponsored Trials (ECOG 0232, RTOG 9507, HN003, HN004)
Bibliography
Landeen KC, Spanos WC, Gromer L. Topical superoxide dismutase in posttreatment fibrosis in patients with head and neck cancer. Head Neck. 2018 May 13. doi: 10.1002/hed.25119. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29756397.
Assam JH, Spanos WC. Oral Cavity Reconstruction Outcomes Using a Porcine Urinary Bladder Matrix: A Retrospective Case Series. Wounds. 2018 May;30(5):131-137. PubMed PMID: 29847304.
Assam JH, Spanos WC. Treatment of Peritonsillar Abscess in Immunosuppressed Patients. S D Med. 2017 Jul;70(7):314-316. PubMed PMID: 28806028.
Vermeer DW, Coppock JD, Zeng E, Lee KM, Spanos WC, Onken MD, Uppaluri R, Lee JH, Vermeer PD. Metastatic model of HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma demonstrates heterogeneity in tumor metastasis. Oncotarget. 2016 Apr 26;7(17):24194-207. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8254. PubMed PMID: 27013584; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5029694.