Ricardo Alvarez

Biography

World-renowned oncologist Dr. Ricardo H. Alvarez is recognized for his contributions to the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer, particularly inflammatory breast cancer. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), Dr. Alvarez is Medical Director of the Breast Center and Medical Director of Cancer Research. He is mainly focused on the treatment of advanced breast cancer and inflammatory breast cancer. “I work as part of a multidisciplinary team,” says Dr. Alvarez. “Surgical oncologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists discuss each patient. We outline a clear plan before our patients begin treatment. This is a very advanced group of medical professionals who dedicate the vast majority of their time to treating breast cancer. I think being treated at a cancer center, and seeing a specialist dedicated to treating breast cancer, rather than a general medical oncologist, can make a big difference for patients.” Dr. Alvarez joined CTCA® in 2014 and serves as Principal Investigator for many large clinical trials responsible for improving and expanding treatment options of breast cancer. “Clinical trials are an important way to help advance the treatment of breast cancer patients,” says Dr. Alvarez. “The possibility to offer patients clinical trials is the reason I am at CTCA.” Dr. Alvarez’s research studies are published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Breast Cancer Research and Treatment and The Annals of Oncology. He has written more than 100 articles, abstracts and book chapters, and he regularly presents his work at national and international conferences. Licensed to practice medicine in Texas and Georgia, Dr. Alvarez is Board Certified in Internal Medicine & Medical Oncology ­by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), the American College of Physicians (ACP), Society of Clinical Research Associates (SOCRA), Texas Medical Association (TMA) and the Asociacion Medica Argentina (AMA). “Breast cancer is a conglomerate of multiple diseases. I don’t believe that every patient should have the same recommendation,” he says. “My job is to provide options to my patients to help them make informed decisions.” Dr. Alvarez completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, and a Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Later in his career, he earned a Master of Science in Cancer Biology at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Texas. He currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Georgia Regents University in Atlanta. Prior to that, he was Assistant Professor of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He also served as Assistant Professor with the Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program and Clinic in Houston, Texas.

Research Interest

 Cancer