Michael J. Hall, MD, MS

Cancer should never be faced alone. Having lost many family members to cancer in my early life, I have witnessed the sustaining strength that dedicated, compassionate health care providers and supportive friends and family can bring to someone diagnosed with cancer. Doctors, nurses, family, friends, and others are all members of a team whose purpose should be unwavering: to support the cancer patient when they most need our support.

I primarily treat cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, with a specific interest in pancreas, small bowel, and colon tumors. As a member of the Fox Chase Risk Assessment program, I participate in the comprehensive cancer risk assessment of every patient referred to our program, including pedigree analysis, risk counseling, and when appropriate, clinical genetic testing. The goal of the GI-TRAP program is to help our patients understand their cancer risk, and to offer them opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research focused on risk reduction and cancer prevention. To this end, we study various aspects of cancer risk, including genetic markers of increased cancer risk in families, the use and impact of genetic testing to prevent cancer, patient and provider decisions related to hereditary cancer risk and prevention, and risk modification. Recent work has focused on the risk of pancreatic cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, risk communication, racial/ethnic disparities in genetic testing, and the costs and benefits of pharmacogenomic and other genetic testing in the treatment of cancer. I have been honored to receive training support from the National Cancer Institute (T32 and R25 programs) and competitive research awards from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Merit Awards and a Young Investigator Award), the Chemotherapy Foundation, and the American Cancer Society (Mentored Research Scholar Grant).

Oncologists are the bridge between cancer patients, the many highly-specialized professionals involved in their care, and the constantly evolving research and technology that drives the field of cancer medicine. For me, it is a privilege to carry this responsibility and to work in this field.