Progress and promise in the therapy of lung cancers

Abstract

Dr Mark Kris* speaks to Marco De Ambrogi, Commissioning Editor: Dr Mark Kris is currently serving as William and Joy Ruane Chair in Thoracic Oncology at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center (NY, USA), where he has been on the staff since 1983. He also is a Professor of Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College (NY, USA). After serving as Chief of the Thoracic Oncology Service at MSK Cancer Center since 1990, Dr Kris has recently been named Lead Physician for the MSK–IBM Watson Collaboration. He specializes in thoracic malignancies including lung cancer, thymoma and cancers of an unknown primary site. His research interests include targeted therapies for lung cancer, multimodality therapy, the development of new anticancer drugs and symptom management with a focus on preventing emesis, the most dreaded side effect of cancer and cancer treatment. Dr Kris received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College, completed residencies at the New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center/MSK Cancer Center program, and performed his fellowship at MSK Cancer Center. An American Society of Clinical Oncology member since 1983, Dr Kris has served on and led numerous committees. He received an American Society of Clinical Oncology Statesman Award in 2010 in recognition of his service to the society.