Faculty Appointments
Patient Care Setting
Radiation Oncology
Biography
Dr. Cummings is an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed graduate studies in Cancer Genetics at Roswell Park in Buffalo, NY and his residency training at the University of Rochester.
My practice specializes in head and neck cancers, prostate cancer including brachytherapy, and bladder cancer. There is often no one best approach for any situation, and the goal of any visit is finding how the uniqueness of each person and their case fits into the published evidence and their own expectations, and setting out a treatment plan that meets those goals.
Outside work I am married with two sons who are young enough to still want to spend time with me, and that keeps me quite busy. I enjoy running outdoors, am a part time Cub Scout Den Leader, skiing in the winter, and watching the Sabres and Bills.
Credentials
Specialties
Education
2013
MD | SUNY Upstate College of Health Professions
Post-doctoral Training & Residency
07/01/2014 - 06/28/2018
Residency in Radiation Oncology at University of Rochester Medical Center
07/01/2013 - 06/30/2014
Internship in Internal Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University
Awards
Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical Honor Society
Clinical Trials
Phase III Randomized Trial of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy with or Without Atezolizumab in Localized Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (S1806)
Lead Researcher: Michael Andrew Cummings
This phase III trial studies how well chemotherapy and radiation therapy work with or without atezolizumab in treating patients with localized muscle invasive bladder cancer. Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Chemotherapy drugs, such as gemcitabine, cisplatin, fluorouracil and mitomycin-C, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving atezolizumab with radiation therapy and chemotherapy may work better in treating patients with localized muscle invasive bladder cancer compared to radiation therapy and chemotherapy without atezolizumab.
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Phase I Trial With Expansion Cohort of DNA-PK Inhibition and IMRT in Cisplatin-Ineligible Patients With Stage 3-4 Local-Regionally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)
Lead Researcher: Michael Andrew Cummings
This phase I trial investigates the side effects and best dose of peposertib when given together with radiation therapy in treating patients with head and neck cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced) who cannot take cisplatin. Peposertib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. This trial aims to see whether adding peposertib to radiation therapy is safe and works well in treating patients with head and neck cancer.
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Parallel Phase III Randomized Trials of Genomic-Risk Stratified Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: De-Intensification and Intensification Clinical Trial Evaluation (GUIDANCE)
Lead Researcher: Michael Andrew Cummings
This phase III trial uses the Decipher risk score to guide intensification (for higher Decipher gene risk) or de-intensification (for low Decipher gene risk) of treatment to better match therapies to an individual patient's cancer aggressiveness. The Decipher risk score evaluates a prostate cancer tumor for its potential for spreading. In patients with low risk scores, this trial compares radiation therapy alone to the usual treatment of radiation therapy and hormone therapy (androgen deprivation therapy). Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays or particles to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Androgen deprivation therapy blocks the production or interferes with the action of male sex hormones such as testosterone, which plays a role in prostate cancer development. Giving radiation treatment alone may be the same as the usual approach in controlling the cancer and preventing it from spreading, while avoiding the side effects associated with hormonal therapy. In patients with higher Decipher gene risk, this trial compares the addition of darolutamide to usual treatment radiation therapy and hormone therapy, to usual treatment. Darolutamide blocks the actions of the androgens (e.g. testosterone) in the tumor cells and in the body. The addition of darolutamide to the usual treatment may better control the cancer and prevent it from spreading.
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Prospective Study of Non-invasive Acupuncture-like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Altens) to Help Alleviate Xerostomia After Radiation Therapy for Cancers of the Head and Neck
Lead Researcher: Michael Andrew Cummings
The purpose of this study would like to learn if acupuncture-like electrical therapy can be used in patients with head and neck cancer who have had radiation treatment to treat dry mouth.
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Publications
Journal Articles
6/5/2023
Lemus OMD, Tanny S, Cummings M, Webster M, Wancura J, Jung H, Zhou Y, Yoon J, Pacella M, Zheng D. "Influence of air mapping errors on the dosimetric accuracy of prostate CBCT-guided online adaptive radiation therapy." Journal of applied clinical medical physics. 2023 Jun 5; :e14057. Epub 2023 Jun 05.
2023
Hardy SJ, Bandyopadhyay S, Yang H, Williams A, Gudina A, Cummings MA, Zhang H, Singh DP, Chen Y, Mohile NA, Janelsins MC, Milano MT. "Stroke death in patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer in the modern era." Frontiers in oncology.. 2023 13:1111764. Epub 2023 Jun 15.
6/2022
Bergsma DP, Moravan MJ, Suri JS, Cummings MA, Usuki KY, Singh DP, Milano MT. "Patterns of recurrence after intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery for brain-only metastases from non-small cell lung cancer and the impact of upfront thoracic therapy with synchronous presentation." Journal of thoracic disease.. 2022 Jun; 14(6):1869-1879.
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Reviews
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