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Michael Andrew Cummings, M.D.,M.S.

Contact Information

Phone Numbers

Appointment: (585) 275-2171

Administrative: (585) 275-2171

Fax: (585) 335-8697

URMFGA member of the University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group

groupAn Accountable Health Partner

assignmentAccepting New Patients

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

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

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.

View Study Details

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.

View Study Details

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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