University of California San Francisco

Melisa Wong 134
Melisa L. Wong, MD, MAS

Assistant Clinical Professor
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Department of Medicine

Address

490 Illinois Street, #001
San Francisco, CA 94158
United States

    Biography

    Melisa Wong, MD, MAS, AGSF is a thoracic oncologist who treats patients with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. Dr. Wong has a particular interest in caring for older adults with cancer. Her goal is to provide personalized cancer care based on patients’ values and goals.

    Dr. Wong’s research focuses on understanding and improving patient-centered outcomes in older adults with cancer. She and her research team study the impact of lung cancer treatment on patients’ functional status and quality of life.

    In 2005, Dr. Wong earned her undergraduate degree in Human Biology with Honors and Distinction at Stanford University. She then completed medical school and training in internal medicine and medical oncology at UCSF. Dr. Wong also completed advanced research training as an Aging Research Fellow in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics and earned her Master’s Degree in Clinical Research in the UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Dr. Wong is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Cancer and Aging Research Group, Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, International Society of Geriatric Oncology, International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, and American Geriatrics Society.

    Dr. Wong was a National Institute on Aging Butler-Williams Scholar in 2016 and received four Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Awards (2016 and 2017 ASCO Quality Care Symposium, 2016 and 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting). In 2017, she also received a Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Vicky Merryman Women Who Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award, UCSF Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Research Education Core Advanced Scholar Award, UCSF CTSI KL2 Career Development Award, and NIA GEMSSTAR R03. Dr. Wong's geriatric oncology research program is currently funded by an NIA Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging (K76).

    Education

    Institution Degree Dept or School End Date
    UCSF Master's Degree Program in Clinical Research Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics 2017
    UCSF Aging Research T32 Fellowship Division of Geriatrics 2017
    UCSF Medical Oncology Fellowship Division of Hematology/Oncology 2016
    UCSF Internal Medicine Residency Department of Medicine 2014
    UCSF MD School of Medicine 2011
    Stanford University BA Human Biology 2005

    Board Certifications

    American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
    American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology

    Awards & Honors

    Award Conferred By Date
    Geriatric Oncology Community of Practice Co-Chair ASCO 2022
    Dr. Arti Hurria Best Paper Award Journal of Geriatric Oncology 2022
    Geriatric Oncology Education Committee ASCO 2021
    Editorial Board Member Journal of Geriatric Oncology 2021
    Cancer and Aging Special Interest Group Chair American Geriatrics Society 2018/2020
    Early Career Faculty Workgroup Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center 2018/2020
    Junior Investigator Board Cancer and Aging Research Group 2018
    Loan Repayment Program Award NIH/NCI 2017/2020
    Vicky Merryman Women Who Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO 2017/2018
    Merit Award - Annual Meeting Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO 2017
    Merit Award - Quality Care Symposium Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO 2017
    SIOG Young Investigator Award International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) 2017
    Merit Award - Annual Meeting Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO 2016
    Merit Award - Quality Care Symposium Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO 2016
    Butler-Williams Scholars Program National Institute on Aging 2016
    Hematology/Oncology Chief Fellow UCSF 2016
    Hematology/Oncology Division Clinical Fellow Award UCSF Department of Medicine 2016
    Award for Excellence in Fellowship Research UCSF Hematology/Oncology Research Retreat 2016
    Cancer and Aging Research U13 Conference Young Investigator Travel Award Cancer and Aging Research Group 2015
    Hematology/Oncology Quality Chief Fellow UCSF 2015
    Department of Medicine Professionalism Award UCSF 2014
    SOM Dean's Quarterly Research Fellowship UCSF 2011
    Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society UCSF 2010
    Bernard Osher Scholarship UCSF 2008/2011
    SOM Dean's Summer Research Fellowship UCSF 2008
    Joshua Lederberg Award for Academic Excellence in Human Biology Stanford University 2005
    Chappell Lougee Scholarship Stanford University 2003

    Clinical Expertise

    Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Geriatric Oncology

     

    Program Affiliations

    Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology

    Thoracic Oncology Program

    UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Grants and Funding

    • Enhancing the “Lung cancer in older adults: Treatment experience through the patient’s lens” cohort study | UCSF Department of Medicine Cohort Grant | 2022-07-01 - 2024-06-30 | Role:
    • Advancing patient-centered decision making in older adults with lung cancer: Incorporating risk of functional decline into treatment discussions | NIH/NIA | 2019-07-15 - 2024-02-29 | Role:
    • Feasibility pilot study of the Best Case/Worst Case-Geriatric Oncology communication tool to improve decision making for older adults with advanced cancer | Mount Zion Health Fund | 2022-07-01 - 2023-06-30 | Role:
    • Mixed methods evaluation of the Best Case/Worst Case-Geriatric Oncology communication tool | UCSF Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Pilot & Exploratory Studies Core Scholar Award | 2022-07-01 - 2023-06-30 | Role:
    • Adaptation of the Best Case/Worst Case communication tool to geriatric oncology: Improving patient-centered decision making for older adults with lung cancer | Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center-Mount Zion Health Fund Pilot for Junior Investigators in Basic and Clinical/Translational Sciences | 2019-07-01 - 2020-06-30 | Role:
    • UCSF CTSI KL2 Career Development Award | NIH/NCATS | 2017-07-01 - 2020-05-31 | Role: KL2 Scholar
    • Expanding the Definition of Treatment Toxicity in Older Adults with Lung Cancer | NIH/NIA | 2017-07-01 - 2020-05-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
    • UCSF Older Americans Independence Center Research Advanced Scholar Award | NIH/NIA | 2017-07-01 - 2019-06-30 | Role: Research Education Core Advanced Scholar
    • Characterization of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in older cancer survivors | Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO/Vicky Merryman Women Who Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award | 2017-07-01 - 2018-06-30 | Role:

    Research Narrative

    Dr. Wong's research focuses on understanding and improving patient-centered outcomes in older adults with cancer. She is currently studying the impact of lung cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy) on patients' functional status and quality of life. Dr. Wong also studies how symptoms change over time in older adults with cancer. 

    Dr. Wong’s forthcoming study, “Lung Cancer in Older Adults: Treatment Toxicity Through the Patient’s Lens,” will recruit UCSF lung cancer patients who are age 65 or older and starting a new chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy regimen. Dr. Wong and her research team will explore how lung cancer treatment impacts patients’ functional status and quality of life.  

    Research Interests

    Geriatric oncology

    Functional status

    Quality of life

    Treatment toxicity

    Cancer outcomes research

     

    Publications

    MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 63
    1. Geriatric oncology health services research: Cancer and Aging Research Group infrastructure core.
      Wong ML, Lichtman SM, Morrow GR, Simmons J, Hargraves T, Gross CP, Lund JL, Lowenstein LM, Walter LC, McDermott CL, Mohile SG, Cohen HJ| | PubMed
    2. Co-occuring symptoms in older oncology patients with distinct attentional function profiles.
      Utne I, Løyland B, Grov EK, Paul S, Wong ML, Conley YP, Cooper BA, Levine JD, Miaskowski C| | PubMed
    3. Geriatric oncology research at the 2019 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) annual meeting: Joint perspectives from the Young International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) and AGS Cancer and Aging Special Interest Group.
      Kotwal AA, Presley CJ, Loh KP, Huang LW, Lam V, Wong ML| | PubMed
    4. Arti Hurria, M.D.: A tribute to her shining legacy in the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.
      Alliance Cancer in the Older Adult Committee:, Adjei A, Buckner JC, Cathcart-Rake E, Chen H, Cohen HJ, Dao D, De Luca JE, Feliciano J, Freedman RA, Goldberg RM, Hopkins J, Hubbard J, Jatoi A, Karuturi M, Kemeny M, Kimmick GG, Klepin HD, Krok-Schoen JL, Lafky JM, Le-Rademacher JG, Li D, Lichtman SM, Maggiore R, Mandelblatt J, Morrison VA, Muss HB, Ojelabi MO, Sedrak MS, Subbiah N, Sun V, Tuttle S, VanderWalde N, Wildes T, Wong ML, Woyach J| | PubMed
    5. Mentoring pearls of wisdom: Lessons learned by mentees of Arti Hurria, MD.
      Magnuson A, Li D, Hsu T, Loh KP, MacKenzie A, Presley CJ, Krok-Schoen JL, Subbiah IM, Williams GR, Wong M, Soto-Perez-de-Celis E, Sedrak MS, Junior Cancer and Aging Research Group| | PubMed
    6. Who Will Care for the Caregivers? Increased Needs When Caring for Frail Older Adults With Cancer.
      Huang LW, Smith AK, Wong ML| | PubMed
    7. Age-related differences in patient-reported and objective measures of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy among cancer survivors.
      Wong ML, Cooper BA, Paul SM, Abrams G, Topp K, Kober KM, Chesney MA, Mazor M, Schumacher MA, Conley YP, Levine JD, Miaskowski C| | PubMed
    8. Stability of Symptom Clusters in Patients With Lung Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy.
      Russell J, Wong ML, Mackin L, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Hammer M, Conley YP, Wright F, Levine JD, Miaskowski C| | PubMed
    9. From clinical trials to real-world practice: Immune checkpoint inhibitors in older adults.
      Loh KP, Wong ML, Maggiore R| | PubMed
    10. Going Far Together: A Tribute to Arti Hurria, MD.
      Wong ML, Cohen HJ| | PubMed