Dr. Cynthia Gail Leichman, MD

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Lawrence Leichman, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in treating gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. These include cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, stomach, liver, rectum and colon. He uses numerous forms of therapy such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, and targeted therapy to offer the best possible treatment options for patients. Dr. Leichman also has expertise in using neoadjuvant therapies to treat gastrointestinal malignancies. Neoadjuvant therapies, which include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy, are delivered to a person before the main treatment (surgery), with the intent lower to lower the risk that the cancer will return.Over his career, Dr. Leichman has served as a leader in developing GI programs at several cancer centers. He has also led key initiatives to advance the research needed for making new treatments available to patients. He often works with surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and science co-investigators in an ongoing commitment to advance translational medicine for GI cancers. As a professor in the Department of Medicine, he instructs medical students, residents and fellows at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and is passionate about training of the next generation of clinical leaders in gastrointestinal oncology. Dr. Leichman has co-authored many articles, and his work has been published in journals such as Journal of Clinical Oncology and Journal of the National Cancer Institute, among others. Prior to joining UC San Diego Health, Dr. Leichman served as director of GI Malignancies in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center and was a professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU School of Medicine. While there, he was awarded faculty of the year in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology in 2013. In 2006, Dr. Leichman founded the Aptium Oncology GI Cancer Consortium, a group that included membership of some of the leading university cancer center programs, including University of Colorado, University of North Carolina, Vanderbilt University, New York University, and the University of Southern California. His other previous positions include chairman of the Department of Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and director of the GI Oncology Program at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.Dr. Leichman completed a fellowship in medical oncology and a residency in internal medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he also earned his medical degree. He is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research.Outside of work, Dr. Leichman enjoys spending time with his wife, who is also a medical oncologist, and family. He also enjoys playing piano, walking and jogging along San Diego's beaches, and is an avid baseball and soccer fan.UC San Diego Health LinksFor more information, see https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/cancer/programs/gastrointestinal/Pages/default.aspx.