Dr Rice’s main area of clinical interest lies in the surgical management of mesothelioma. In collaboration with colleagues in Radiation Oncology he has furthered research into intensity modulated radiation therapy after surgical resection of mesothelioma. His research has lead to improved ways of preoperative staging of mesothelioma, and he has participated in neoadjuvant trials of chemotherapy and novel targeted agents. He is currently involved in a multinational program to revise the cancer staging system for mesothelioma.
Dr Rice has long been an advocate of less invasive ways to operate on patients with thoracic tumors. He was the first to perfrom minimally invasive esophagectomy at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and was one of the first surgeons in the United States to be trained in the use of endobronchial ultrasound for staging of lung cancer. His clinical practice focuses on a high volume of minimally invasive lobectomies and esophagectomies for lung and esophageal cancer. He serves on the Executive Committee of Minimally Invasive and New Technologies in Oncologic Surgery (MINTOS), and has lectured widely on minimally invasive operative and staging techniques for thoracic surgery.
Positions and Honors.
Positions and Employment
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Academic Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Consultantships
Consultant Surgeon, The Houston Veterans Administration Medical Center, Houston
Consultant Surgeon, The Harris County Hospital District Ben Taub Hospital, Houston
Institutional Committee Activities
Director, Minimally Invasive Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Program
Co-Director, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Departmental Database
Director, Mesothelioma Surgery Program
Honors
1991 Arthur Ball Memorial Prize in Surgery
1991 Graduated with Class II Honors, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
1995 Travel Prize, America Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
1997 Kaare K. Nygaard Travel Award for Clinical Research
2002 Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School Department of Surgery
Education and Training
The Medical School of Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, MD, Medicine
Resident, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Dr. Michael Reardon
Fellow, Thoracic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Dr. Peter Pairolerto
Postdoctoral Fellow, Mayo Clinic, Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Rochester, MN, Dr. Heidi Nelson
Residency, General Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Dr. David Farley
Intern, Surgical, St. James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, Professor Thomas Hennesy
MB, Medicine, Medicine, Surgery, Art of Obstetrics, The Medical School of Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, Professor, Donald G. Weir
Board Certifications
Fellow, The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland
The American Board of Surgery
The American Board of Thoracic Surgery
Honors and Awards
The Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School Department of Surgery (2006)
Award on Aging, Society of Thoracic Surgeons (2004)
The Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School Department of Surgery (2002)
Kaare K. Nygaard Travel Award for Clinical Research (1997)
Travel Prize, America Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (1995)
Professional Memberships
American Association for Thoracic Surgery, Beverly, MA
5/2009-present Member
American College of Chest Physicians
present-8/2003 Member
American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG), Durham, NC
9/2002-present Member
American Medical Association
6/1992-present Member
IASLC Mesothelioma Staging Committee, London, United Kingdom
2/2009-present Member
Mayo Medical Alumni Association
12/1998-present Member
Michael E. DeBakey International Surgical Society
7/1999-present Member
Minnesota Medical Association
7/1992-6/1999 member
Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, Chicago, IL
11/2004-present Member
The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
1/2003-present Member
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications
1. Bakaeen FG, Jaroszewski DE, Rice DC, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Swisher SS, Benjamin R, Blackmon S, Reardon MJ. Outcomes after surgical resection of cardiac sarcoma in the multimodality treatment era. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 137(6):1454-60, June, 6/2009.
2. Bolton WD, Rice DC, Goodyear A, Correa AM, Erasmus J, Hofstetter W, Komaki R, Mehran R, Pisters K, Roth JA, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Weaver J, Rhines L. Superior sulcus tumors with vertebral body involvement: a multimodality approach. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 137(6):1379-87, 6/2009. PMID: 19464452.
3. Norman PH, Thall PF, Purugganan RV, Riedel BJ, Thakar DR, Rice DC, Huynh L, Qiao W, Wen S, Smythe WR. A possible association between aprotinin and improved survival after radical surgery for mesothelioma. Cancer 115(4):833-41, Feb, 2/2009.
4. Rice, DC. Surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Ann Diagn Pathol 13(1):65-72, Feb, 2/2009.
5. Arrossi AV, Lin E, Rice D, Moran CA. Histologic Assessment and Prognostic Factors of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Treatment with Extrapleural Pneumonectomy. Am J Clin Pathol 130(5):754-764, 11/2008.
6. Yendamuri S, Vaporciyan AA, Zaidi T, Feng L, Fernandez R, Hofstetter WL, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Spitz MF, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Roth JA, Katz RL. 3p and 10q Deletions detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH): a potential new tool for early detection of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Journal of Thoracic Oncology 3(9):979-984, 9/2008.
7. Nigam R, de Villalobos D, Rice D, Rozner MA, Nates JL. Acute postoperative superior vena cava syndrome. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 22(4):584-6, Jul-Aug, 8/2008. PMID: 18662637.
8. Kent M, Rice D, Flores R. Diagnosis, Staging and Surgical Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. Current Treatment Options in Oncoloty 9(2-3):158-170, 6/2008.
9. Rice DC, Smythe WR, Liao Z, Guerrero T, Chang JY, McAleer MF, Jeter MD, Correa A, Vaporciyan AA, Liu HH, Komaki R, Forster KM, Stevens CW. Dose-dependent pulmonary toxicity after postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 69(2):350-7, Jul-Aug, 10/1/2007. PMID: 17467922.
10. Yendamuri S, Komaki RR, Correa AM, Allen P, Wynn B, Blackmon S, Hofstetter WL, Rice DC, Roth JA, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Mehran RJ. Comparison of limited surgery and three-dimensional conformal radiation in high-risk patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. J Thorac Oncol 2(11):1022-8, Jul-Aug, 11/2007. PMID: 17975494.
11. Rice DC, Stevens CW, Correa AM, Vaporciyan AA, Tsao A, Forster KM, Walsh GL, Swisher SG, Hofstetter WL, Mehran RJ, Roth JA, Liao Z, Smythe WR. Outcomes after extrapleural pneumonectomy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Ann Thorac Surg 84(5):1685-1692, Jul-Aug, 11/2007. PMID: 17954086.
12. Bakaeen F, Rice D, Correa AM, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Putnam JB, Swisher SG, Roth JA, Huh J, Chu D, Smythe WR. Use of aprotinin in extrapleural pneumonectomy: effect on hemostasis and incidence of complications. Ann Thorac Surg 84(3):982-6, Jul-Aug, 9/2007. PMID: 17720413.
13. Fujitani K, Ajani JA, Crane CH, Feig BW, Pisters PW, Janjan N, Walsh GL, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Rice D, Welch A, Baker J, Faust J, Mansfield PF. Impact of induction chemotherapy and preoperative chemoradiotherapy on operative morbidity and mortality in patients with locoregional adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction. Ann Surg Oncol 14(4):1305-1311, 7/2007. PMID: 17253104.
14. Gladish GW, Rice DC, Sabloff BS, Truong MT, Marom EM, Munden RF. Pedicle muscle flaps in intrathoracic cancer resection: imaging appearance and evolution. Radiographics 27(4):975-87, Jul-Aug, 7/2007. PMID: 17620462.
15. Dang A, Mansfield P, Ilsin B, Hightower C, Aravindan N, Rice D, Riedel B. Intraoperative hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy for pleural extension of pseudomyxoma peritonei. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 21(2):265-8, 4/2007. PMID: 17418746.
16. Blackmon SH, Correa AM, Wynn B, Hofstetter WL, Martin LW, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Roth JA, Vaporciyan AA. Propensity-matched analysis of three techniques for intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomosis. Ann Thorac Surg 83(5):1805-1813, 4/2007. PMID: 17462404.
17. Hofstetter W, Correa AM, Bekele N, Ajani JA, Phan A, Komaki RR, Liao Z, Maru D, Wu TT, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Roth JA, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Francis A, Blackmon S, Swisher SG. Proposed modification of nodal status in AJCC esophageal cancer staging system. Ann Thorac Surg 84(2):365-75, Jul-Aug, 2007. PMID: 17643602.
18. Martin LW, Correa AM, Ordonez NG, Roth JA, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Rice DC. Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung: A predictor of poor prognosis. Ann Thorac Surg 84(3):973-81, Jul-Aug, 2007. PMID: 17720411.
19. Chirieac LR, Rice DC, Raymond AK. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in a patient with unusual involvement of the rib and intercostal lymph nodes. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 132(6):1488-9, 12/2006. PMID: 17140992.
20. Herrera LJ, Correa AM, Vaporciyan AA, Hofstetter WL, Rice DC, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Roth JA, Mehran RJ. Increased risk of aspiration and pulmonary complications after lung resection in head and neck cancer patients. Ann Thorac Surg 82(6):1982-7; discussion 1987-8, 12/2006. PMID: 17126095.
21. Malaisrie SC, Hofstetter WL, Correa AM, Ajani JA, Komaki RR, Rice DC, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Roth JA, Wu TT, Swisher SG. The addition of induction chemotherapy to preoperative, concurrent chemoradiotherapy improves tumor response in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. Cancer 107(5):967-74, Nov-Dec, 9/2006. PMID: 16874819.
22. Reardon MJ, Malaisrie SC, Walkes JC, Vaporciyan AA, Rice DC, Smythe WR, DeFelice CA, Wojciechowski ZJ. Cardiac autotransplantation for primary cardiac tumors. Ann Thorac Surg 82(2):645-50, 8/2006. PMID: 16863779.
23. Riedel B, Lim J, Brauer K, Shaw A, Reardon M, Rice D. Diagnosis and management of persistent pulmonary thromboembolism. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 20(4):616-9, Nov-Dec, 8/2006. PMID: 16885000.
24. Rohatgi PR, Swisher SG, Correa AM, Wu TT, Liao Z, Komaki R, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Rice DC, Bresalier RS, Roth JA, Ajani JA. Histologic subtypes as determinants of outcome in esophageal carcinoma patients with pathologic complete response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Cancer 106(3):552-8, Nov-Dec, 2/2006. PMID: 16353210.
25. Malaisrie SC, Hofstetter WL, Correa AM, Ajani JA, Komaki RR, Liao Z, Phan A, Rice DC, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Lahoti S, Lee JH, Bresalier R, Roth JA, Swisher SG. Endoscopic ultrasonography-identified celiac adenopathy remains a poor prognostic factor despite preoperative chemoradiotherapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 131(1):65-72, Nov-Dec, 2006. PMID: 16399296.
26. Rohatgi PR, Correa AM, Swisher SG, Wu TT, Liao Z, Komaki R, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Lee JH, Rice DC, Roth JA, Ajani JA. Gender-based analysis of esophageal cancer patients undergoing preoperative chemoradiation: differences in presentation and therapy outcome. Dis Esophagus 19(3):152-7, Nov-Dec, 2006. PMID: 16722991.
27. Rohatgi P, Swisher SG, Correa AM, Wu TT, Liao Z, Komaki R, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Rice DC, Roth JA, Ajani JA. Characterization of pathologic complete response after preoperative chemoradiotherapy in carcinoma of the esophagus and outcome after pathologic complete response. Cancer 104(11):2365-72, Nov-Dec, 12/2005. PMID: 16245310.
28. Rice DC, Erasmus JJ, Stevens CW, Vaporciyan AA, Wu JS, Tsao AS, Walsh GL, Swisher SG, Hofstetter WL, Ordonez NG, Smythe WR. Extended surgical staging for potentially resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. Ann Thorac Surg 80(6):1988-92; discussion 1992-3, Nov-Dec, 12/2005. PMID: 16305830.
29. Stevens CW, Forster KM, Smythe WR, Rice D. Radiotherapy for mesothelioma. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 19:1099-1115, 12/2005.
30. Martin LW, Correa AM, Hofstetter W, Hong WK, Komaki R, Putnam JB, Rice DC, Smythe WR, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Roth JA. The evolution of treatment outcomes for resected stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer over 16 years at a single institution. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 130(6):1601-10, Nov-Dec, 12/2005. PMID: 16308005.
31. Ascioti AJ, Hofstetter WL, Miller MJ, Rice DC, Swisher SG, Vaporciyan AA, Roth JA, Putnam JB, Smythe WR, Feig BW, Mansfield PF, Pisters PW, Torres MT, Walsh GL. Long-segment, supercharged, pedicled jejunal flap for total esophageal reconstruction. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 130(5):1391-8, Nov-Dec, 11/2005. PMID: 16256794.
32. Rohatgi PR, Swisher SG, Correa AM, Wu TT, Liao Z, Komaki R, Walsh G, Vaporciyan A, Lynch PM, Rice DC, Roth JA, Ajani JA. Failure patterns correlate with the proportion of residual carcinoma after preoperative chemoradiotherapy for carcinoma of the esophagus. Cancer 104(7):1349-55, Nov-Dec, 10/2005. PMID: 16130133.
33. Martin LW, Swisher SG, Hofstetter W, Correa AM, Mehran RJ, Rice DC, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Roth JA. Intrathoracic leaks following esophagectomy are no longer associated with increased mortality. Ann Surg 242(3):392-9; discussion 399-402, Nov-Dec, 9/2005. PMID: 16135925.
34. Erasmus JJ, Truong MT, Smythe WR, Munden RF, Marom EM, Rice DC, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Sabloff BS, Broemeling LD, Stevens CW, Pisters KM, Podoloff DA, Macapinlac HA. Integrated computed tomography-positron emission tomography in patients with potentially resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma: Staging implications. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 129(6):1364-70, Nov-Dec, 6/2005. PMID: 15942579.
35. Han XY, Tarrand JJ, Rice DC. Oral Campylobacter species involved in extraoral abscess: a report of three cases. J Clin Microbiol 43(5):2513-5, Nov-Dec, 5/2005. PMID: 15872299.
36. Swisher SG, Hofstetter W, Wu TT, Correa AM, Ajani JA, Komaki RR, Chirieac L, Hunt KK, Liao Z, Phan A, Rice DC, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Roth JA. Proposed revision of the esophageal cancer staging system to accommodate pathologic response (pP) following preoperative chemoradiation (CRT). Ann Surg 241(5):810-7; discussion 817-20, Nov-Dec, 5/2005. PMID: 15849517.
37. Rice DC, Correa AM, Vaporciyan AA, Sodhi N, Smythe WR, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Putnam JB, Komaki R, Ajani JA, Roth JA. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy prior to esophagectomy in elderly patients is not associated with increased morbidity. Ann Thorac Surg 79(2):391-7; discussionn 391-7, Nov-Dec, 2/2005. PMID: 15680801.
38. Rohatgi PR, Swisher SG, Correa AM, Wu TT, Liao Z, Walsh GL, Vaporciyan AA, Rice DC, Fukami N, Roth JA, Ajani JA. Comparison of clinical stage, therapy response, and patient outcome between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Int J Gastrointest Cancer 36(2):69-76, Nov-Dec, 2005. PMID: 16648656.
39. Zhu XR, Prado K, Liu HH, Guerrero TM, Jeter M, Liao Z, Rice D, Forster K, Stevens CW. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy for mesothelioma: impact of multileaf collimator leaf width and pencil beam size on planning quality and delivery efficiency. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 62(5):1525-1534, Nov-Dec, 2005. PMID: 16029815.
40. Stevens CW, Wong PF, Rice D, Jeter M, Jeeter M, Forster K, Zhu XR. Treatment planning system evaluation for mesothelioma IMRT. Lung Cancer 49(Suppl 1):S75-81, Nov-Dec, 2005. PMID: 15950806.
41. Swisher SG, Erasmus J, Maish M, Correa AM, Macapinlac H, Ajani JA, Cox JD, Komaki RR, Hong D, Lee HK, Putnam JB, Rice DC, Smythe WR, Thai L, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Wu TT, Roth JA. 2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography imaging is predictive of pathologic response and survival after preoperative chemoradiation in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Cancer 101(8):1776-85, Nov-Dec, 10/2004. PMID: 15386332.
42. Agarwal B, Swisher S, Ajani J, Kelly K, Fanning C, Komaki RR, Putnam JB, Abu-Hamda E, Molke KL, Walsh GL, Correa AM, Ho L, Liao Z, Lynch PM, Rice DC, Smythe WR, Stevens CW, Vaporciyan AA, Yao J, Roth JA. Endoscopic ultrasound after preoperative chemoradiation can help identify patients who benefit maximally after surgical esophageal resection. Am J Gastroenterol 99(7):1258-66, Nov-Dec, 7/2004. PMID: 15233663.
43. Vaporciyan AA, Correa AM, Rice DC, Roth JA, Smythe WR, Swisher SG, Walsh GL, Putnam JB. Risk factors associated with atrial fibrillation after noncardiac thoracic surgery: analysis of 2588 patients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 127(3):779-86, Nov-Dec, 3/2004. PMID: 15001907.
44. Reardon MJ, Walkes JC, Rice DC. Autotransplantation for central non-small-cell lung cancer in a patient with poor pulmonary function. Tex Heart Inst J 31(4):360-2, 2004. PMID: 15745285.
45. Swisher SG, Maish M, Erasmus JJ, Correa AM, Ajani JA, Bresalier R, Komaki R, Macapinlac H, Munden RF, Putnam JB, Rice D, Smythe WR, Vaporciyan AA, Walsh GL, Wu TT, Roth JA. Utility of PET, CT, and EUS to identify pathologic responders in esophageal cancer. Ann Thorac Surg 78(4):1152-1160, Nov-Dec, 2004. PMID: 15464463.
46. Ajani JA, Faust J, Yao J, Komaki R, Stevens C, Swisher S, Putnam JB, Vaporciyan A, Smythe R, Walsh G, Rice D, Roth J. Irinotecan/cisplatin followed by 5-FU/paclitaxel/radiotherapy and surgery in esophageal cancer. Oncology (Williston Park) 17(9 Suppl 8):20-22, 2003. PMID: 14569843.
47. Ahamad A, Stevens CW, Smythe WR, Liao Z, Vaporciyan AA, Rice D, Walsh G, Guerrero T, Chang J, Bell B, Komaki R, Forster KM. Promising early local control of malignant pleural mesothelioma following postoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to the chest. Cancer J 9(6):476-484, Nov-Dec, 2003. PMID: 14740977.
48. Rice D, Kim HW, Sabichi A, Lippman S, Lee JJ, Williams B, Vaporciyan A, Smythe WR, Swisher S, Walsh G, Putnam JB, Hong WK, Roth J. The risk of second primary tumors after resection of stage I nonsmall cell lung cancer. Ann Thorac Surg 76(4):1001-1008, 2003. PMID: 14529975.
