Background

Dr. David Rice earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine, Trinity College, at the University of Dublin. He completed his general surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He also completed a research fellowship in tumor immunology at the Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Rice currently practices as a thoracic surgeon at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he also serves as Professor of Surgery and Principal Investigator. Some of his special areas of interest include the asbestos-related cancers of lung cancer and mesothelioma, and minimally invasive thoracic surgery techniques such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Clinical Interests

Dr. Rice tries to treat his patients’ thoracic malignancies with minimally invasive surgery as it has fewer risks, is less painful, and has a shorter recovery period than open chest surgery. He prefers surgical techniques that only require several small incisions, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), over open chest surgery. Dr. Rice has also pioneered the use of endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided mediastinal nodal biopsies in thoracic malignancies. With this technique, he is able to assess the spread of thoracic malignancies in a less invasive fashion.

Research Interests

Dr. Rice is involved in several studies. He is examining the use of novel targeted biological treament to prevent lung cancer recurrence in individuals who have undergone surgery. He is also studying the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiation in combination with extrapleural pnemonectomy in individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

When faced with a diagnosis of an asbestos-related cancer like mesothelioma or lung cancer, it is crucial to find the right treatment right away. Contact Dr. David Rice today.