in the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Health & Services
Medical Director, Lymphoma and Testicular Cancer Research,
Providence Cancer Center
Medical Oncologist, The Oregon Clinic
Craig Nichols, M.D., is a world-renowned physician and researcher with special experience and expertise in treating patients with Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and testicular cancer.
In his role as director of clinical program development at Providence
Cancer Center, Dr. Nichols assembles multidisciplinary teams of researchers,
physicians, nurses and support people to improve outcomes and the standard
of care for other cancers as well. Highly specialized clinical expertise,groundbreaking
research, and patient outreach and education are the hallmarks of these
programs.
Before joining Providence Cancer Center in 2007, Dr. Nichols
served at Oregon Health & Science University as professor of medicine,
the DeArmond Chair of Clinical Cancer Research, head of the Division of
Hematology and Medical Oncology, and associate director of the Cancer
Institute.He previously served at Indiana University, obtaining the rank
of professor of medicine.
Dr. Nichols received his medical degree from OHSU. After completing his internal medicineresidency at Alton Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, he received fellowship training in hematology and oncology at Indiana University.
- Dr. Nichols successfully treated seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong for testicular cancer in 1996, and serves on the board of directors for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He also is on the board of the Oregon Chapter, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
- Many young men with early-stage testicular cancer can now be spared the long-term side effects of chemotherapy and radiation as a result of a 2007 study coauthored by Dr. Nichols. The study showed that such cases are often cured by surgery alone.
- Dr. Nichols’ practice sees more testicular cancer patients than any other oncology practice west of the Mississippi. In 2006, he was instrumental in developing consensus guidelines for treating testicular cancer at the European Union Consensus Development Conference. A North American conference is planned for 2008.
- Dr. Nichols continues to direct the only focused lymphoma program in Oregon, which provides clinical care, clinical research opportunities, lymphoma education and outreach for Oregonians.
"With appropriate and aggressive therapy, we can cure in excess of 90 percent of patients with Hodgkin’s disease, a large majority of lymphoma patients and virtually all men with testicular cancer. The goal now is to reach that level of success in our treatment of other cancers and to minimize the long-term side effects of cancer treatment for all patients."