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Mark Gerard Trombetta

Mark Gerard Trombetta, MD, FACR, FACRO

Professor; Interim Academic Chair, Radiologic Sciences


Department: the Radiologic Sciences

Specialties: Radiation Oncology

Education

  • MD - Hahnemann University (1981-1985)
  • BS - Gannon University (1979-1981)

Awards & Honors

  • Institutional Service Award, Drexel University College of Medicine (2023)
  • Best Doctors in America® (2009-2021)
  • “Best Doctors,” Pittsburgh Magazine (2012-2021)
  • “Top Doctors” Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. (2017-2021)
  • “Best Doctors for Women,” Pittsburgh Magazine (2012)
  • Fellow, American College of Radiology (2010)
  • Outstanding Performance Award, American College of Surgeons Cancer Liaison Physician (2010)

Memberships / Professional Affiliations

  • American Medical Association (Current)
  • American Brachytherapy Society (Current)
  • Pennsylvania Medical Society (Current)
  • American College of Radiology (Current)
  • American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) (Current)
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (Current)
  • American Society of Breast Disease (Current)
  • Pennsylvania Society of Oncology and Hematology (Current)
  • European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) (Current)
  • American Radium Society (Current)
  • Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Medical Society (Current)
  • Jefferson County (Ohio) Medical Society (Current)
  • Ohio State Medical Association (Current)
  • Member; Commission on the Science of Radiology and Medical Imaging: Committee on Radiation Therapy - Pennsylvania Radiological Society: American College of Radiology (1998 - Present)
  • Member; Pennsylvania Carrier Advisory Committee on Radiation Therapy - Pennsylvania Radiological Society (2012 - Present)

Mark Trombetta, MD, FACR, FACRO, is nationally and internationally known for his work in making radiation treatments easier, less toxic and more effective for cancer patients.

A radiation oncologist at Allegheny Health Network’s Cancer Institute, Dr. Trombetta has led the health network in the development of numerous new treatment modalities and innovations. A longtime leader at the AHN Cancer Institute, he currently serves as System Director of Clinical Programs; Department of Oncology, and leads the department’s breast cancer, cardiac radiation and brachytherapy programs.

Internships

  • Allegheny General Hospital (1985-1986)

Residencies

  • Radiation Oncology - Allegheny General Hospital (1986-1989)

Affiliated Hospitals

Allegheny Health Network

Mark Gerard Trombetta, MD, FACR, FACRO, is a professor and interim academic chair in the Department of Radiologic Sciences at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Research

Dr. Trombetta actively participates in research and has authored more than 70 publications, edited two textbooks, and serves on the editorial boards of six journals. He has also been appointed to numerous national committees including the Breast Committee and the Local Regional Breast sub-Committee of the NRG Oncology group.

Among the highlights of his research career, he led multiple long-term studies finding that treating a breast cancer recurrence with a combination of limited radiation following repeat tumor excision rather than with mastectomy, or whole breast removal, is an effective approach for many women. The findings added to a growing body of knowledge suggesting that mastectomy can sometimes be avoided when treating women with a breast cancer recurrence. Dr Trombetta was also an invited expert on both the 2020 Management of Hereditary Breast Cancer Consensus Guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Society of Surgical Oncology and American Society for Radiation Oncology and the ASTRO radiation therapy summary guidelines from this same consensus. He has also published significantly on the treatment of breast cancer patients who have cardiac pacing devices in place and was an invited consultant on the 2017 Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices.

Dr. Trombetta also leads the GammaPod® project for Allegheny Health Network. The GammaPod® is a radiosurgical device specifically used to target breast cancers, lessening treatment duration and hopefully eliminating surgical procedures. The GammaPod® project is one of only five such centers in development internationally. He has also instituted a Permanent Breast Seed Implant program at AHN; one of only two in the United States and five internationally. This novel approach uses radioactive seeds as a one-time radiation treatment for early stage breast cancers.

In collaboration with other AHN researchers, Dr. Trombetta is also working to develop a gene therapy technique that could give new hope to cancer patients suffering from severe dry mouth, a common and devastating effect of radiation therapy which also affects five million patients with Sjogren’s syndrome. The research is funded by a $1.7 million National Institutes of Health grant and multiple sub grants.

Dr. Trombetta also co-developed the novel coronary artery intravascular brachytherapy program which improves the lives of patients with limited options following multiple failed cardiac stent procedures. Additionally, he is the clinical co-lead for cardiac ablation radiotherapy in the management of patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias refractory to other therapies, in order to return these patients to normal quality life. AHN is an international leader in this field.

Publications

Selected Published Full-length Papers

“Patient-reported experience with the use of Mepitel Film for prevention of acute radiation dermatitis in breast cancer”
Gojsevic M, Kennedy S, Rajeswaran T, Herst P, Safavi AH, Corbin K, Hill R, Tran W, Carothers K, Gallant F, Trombetta MG, Arscott WT, Shariati S, Lam J, Akkila S, Behroozian T, Zhang E, Karam I, Chow E
Support Care Cancer 32, 89 (2024)

“Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Clinical Practice Guidance for the Prevention of Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphoedema (BCRAL): International Delphi Consensus-based Recommendations”
Wong HC, Wallen M, Dick N, Bonomo P, Bareham M, Ryan-Wolf J, van den Hurk C, Fitch M, Chow E, Chan R on behalf of the MASCC BCRAL Expert Panel (Trombetta MG; member) and the Oncodermatology and Survivorship Study Groups
eClin Med (2024) epub before print

“Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR): Current status of the art. The old world and the new world connected”
Trombetta MG, Verhoeff JJ
J Radiot Prac Feb 2023 Volume 22, 2023, e67: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1460396922000401

“MASCC clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and management of acute radiation dermatitis: part 1 systematic review”
Behroozian T, Goldshtein D, Ryan Wolf J, et al on behalf of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Oncodermatology Study Group Radiation Dermatitis Guidelines Working Group (Trombetta MG member)
eClinical Medicine 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101886 (accompaniment to Lancet Oncol 2023; 24:e172-85)

“Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and management of acute radiation dermatitis: international Delphi consensus-based recommendations”
Behrhoozian T, Bonomo P, Patel P, et al (Trombetta MG member: Working Group)
Lancet Oncol 2023; 24:e172-85

Additional articles...

“Immunosuppressed Miniswine As a Model for Testing Cell Therapy Success: Experience with Implants of Human Salivary Stem/Progenitor Cell Constructs”
Wu D, Lombaert I, DeLeon M, Pradham-Bhatt S, Witt RL, Harrigton D, Trombetta MG, Passineau MJ, Farach-Carson MC
Fron Mol Biosci (September 2021)

“Adjuvant PARP Inhibitors in Patients With High-Risk Early-Stage HER2-Negative Breast Cancer and Germline BRCA Mutations: ASCO Hereditary Breast Cancer Guideline Rapid Recommendation Update”
Tung N, Zakalik D, Sommerfield M, (…Trombetta MG…)
J Clin Oncol.; JCO2000299. doi/full/10.1200/JCO.21.01532 (August 2021)

“The reprised role of intravascular coronary brachytherapy for in-stent in-stent restenosis”
Trombetta MG, Horne Z, Matani H, Lasorda D
BrachyBlast of the American Brachytherapy Society (April 2021)

“Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation for Intramural Basal Septal Ventricular Tachycardia Originating Near the His Bundle”
Thosani A, Trombetta M, Shaw G, Oh S, Sohn J, Liu E
HeartRhythm Case Rep; Vol 7, (4):246-250 (Apr 2021)

“Repeat Breast Preservation: First Consideration in a Second Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Event”
Trombetta M, Hannoun-Levi JM
ASCO Post (June 25 2020)

“ASTRO Radiation Therapy Summary of the ASCO-ASTRO-SSO Guideline on Management of Hereditary Breast Cancer”
Trombetta MG, Dragun A, Mayr N, Pierce L
Prac Radiat Oncol; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prro.2020.04.003 (May 2020)

“CERE-120 prevents irradiation-induced salivary hypofunction and restores immune homeostasis”
Lombaert I, Patel V, Jones CE, Villier D, Canada A, Moore MR, Berenstein E, Zheng C, Goldsmith C, Chorini J, Zourelias L, Trombetta M, Edwards P, Meyer K, Ando D, Passineau MJ, Hoffman MP
Mol Ther; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2020.07.016 (April 2020)

“Management of Hereditary Breast Cancer: ASCO, ASTRO, and SSO Guideline”
Tung N, MD, Boughey J, Pierce L, MD; Robson M, Bedrosian I, Dietz J, Dragun A, Gelpi J, Hofstatter E, Isaacs C, Jatoi I, Kennedy E, Litton J, Mayr N, Qamar R, Trombetta MG, Harvey B, Somerfield M, Zakalik D
J Clin Oncol.; JCO2000299. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00299 (April 2020)

In response to Foster et al; “Linearly accelerating toward gender equality in Radiation Oncology”
Trombetta M
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys; 105(4):904 (November 2019)

“Surveillance mammography after breast conservation therapy: Is Tomosynthesis worth it?”
Hasan S, Gresswell S, Hilton C, Colosimo B, Weinberger K, Bigbee M, Shindel B, Abel S, Julian TB, Trombetta M
Am J Clin Oncol; 42(8):682-686 (August 2019)

Presentations

Invited expert review panel
Trombetta MG
Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Annual Meeting, Lille, France, June 2024

“Reducing or Eliminating the Need for Radiotherapy: Changing the Paradigm”
Trombetta MG
Glock Foundation Breast Cancer Symposium, Pittsburgh, Pa., May 18, 2024

“International consensus: Using dermocosmetics to reduce risks of oncology-treatment related skin toxicities”
Dreno B, Khosrotehrani K, De Barros-Silva G, Ryan Wolf J, Kerob B, Trombetta M, Atenguena M, Dielenseger P, Pan M, Scotte F, Krakowski I, Lacouture, M with the partnership of AFSOS and MASCC
Presented to the 18th annual European Association of Dermato Oncology Seville, Spain April 21-23 2023

“Management of clinical Stent-In-Stent Restenosis (SISR) in high risk coronary artery disease patients with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) followed by Coronary Intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT)”
Valand H, Matani H, Reddy SB, Lasorda D, Pavord D, Liang Y, Trombetta M
Presented to the SCAI annual meeting Phoenix, Az May 18-20 2023

“Accurate EAM-based target delineation in stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation of VT”
Liu E, Shaw GC, Sohn J, Lee D, Wegner RE, Colonias A, Trombetta MG, Oh S
HRS 2023

Additional presentations...

“STAR as treatment for recurrent CT in two patients with LVAD”
Samral GS, Trombetta MG, Oh S, Liu E, Thosani A, Shaw G
HRS 2023

“Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation in VF with left ventricular thrombus”
Gupta M, Shaw G, Oh S, Trombetta MG, Liu E, Sohn J, Thosani A
HRS 2023

“Stereotactic arrhythmia radiotherapy for VT: a single center experience with electroanatomic mapping”
Samra G, Thosani A, Liu E, Oh S, Trombetta MG, Shaw G
HRS 2023

"Pioneering Cardiac Radioablation with the use of an MRI Linear Accelerator. Can we use a Gamma Knife® to the Heart as we do in the Brain?"
Biederman R, Liu E, Lee D, Oh S, Pavord D, Trombetta M, Fast M, Colonias T, Verhoeff J, Doyle M, Parda D, Sohn J
Rapid Fire Oral presentation to the American Heart Association 2021 Annual meeting in Boston Massachusetts (November 13-15, 2021)

"Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation for Treating Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia"
Oh S, Liu E, Trombetta MG, Shaw G, Thosani A, Sohn J
Oral presentation to the 63rd annual AAPM meeting in Columbus, Ohio (July 25-29, 2021)

"Improved plan quality and faster radiation delivery for cardiac radioablation using an increased number of treatment beams in the Unity® planning system"
Lee D, Oh S, Pavord D, Trombetta MG, Fast M, Colonias T, Verhoeff J, Sohn J
Presentation to the 16th Elekta MRI-Linac Consortium (virtual meeting) (June 19, 2021)

"Cardiac MRI based planning for STereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (STAR) in refractory ventricular tachycardia as a bridge to Unity®"
Trombetta MG, Liu E, Oh S, Thosani A, Colonias T, Shaw GC, Biederman R, Doyle M, Sohn J, Fast M, Matani H, Mandija S, Verhoeff J
Presentation to the 16th Elekta MRI-Linac Consortium (virtual meeting) (June 19, 2021)

"Feasibility of implementing 3-D dosimetry verification of the Elekta Unity MR-Linac online plan using an independent dose calculation system"
Lee D, Oh S, Pavord D, Lee H, Chetvertkov M, Trombetta M, Sohn J
Presentation to the 15th Elekta MRI-Linac Consortium (virtual substitute for scheduled Atlanta, Georgia) (Sept 8-11, 2020)

* This physician's clinical practice is independent of Drexel University.