Reza Shirazi, M.D.graduated Magna Cum Laude in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from California State University of Los Angeles and was recipient of the 1996 NASA & Jet Propulsion Laboratories, Outstanding Engineer of the Year Award. He earned his Master’s in Applied Physiology and medical degree from The Chicago Medical School at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in 2001. He served his internship at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, and completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of Cincinnati Barrett Cancer Center where he served as the chief resident from 2005-2006. He is Board Certified in Radiation Oncology by the American Board of Radiology and recipient of the RSNA 2006 Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award. He joined Radiation Medical Group in 2006.
Dr. Shirazi serves on the board of directors of Unio Specialty Care and Western Cancer Center. He is the former Chair of American Cancer Society San Diego County, former Chair of leadership council for American Cancer Society San Diego, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physics at San Diego State University and recognized as one of San Diego’s Top Doctors by the San Diego Medical Society and San Diego Magazine in 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. He has several peer reviewed publications and presentations in National Scientific meetings and is an active member of the research arm of the Unio Specialty Care team. He is a fellow of the American College of Radiation Oncology (FACRO).
Specific areas of interest and expertise include CyberKnife® stereotactic radiosurgery, Image guided radiotherapy (IGRT), Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for treatment of prostate, breast, pancreas, gastro-intestinal, brain tumors, Barrigel and SpaceOar for selected prostate cancer patients.
BOARD CERTIFICATION
Fellow of the American College of Radiation Oncology (FACRO), 2020.
PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS HELD
2006 - present | Attending Radiation Oncologist Radiation Medical Group CyberKnife Centers of San Diego Unio Specialty Care San Diego |
2016 – present | Adjunct Professor Department of Physics, San Diego State University San Diego |
2013 - present | Board of Directors Unio Specialty Care San Diego |
2011 - present | Board of Directors Western Cancer Center San Diego |
COMMUNITY POSITIONS HELD
2014 - 2017 | Chair American Cancer Society San Diego and Border Sierra Regional Council |
2011 - 2013 | Chair American Cancer Society Leadership Council San Diego County |
2007 - present | Board Member American Cancer Society Leadership Council San Diego County |
2008 - 2013 | Cancer Liaison Physician Commission on Cancer for American College of Surgeons, Alvarado Hospital Medical Center |
2009 - present | Medical Board of Directors Persian-American Cancer Institute |
EDUCATION
June 2006 Chief Resident: 2005-2006 | University of Cincinnati / Barrett Cancer CenterCincinnati, Ohio Residency in Radiation Oncology |
June 2002 | Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois Internship in Internal medicine |
June 2001 | The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, Illinois Doctor of Medicine / Master of Science in Applied Physiology |
June 1996 Magna Cum Laude | California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Minor in Biology |
PUBLICATIONS / PAPERS UNDER REVIEW
Fuller DB, Naitoh J, Shirazi R, Crabtree T, Mardirossian G. Prostate SBRT: Comparison the Efficacy and Toxicity of Two Different Dose Fractionation Schedules. Front Oncol. 2020 Jun 25;10:936. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00936. eCollection 2020.
Fuller DB, Wurzer J, Shirazi R, Bridge SS, Law J, Mardirossian G: High-dose-rate stereotactic body radiation therapy for post radiation therapy locally recurrent prostatic carcinoma: Preliminary prostate-specific antigen response, disease-free survival, and toxicity assessment. Pract Radiation Oncology 2015 Nov-Dec;5(6):e615-23.doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2015.04.009.Epub 2015 Jun6
Dowlatshahi M, Do L, Shirazi R, Mehrany K, Salari A, Huan L, Kagan AR: Merkel Cell Carcinoma Treated with Wide Local Excision with or without Radiotherapy: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Analysis. Paper submitted for publication
Shirazi R, Goldfarb PM, Fuller DB, Sanati H: CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Palliation and Local Control in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Review. Journal of Clinical Oncology 29: 2011 (suppl; abstract e14506)
Fuller DB, Shirazi R, Naitoh J, Mardirossian G: Virtual HDR SBRT for Localized Prostatic Carcinoma: Efficacy and Quality of Life Assessment. Abstract accepted for poster presentation at the American Society for Radiation Oncology 53rd Annual Meeting, Miami Beach, Florida, October 2011
Shirazi R, Goldfarb P, Fuller D, Smith, D, Tova Y, Mansy G, Giap H, Sanati H. Hypofractionated CyberKnife Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. Abstract presented at the 2011 CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery Summit, San Francisco, February 2011
Giap HB, Fuller DB, Mardirossian G, Muniruzzaman MM, Smith DE, Shirazi R, Mansy GJ, Tova Y, Ijaz T, Lin R. CyberKnife Treatment for Posterior Lung Tumor: Supine versus Prone Position? Abstract presented at the 9th Annual CyberKnife Scientific Meeting. Dallas, Texas, March 2010
Giap HB, Fuller DB, Mardirossian G, Muniruzzaman MM, Smith DE, Mansy GJ, Tova Y, Shirazi R, Ijaz T, Lin R. Partial Breast Irradiation with CyberKnife: Solutions to Overcome the Technical Issues to the First Patient Treatment. Abstract presented at the 9th Annual CyberKnife Scientific Meeting. Dallas, Texas, March 2010
Mierzwa ML, Barrett WL, Redmond K, Shirazi R, Kastle A, Kumar N, Buncher R: Randomized trial to assess the efficacy of intraoperative steroid use in decreasing acute urinary retention after transperineal radioactive iodine-125 implantation for prostate cancer. Cancer 2008 November 1; 113(9): 2605-9
Mierzwa ML, Barrett WL, Redmond KP, Shirazi R, Kastl A: A Phase III Randomized Trial to Assess the Efficacy on Intraoperative Steroid Use in Decreasing Acute Urinary Retention Following Transperineal Radioactive Seed Implantation for Prostate Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics 2007 November 1; Vol 69 (3 Supplement) S113-S114
Mishra MV, Shirazi R, Barrett WL: Incidence and Clinical Course of Hemorrhagic Radiation Proctitis after Iodine-125 Prostate Brachytherapy. Clinics in Genitourinary Cancer 2007 September; 5 (6): 397-400
William Barrett, William Kassing, Reza Shirazi. Efficacy of Brachytherapy for prostate cancer in African Americans compared with Caucasians. Brachytherapy 3 (2004): 30-33
R. Shirazi, M. Mishra, W. Barrett. Prostate Specific Antigen Nadir after brachytherapy alone for treatment of prostate cancer; how low does it have to go? (manuscript) Submitted to Brachytherapy
R. Shirazi, M. Mishra, A. Kleimeyer, W. Kassing, W. Barrett. Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy plus brachytherapy vs. brachytherapy alone for patients with prostate cancer: A single institution retrospective study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2004 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 23: 423 (4674)
R. Shirazi, R. C. Buncher, Y. Gao, W. L. Barrett. Assessing the impact of alternative definitions of biochemical failure in prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy alone. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings, presented
R. Shirazi, A. Puthawala, A. Shrama, N. Syed. HDR for recurrent/persistent Head and Neck Cancer, Long Beach Memorial experience. 2006 ACRO Annual Meeting, Florida (scholarship recipient), presented
M. V. Mishra, R. Shirazi, K. Hertzfeld, W. Barrett. What PSA nadir after prostate brachytherapy is associated with biochemical disease control? Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 23, No 16S: 431s (4716)
M. V. Mishra, R. Shirazi, W. Barrett. Incidence and clinical course of hemorrhagic radiation proctitis following 125I prostate Brachytherapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2006 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings (to be published), presented
A. Nagavi, R. Shirazi, N. Dunlap, W. Barrett. Age as a prognostic factor for prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy.(manuscript) Submitted to Brachytherapy
A. Nagavi, R. Shirazi, N. Dunlap, W. Barrett. Age as a prognostic factor for prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy. Journal of Clinical Oncology,2005 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 23, No 16S: 435s (4731)
K. E. Hertzfeld, R. Shirazi, W. Barrett. Efficacy of brachytherapy for prostate cancer in organ transplant patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2005 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 23, No 16S: 452s (4797)
N. Dunlap, R. Shirazi, A. Naghavi, W. Barrett. The prognostic importance of Biopsy proven unilateral vs. bilateral disease in patients treated with I-125 seed implant for localized prostate cancer : A single institution retrospective study. ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings Vol. 23 (2004): 423 (4673)
R. Shirazi, E. Dessner, E. Kim, C. Peña-Rasgado & H. Rasgado-Flores. Second messenger stimulation of Na/Mg exchange in skeletal muscle. FASEB J. 13: A401(350.3), 1999.
R. Shirazi, R. Modak, J. Tie, P. Yee, J. DeSantiago, C. Peña-Rasgado, H. Gonzalez-Serratos and H. Rasgado-Flores. Modulation of extracellular Mg-dependent Na efflux in skeletal muscle. FASEB J. 12: A548(3184), 1998.
PRESENTATIONS
Iranian-American Medical Association Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV 2010
CyberKnife Users Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA 2010
Minimally Invasive Robotic Association Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA 2010
Persian-American Cancer Institute Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA 2009
Second Multidisciplinary Prostate Cancer Symposium, San Francisco CA 2006
ACRO Annual Meeting, Orlando FL 2006
First Multidisciplinary Prostate Cancer Symposium, Orlando FL 2005
Greater Cincinnati Annual Prostate Cancer Symposium 2004
Midwest Physiology and Biophysics Society Forum 2000
National Student Research Forum 1998, Galveston TX
Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum 1998, Omaha NB
The Chicago Medical School Research Forum 1997
RADIOTHERAPY EXPERIENCE
Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Radionics X-Knife system and BrainLab
HDR and LDR brachytherapy, Intercavitary & Interstitial Brachytherapy (prostate, cervix, vagina, sarcoma, GBM, breast, head & neck, ocular melanoma)
AWARDS & HONORS
ACRO Prostate Cancer Fellowship Scholarship 2006 (Aventis Oncolocy)
First place-Midwest Student Research Forum XXIX (1998, poster presentation)
39th annual National Student Research Forum (1998, poster presentation)
First place-Chicago Medical School Summer Research Fellow (1997)
Chicago Medical School Research Fellowship, 1997
1996 Outstanding Engineer Award, awarded by the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering (sponsors NASA & Jet Propulsion Laboratories)
Recognized as one of San Diego's Top Doctors by the San Diego Medical Society and San Diego Magazine in 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2017
VOLUNTEER WORK
Member of the 2001 Medical School Admission Committee PALS program 1998-1999, Chicago Medical School
MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIIONS
- Academy of Persian Physicians
- American Society of Clinical Oncology California Medical Association
- Iranian-American Medical Association
- American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology
- American College of Radiation Oncology
- Minimally Invasive Robotic Association
- Radiosurgery Society
- San Diego County Medical Society
- San Diego Radiological Society
- Southern California Radiation Oncology Society
- National Engineering Honors Societies (TAU BETA PI), (ETA KAPPA NU)
- National Academic Honor Society (PHI KAPPA PHI)
- National College Honor Society (ALPHA GAMMA SIGMA)
- Chairman of the Career-Day Committee at CSULA(1994)
- Treasurer of Engineering & Technology Student Council(1993-94)