John Nicholas Lukens, MD

About us

I am an Assistant Professor and Site Chief of Head and Neck Cancer in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. I treat head and neck and skin cancer patients. I work in a multi-disciplinary setting collaborating with head and neck surgeons, Mohs surgeons, and medical oncologists to care for a complex patient population.  

My research interests include de-intensification trials for favorable risk HPV+ oropharyngeal SCC patients, and in this capacity I served as the Principal Investigator of a clinical trial enrolling 150 HPV+ OPSCC patients decreasing both radiation dose and volumes, and correlating outcomes with circulating HPV DNA. 

Another research interest is the integration of immunotherapy into the treatment of metastatic melanoma patients, investigating the use of high dose radiation to salvage responses to melanoma patients not responding to immunotherapy, and correlating with expansion of the T cell receptor repertoire. I now serve as a co-project-leader of a randomized clinical trial investigating dual checkpoint therapy (Ipi/Nivo) +/- hypofractionated RT for patient with metastatic melanoma. 

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