Varun Chowdhry MD
Varun Chowdhry
MD
Radiation Oncologist, Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Radiation Oncology
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Radiation Medicine; Radiation Oncology
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Gen. Hosp. (2015)
- Residency, State University of New York, Upstate Medical Univ (2014)
- Internship, State University of New York, Upstate Medical Univ (2010)
- MD, State University of New York, Upstate Medical Univ (2009)
- BS, University of Rochester (2005)
Employment:
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology Assistant Radiation Oncologist Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA Instructor in Radiation Oncology, Part-time, Harvard Medical School Exeter Hospital; Exeter, NH Cooley-Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA August 2016-August 2018
- University of Rochester, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rochester NY Assistant Professor of Clinical Radiation Oncology Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center – Strong Campus Highland Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center – Highland Campus Medical Director, Hornell Radiation Oncology Assistant Radiation Safety Officer, Hornell Radiation Oncology July 2015-July 2016
- Clinical Associate Professor, Radiation Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences University at Buffalo (2018-present)
- Staff Physician, Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School (2016–2018)
- Clinical Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Strong Memorial Hospital University of Rochester (2015–2016)
Awards and Honors:
- Buffalo Spree Magazine, Top Doctors of Buffalo, NY, 2021, 2024 (2025)
- Strong Star (2015)
- Teaching Award (2010)
Journal Articles:
- Khamis Z, Araji G, Al Saidi I, Araji M, Wei C, Mustafa A, Barakat S, Chowdhry V, Odaimi M. (2025) Cancer-Associated Venous Thromboembolism Among Hospitalized Patients with Solid and Hematological Malignancies: A Comprehensive National Study. Cancers (Feb), 17(5). doi:10.3390/cancers17050729
- Araji G, Keesari PR, Chowdhry V, Valsechi-Diaz J, Afif S, Diab W, El-Sayegh S. (2024) Vitamin B12 deficiency in dialysis patients: risk factors, diagnosis, complications, and treatment: A comprehensive review. World journal of nephrology (Dec), 13(4): 100268. doi:10.5527/wjn.v13.i4.100268
- Soucise A, Shekher R, Faller J, Keppel D, Anthony G, Dexter E, Chowdhry VK. (2024) Mortality Review Committee: Understanding Inpatient and 30-Day Mortality at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Journal of palliative medicine (Dec), 27(12): 1598-1605.
- Becker ER, Price AD, Barth J, Hong S, Chowdhry V, Starr AJ, Sagi HC, Park C, Goodman MD. (2024) External Validation of Predictors of Mortality in Polytrauma Patients. The Journal of surgical research (Sep), 301: 618-622.
- Khan S, Araji G, Yetiskul E, Keesari PR, Haddadin F, Khamis Z, Chowdhry V, Niazi M, Afif S, Dhar M, El-Sayegh S. (2024) Systemic oncological therapy in breast cancer patients on dialysis. World journal of clinical oncology (Jun), 15(6): 730-744. doi:10.5306/wjco.v15.i6.730
- Fekrmandi F, Gill J, Suresh S, Hewson S, Chowdhry VK. (2024) Impact of Severe Winter Weather on Operations of a Radiation Oncology Department. Advances in radiation oncology (Jun), 9(6): 101491. doi:10.1016/j.adro.2024.101491
- Park C, Loza-Avalos SE, Harvey J, Hirschkorn C, Dultz LA, Dumas RP, Sanders D, Chowdhry V, Starr A, Cripps M. (2024) A Real-Time Automated Machine Learning Algorithm for Predicting Mortality in Trauma Patients: Survey Says it's Ready for Prime-Time. The American surgeon (Apr), 90(4): 655-661.
- Chowdhry V, Dharshan A, Stewart E, Mann G. (2023) Navigating the global IV contrast shortage: The experience of a comprehensive cancer center. Clinical imaging (Oct), 102: 9-13.
- Chowdhry VK, Simpson NC. (2023) Process Modeling a Radiation Oncology Clinic Workflow From Therapeutic Simulation to Treatment: Identifying Impending Strain and Possible Treatment Delays. Advances in radiation oncology (Jan), 8(6): 101261. doi:10.1016/j.adro.2023.101261
- Wang X, Pengetnze YM, Eckert E, Keever G, Chowdhry V. (2022) Extending Postpartum Medicaid Beyond 60 Days Improves Care Access and Uncovers Unmet Needs in a Texas Medicaid Health Maintenance Organization. Frontiers in public health (Jan), 10: 841832. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.841832
- Young BM, Chowdhry VK. (2022) The Gold Ring. Practical radiation oncology (Jan), 12(3): 185-186.
- Chowdhry VK, Daniel Z, Hackett R. (2021) Departmental quality initiative to establish turnaround times from simulation to treatment. Technical innovations & patient support in radiation oncology (Sep), 19: 37-40. doi:10.1016/j.tipsro.2021.07.003
- Chowdhry VK, Kane JM, Wang K, Joyce D, Grand'Maison A, Mann GN. (2021) Testicular, Spermatic Cord, and Scrotal Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Treatment Outcomes and Patterns of Failure. Sarcoma (Jan), 2021: 8824301. doi:10.1155/2021/8824301
- Chowdhry VK. (2021) Denied. Practical radiation oncology (Jan), 11(4): 241-242.
- Chowdhry V. (2020) Cardioplegic arrest as pharmacological defibrillation; A novel approach for refractory ventricular fibrillation. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 23(4): 541-542. doi:10.4103/aca.ACA_6_19
- Chowdhry VK. (2020) Finding Strength in a Small Place. Practical radiation oncology (Jan), 10(5): e309.
- Platek A, Mix M, Chowdhry V, Farrugia M, Lacombe MA, Bogart JA, Degraaf L, Iovoli A, Arshad H, Wooten K, Gupta V, Hicks WL, Platek ME, Hahn SS, Singh AK. (2020) Evaluation of radiation treatment volumes for unknown primaries of the head and neck in the era of FDG PET. PloS one (Jan), 15(4): e0231042. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0231042
- Chowdhry SM, Chowdhry VK. (2019) Cancer cachexia and treatment toxicity. Current opinion in supportive and palliative care (Dec), 13(4): 292-297.
- Chowdhry VK. (2019) The Side Effect Not Discussed. Practical radiation oncology (Nov), 9(6): e485-e486.
- Chowdhry VK. (2019) The Lessons Learned from Patients We Didn't Help. The oncologist (Jul), 24(7): 1008-1009. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.2018-0658
- Samantaray DJ, Trehan M, Chowdhry V, Reedy S. (2019) Comparison of hemodynamic response and postoperative pain score between general anaesthesia with intravenous analgesia versus general anesthesia with caudal analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 22(1): 35-40. doi:10.4103/aca.ACA_215_17
- Chowdhry V, Jangro P, Goldberg S, Gagne N, Chabot S, Proulx G, Rauwerdink C. (2018) Quality improvement program in radiation oncology: understanding patient hospitalizations, treatment breaks, and weight loss in patients receiving radiotherapy. Radiat Oncol (Aug), 13(1): 161-161.
- Chowdhry AK, Fung C, Chowdhry VK, Bergsma D, Dhakal S, Constine LS, Milano MT. (2018) A population-based study of prognosis and survival in patients with second primary thyroid cancer after Hodgkin lymphoma. Leukemia & lymphoma (May), 59(5): 1180-1187.
- Chowdhry VK. (2018) Where evidence meets experience. Practical radiation oncology (Jan), 8(4): 219-220.
- Chowdhry V, Goldberg S, DeLaney TF, Cote GM, Chebib I, Kim J, Lozano-Calderón SA, De Amorim Bernstein K. (2018) Myxoid Liposarcoma: Treatment Outcomes from Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy. Sarcoma (Jan), 2018: 8029157. doi:10.1155/2018/8029157
- Chowdhry VK, Bushey JA, Kwait RM, Goldberg S, Ritchie J, Ji YL, McKee R, Palladino D, Proulx GM. (2018) Intraoperative radiation therapy as part of planned monotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. Journal of radiation oncology (Jan), 7(2): 167-173. doi:10.1007/s13566-017-0338-z
- Chowdhry V, Padhi M, Biswal S, Mohanty BB. (2016) Perioperative Management of Mitral Valve Replacement in an Individual With Bombay Phenotype. Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia (Oct), 30(5): 1337-9.
- Chowdhry VK, Liu L, Goldberg S, Adams JA, De Amorim Bernstein K, Liebsch NJ, Niemierko A, Chen YL, DeLaney TF. (2016) Thoracolumbar spinal cord tolerance to high dose conformal proton-photon radiation therapy. Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (Apr), 119(1): 35-9.
- Chowdhry V, Biswal S, Mohanty BB, Bhuyan P. (2016) Catatonic stupor after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 19(4): 758-759. doi:10.4103/0971-9784.191574
- Chowdhry V, Padhi M, Mohanty BB, Biswal S. (2016) Perioperative challenges in management of a deaf and dumb patient posted for high-risk cardiac surgery. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 19(3): 564-7. doi:10.4103/0971-9784.185567
- Eaton BR, Chowdhry V, Weaver K, Liu L, Ebb D, MacDonald SM, Tarbell NJ, Yock TI. (2015) Use of proton therapy for re-irradiation in pediatric intracranial ependymoma. Radiother Oncol (Aug), 116(2): 301-308.
- Chowdhry V, Padhi M, Mohanty BB, Mohapatra S. (2015) Fluoroquinolones: An under-recognized cause for delirium. Journal of anaesthesiology, clinical pharmacology (Jan), 31(3): 410-1. doi:10.4103/0970-9185.161686
- Chowdhry V, Mohanty BB. (2015) Intractable hyperkalemia due to nicorandil induced potassium channel syndrome. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 18(1): 101-3. doi:10.4103/0971-9784.148331
- Chowdhry VK, Chowdhry AK, Goldman N, Scalzetti EM, Grage RA, Bogart JA. (2014) Complications from computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy for patients receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy for early-stage lesions of the lung. Clinical lung cancer (Jul), 15(4): 302-6.
- Churilla TM, Chowdhry VK, Pan D, de la Roza G, Damron T, Lacombe MA, Chowdhry V. (2013) Radiation-induced dermatitis with vemurafenib therapy. Pract Radiat Oncol (Oct), 3(4): 195-198.
- Chowdhry V, Biswal S. (2013) Transvenous pacing and manipulation of heart in coronary artery bypass grafting: A word of caution. Indian journal of anaesthesia (Mar), 57(2): 204-6. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.111872
- Chowdhry V, Rath A. (2013) Failure to ventilate: Technical error. Saudi journal of anaesthesia (Jan), 7(1): 99-100. doi:10.4103/1658-354X.109853
- Chowdhry V, Mohanty BB, Probodh D. (2013) Cardiac surgery in a patient with immunological thrombocytopenic purpura: complications and precautions. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 16(2): 147-50.
- Chowdhry V, Cummings MA, Hahn SS, Chowdhry AK, Stellingwerf K, Shapiro A. (2013) Dosimetric and clinical analysis of retreatment of vertebral body metastases using intensity modulated radiation therapy. Practical radiation oncology (Jan), 3(2 Suppl 1): S15-6.
- Chowdhry VK, Carter DA, Shapiro A. (2013) Intractable nausea in a patient with synchronous pancreatic cancer and a fourth-ventricular ependymoma. Journal of cancer research and therapeutics (Jan), 9(4): 733-5.
- Cummings M, Chowdhry V, Shah H, Back J, Kennedy GA. (2012) Recurrent meningeal sarcoma successfully treated with stereotactic radiosurgery. Journal of neurosurgery. Pediatrics (Nov), 10(5): 434-8.
- Farris MK, Chowdhry VK, Lemke S, Kilpatrick M, Lacombe M, Chowdhry V. (2012) Osteosarcoma following single fraction radiation prophylaxis for heterotopic ossification. Radiat Oncol (Aug), 7: 140-140.
- Chowdhry V, Debasish G, Dharmajivan S. (2012) Anaphylaxis to vecuronium: A rare event. Indian journal of anaesthesia (May), 56(3): 314-5. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.98799
- Chowdhry V, Mishra B, Rao KV. (2012) Iatrogenic hemorrhage from left umbilical vein after cardiac surgery: an unusual complication. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 15(2): 141-3.
- Chowdhry V, Bisoyi S, Mishra B. (2012) Perioperative challenges in a patient of severe G6PD deficiency undergoing open heart surgery. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 15(1): 50-3.
- Chowdhry VK, Hsu J, Lemke S, Kittur D, Hahn SS, Chowdhry V. (2012) Long-term survival in a patient with metastatic oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma to liver. J Cancer Res Ther (Jan), 8(1): 138-141.
- Chowdhry V, Mohanty BB. (2012) Pericardial effusion causing ventricular arrhythmias: atypical presentation. Annals of cardiac anaesthesia (Jan), 15(4): 319-20.
- Williams LK, Peterson EL, Wells K, Ahmedani BK, Kumar R, Burchard EG, Chowdhry VK, Favro D, Lanfear DE, Pladevall M. (2011) Quantifying the proportion of severe asthma exacerbations attributable to inhaled corticosteroid nonadherence. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology (Dec), 128(6): 1185-1191.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2011.09.011
- Williams LK, Peterson EL, Wells K, Campbell J, Wang M, Chowdhry VK, Walsh M, Enberg R, Lanfear DE, Pladevall M. (2010) A cluster-randomized trial to provide clinicians inhaled corticosteroid adherence information for their patients with asthma. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology (Aug), 126(2): 225-31, 231.e1-4. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2010.03.034
- Williams LK, Joseph CL, Peterson EL, Wells K, Wang M, Chowdhry VK, Walsh M, Campbell J, Rand CS, Apter AJ, Lanfear DE, Tunceli K, Pladevall M. (2007) Patients with asthma who do not fill their inhaled corticosteroids: a study of primary nonadherence. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology (Nov), 120(5): 1153-9.
- Chowdhry V, Kumar N, Lachance DH, Salomao DR, Luthra HS. (2005) An unusual presentation of rheumatoid meningitis. Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging (Jul), 15(3): 286-8.
Professional Memberships:
- American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (2017–present)
- American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO); Member (2010–present)
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical Staff Executive Committee, Vice President, December 2023-present; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical Staff Executive Committee, Vice President, December 2023-present
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Mortality Review Committee, Chair. September 2022-present; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Mortality Review Committee, Chair. September 2022-present
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Intuitional Review Board (IRB), Member, May 2023-present Co-Chair, February 2024-present; Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Intuitional Review Board (IRB), Member, May 2023-present Co-Chair, February 2024-present
Presentations:
- "Metastatic Carcinoma of Unknown Primary to Cervical Lymph Nodes: Treatment Patterns, Outcomes and Patterns of Failure" Radiologic Society of North America 99th Annual Meeting; Radiologic Society of North America (RSNA); Radiation Oncology (2013)
- "Cell Signaling and Mechanisms of Oncogenesis" Pathology Course SUNY Upstate Medical University; SUNY Upstate Medical University; 2nd year medical students (2013)
- "Introduction to Cancer Therapy: Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy" Pathology Course SUNY Upstate Medical University; SUNY Upstate Medical University; 2nd year medical students (2013)
- "Gliomatosis Cerebri: Treatment Outcomes and Patterns of Failure" American Radium Society 94th Annual Mtg.; American Radium Society; Radiation Oncology (2012)