Steven Frank, MD
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center - Houston, Texas

Dr. Steven Frank was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. After graduating from the Westminster School, he was awarded a Naval ROTC scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained a B.A. in history in 1991. At that time, he entered the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. He served as a lieutenant on the fast attack submarine USS Batfish (SSN-681), became a U.S. Navy Diver, and became a certified nuclear engineer in Washington, D.C.

After completing his active duty in 1996, Dr. Frank entered Emory University School of Medicine, where he obtained his medical degree in 2000 and completed an internship in internal medicine in 2001. He then moved to Houston, Texas for his residency in radiation oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and completed a clinical fellowship in prostate brachytherapy at the Seattle Prostate Institute. In 2005, Dr. Frank joined the faculty at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, where he currently heads the prostate brachytherapy program.

Dr. Frank became interested in prostate cancer during his clinical training as a radiation oncologist. “I developed relationships with many men with prostate cancer as they struggled with the myriad of treatment options available for this disease. My clinical research focus is on finding a cure for prostate cancer that allows men to maintain an excellent quality of life after treatment,” explains Dr. Frank.

His particular interest is in brachytherapy, a form of radiation therapy that can be delivered as a one-day outpatient procedure and, for many men, can provide a cure with few long-term side effects. Dr. Frank’s research focus in prostate cancer treatment is on seeking ways of improving the anti-cancer effectiveness of brachytherapy while minimizing the risk of side effects.

In addition to his PCF Young Investigator Award, Dr. Frank has received other honors including the Berlex Oncology Foundation Award, the Fletcher Society Resident Research Award, the RSNA Research Trainee Award, and the 3rd International IMRT Treatment Planning Conference Travel Award. He is a member of the American Society of Radiation Oncology, American Brachytherapy Society, the American College of Radiology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Gilbert H. Fletcher Society, the Radiological Society of North America, and the Radium Society.

Dr. Frank’s work has appeared in more than 50 abstracts and peer-reviewed publications, including two book chapters. He also serves as a reviewer for professional journals such as the Journal of Urology, Cancer, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, Head & Neck, the Southern Medical Journal, and Radiotherapy and Oncology.

In his free time, Dr. Frank enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, coaching baseball, reading, flying, and participating in triathlons. With the help of the PCF, Dr. Frank maintains a passion for prostate cancer treatment by continuing to see patients and by maintaining an active research program. “My primary research focus is optimizing dosimetry through improved imaging of the prostate and radioactive seeds to facilitate more precise treatment delivery with less excess radiation exposure to the rest of the body,” says Dr. Frank.