Dennis L. Carter, MD


Radiation Oncologist

5280 Top Doc 2023
Dennis L. Carter, MD | Oncologist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Aurora Radiation

1700 S. Potomac St.
Aurora, CO 80012

303-418-7659

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Secondary Location(s)

Aurora

1700 S. Potomac St.
Aurora, CO 80012

303-418-7600

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Aurora Breast Specialists

1700 S. Potomac St.
Aurora, CO 80012

303-376-5020

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About Dennis L. Carter, MD

Dr. Carter is a board-certified radiation oncologist who has been practicing at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers since 2001. His areas of expertise include targeted radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image guided radiotherapy (IGRT), 3-D conformal radiation therapy, and accelerated partial breast irradiation (ABPI). He treats a wide variety of cancers, with a special interest in breast cancers, head and neck cancers, lung cancers, prostate cancer, skin cancers, and oligometastases. He believes in a compassionate, patient-centered approach. He enjoys educating his patients about their diagnoses so they can participate in a shared decision-making process about their cancer treatment plan, which he feels is an important part of optimizing his patients’ outcomes.

Dr. Carter participates in many tumor boards, where he collaborates with other cancer specialists including surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and medical oncologists. This allows him to provide a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to his cancer treatment recommendations. Dr. Carter has served as principal investigator for many Phase II and Phase III studies, including studies specific to breast cancer, lung cancer, head and neck cancers, and metastatic cancers (liver, oligometastases).

Along with his radiation oncology partners, Dr. Carter was instrumental in the development of accelerated partial breast irradiation, maintaining one of the largest databases in the world for intensity modulated accelerated partial breast irradiation, in which small breast tumors can be treated over just one week. He emphasizes the importance of participating in clinical research trials when appropriate to ensure his patients are receiving the most up-to-date, cutting-edge treatment for their disease.

Board Certifications

Radiation Oncology

Specialties

  • Breast Cancer
  • Benign/Non-Cancerous Diseases
    • Keloids
    • Dupuytren’s Contracture
    • Ledderhose Disease
    • Trigeminal Neuralgia
    • Avascular Necrosis
    • Heterotopic Ossification
  • Central Nervous System (CNS) Tumors
    • Adenomas
    • Gliomas
    • Meningiomas
    • Schwannomas
  • Gastrointestinal Cancers
  • General Radiation Oncology
    • 3D Conformational Radiation Therapy
    • Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (ABPI)
    • Breast Multi-Disciplinary Clinic
    • Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
    • Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
    • Lung Multi-Disciplinary Clinic
    • Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR)
    • Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT)
    • Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS, brain and spine)
    • Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)
  • Genitourinary Cancers
  • Gynecologic Cancers
    • Cervical Cancer
    • Uterine Cancer
    • Vaginal Cancer
    • Vulvar Cancer
  • Head and Neck Cancers
    • Laryngeal Cancer
    • Nasopharyngeal Cancer
    • Oral Cavity Cancer
    • Oropharyngeal Cancer
    • Salivary Gland Cancer
    • Sinonasal Cancer
    • Thyroid Cancer
    • Tongue Cancer
  • Lymphomas
    • Non-Hodkin Lymphoma
    • Hodgkin's Lymphoma
  • Oligometastatic Cancers
  • Radionuclide Therapy
  • Sarcoma
  • Skin Cancers
    • Basal Cell Cancer
    • Melanoma
    • Merkel Cell Cancer
    • Squamous Cell Cancer
  • Thoracic Cancers

Education

Residency

Deaconess Medical Center, Spokane, WA

Chief Resident, Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

Medical School

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Patient Care Philosophy

I have great respect for the strength of character that I observe in my patients each day. I consider cancer care a team effort, involving participation from physicians, support staff, family, friends, and, most importantly, the individual patient.

 
 
 

Additional Information

American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
Christian Medical and Dental Society
Colorado Medical Society

Dr. Carter has delivered approximately 50 expert presentations at regional and national meetings to provide physician continuing medical education on advances in treatments such as:

• Breast cancers
• Cancer prevention and screening
• Combining radiotherapy with chemotherapy
• Curative aggressive therapy for limited metastases (oligometastases)
• Delivering radiotherapy over shorter periods of time
• Faith and cancer
• Head and neck cancers
• Liver metastases
• Lung cancers
• Reducing normal tissue toxicity
• Sarcomas
• Use of national guidelines and pathways to improve cancer treatment.
• Using targeted radiotherapy techniques (e.g. 3D, IMRT, VMAT, IGRT, SBRT, SRS, etc.)

Melody A Cobleigh, Stewart J Anderson, Kalliopi P Siziopikou, Douglas W Arthur, Rachel Rabinovitch, Thomas B Julian, David S Parda, Samantha A Seaward, Dennis L Carter, Janice A Lyons, Melissa S Dillmon, Gustav C Magrinat, Vivek S Kavadi, Allison M Zibelli, Lavanya Tiriveedhi, Matthew L Hill, Marianne K Melnik, Sushil Beriwal, Eleftherios P Mamounas, Norman Wolmark Comparison of Radiation With or Without Concurrent Trastuzumab for HER2-Positive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Resected by Lumpectomy: A Phase III Clinical Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2021.

C Leonard, S Tole, M Turner, J Bennett, K Howell, D Carter Association of the 12-gene Breast DCIS Score® assay with local recurrence in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ treated on accelerated partial breast radiotherapy protocols. Research Square, 10.21203/rs.3.rs-116082/v1

RY Lei, DL Carter, AG Antell, MA Nowels, JP Bennett, M Turner, FL Baehner, CE Leonard A Comparison of Predicted Ipsilateral Tumor Recurrence Risks in Patients With Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast After Breast-Conserving Surgery. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 100607

MA Cobleigh, SJ Anderson, KP Siziopikou, DW Arthur, TB Julian, R Rabinovitch, DS Parda, SA Seaward, DL Carter, JA Lyons, MS Dillmon, G Magrinat, VS Kavadi, AM Zibelli, L Tiriveedhi, ML Hill, M Melnik, S Beriwal, EP Mamounas, N Wolmark Primary results of NRG Oncology/NSABP B-43: Phase III trial comparing concurrent trastuzumab (T) and radiation therapy (RT) with RT alone for women with HER2-positive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) after lumpectomy. Journal of Clinical Oncology 38 (15_suppl), 508-508

CE Leonard, SP Fryman, MP Turner, JP Bennett, DL Carter, AP Sing Abstract P4-15-08: Association of OncotypeDX® DCIS ScoreTM results with local recurrence in patients with DCIS treated on accelerated partial breast radiotherapy (APBI) protocols. Cancer Research 78 (4 Supplement), P4-15-08-P4-15-08

CE Leonard, SP Fryman, MP Turner, JP Bennett, DL Carter, AP Sing Association of OncotypeDX (R) DCIS Score (TM) results with local recurrence in patients with DCIS treated on accelerated partial breast radiotherapy (APBI) protocols. CANCER RESEARCH 78 (4)

JB Manders, HM Kuerer, BD Smith, C McCluskey, WB Farrar, TG Frazier, L Li, CE Leonard, DL Carter, S Chawla, LE Medeiros, JM Guenther, LE Castellini, DJ Buchholz, EP Mamounas, IL Wapnir, KC Horst, AChagpar, SB Evans, AI Riker, FS Vali, LJ Solin, L Jablon, A Recht, R Sharma, R Lu, AP Sing, ES Hwang, J White Clinical utility of the 12-gene DCIS score assay: impact on radiotherapy recommendations for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ. Annals of surgical oncology 24 (3), 660-668

CE Leonard, RD Sobus, S Fryman, S Sedlacek, J Kercher, J Widner, L Asmar, Y Wang, K Howell, L Barke,

D Carter Abstract P1-10-03: A randomized trial of accelerated breast radiotherapy utilizing either 3-dimensional radiotherapy versus intensity modulated radiotherapy Cancer Research 77 (4 Supplement), P1-10-03-P1-10-03

RY Lei, DL Carter, AG Antell, MA Nowels, SP Fryman, E Janotta, CE Leonard Comparison of Risk of Ipsilateral Breast Event After Lumpectomy for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, As Estimated by Breast Radiation Oncologists, Van Nuys Prognostic Index, Memorial Sloan kettering Cancer Center DCIS Nomogram, and the 12-gene DCIS Score International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, 93 (3), E45

RY Lei, CE Leonard, MA Nowels, V Katamaneni, DL Carter Patterns of Surgical and Radiation Treatment for Early-Stage Breast Cancer in the State of Colorado International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics, 93 (3), E371

M Alvarado, DL Carter, JM Guenther, J Hagans, RY Lei, CE Leonard, JManders, AP Sing, MS Broder, D Cherepanov, E Chang, M Eagan, W Hsiao, M J Schultz The impact of genomic testing on the recommendation for radiation therapy in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ: A prospective clinical utility assessment of the 12‐gene DCIS score™ result Journal of Surgical Oncology 111 (8), 935-340

CE Leonard, RY Lei, MD Alvarado, J Guenther, JE Hagans, JB Manders, MJ Schultz, AP Sing, MS Broder, E Chang, D Cherepanov, M Eagan, WC Hsiao, DL Carter Clinical Utility of the 12-Gene Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Score Assay: Impact on Treatment (tx) Recommendations International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 90 (1), S223-S224

AB Ashworth, S Senan, DA Palma, M Riquet, YC Ahn, U Ricardi, MT Congedo, DR Gomez, GM Wright, G Melloni, MT Milano, CV Sole, TM De Pas, DL Carter, AJ Warner, GB Rodrigues An individual patient data metaanalysis of outcomes and prognostic factors after treatment of oligometastatic non–small-cell lung cancer Clinical Lung Cancer 15 (5), 346-355

RY Lei, CE Leonard, KT Howell, PL Henkenberns, TK Johnson, TL Hobart, JM Kercher, JL Widner, T Kaske, LD Barke, DL Carter External beam accelerated partial breast irradiation yields favorable outcomes in patients with prior breast augmentation. Frontiers in oncology, 4, 154

M Alvarado, D Carter, JM Guenther, J Hagans, R Lei, CE Leonard, J Manders, AP Sing, MS Broder, E Chang, D Cherepanov, WC Hsiao, M Schultz Clinical utility of the 12-gene DCIS score assay: Impact on treatment (Tx) recommendations Journal of Clinical Oncology 32 (15_suppl), 11050-11050

RY Lei, CE Leonard, KT Howell, RM LaPorte, PL Henkenberns, SP Fryman, RD Higdon, JL Widner, LD Barke, DL Carter Disease Control Efficacy of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Treated With Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 87 (2), S196

Rachel Y Lei, Charles E Leonard, Kathryn T Howell, Phyllis L Henkenberns, Timothy K Johnson, Tracy L Hobart, Shannon P Fryman, Jane M Kercher, Jodi L Widner, Terese Kaske, Dennis L Carter Four-year clinical update from a prospective trial of accelerated partial breast intensity-modulated radiotherapy (APBIMRT). Breast Cancer Research and Treatment 140(1), 119-133

RY Lei, SP Fryman, AL White, WE Daniel, AG Antell, M Patel, DL Carter A prospective investigation of definitive targeted therapy for solid malignancies with oligometastases. International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 84 (3), 6

Dennis L Carter, David Garfield, James Hathorn, Richard Mundis, Kristi A Boehm, Des Ilegbodu, Lina Asmar, Craig Reynolds A Randomized Phase III Trial of Combined Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Radiation Therapy Followed by Weekly Paclitaxel or Observation for Patients With Locally Advanced Inoperable Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer. Clinical Lung Cancer 13(3), 205-213

Charles E Leonard, Michael Tallhamer, Tim Johnson, Kari Hunter, Kathryn Howell, Jane Kercher, Jodi Widener, Terese Kaske, Devchand Paul, Scot Sedlacek, Dennis L Carter Clinical experience with image-guided radiotherapy in an accelerated partial breast intensity-modulated radiotherapy protocol. International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 76(2), 528-534

Andrew S Kennedy, Patrick McNeillie, William A Dezarn, Charles Nutting, Bruno Sangro, Dan Wertman, Michael Garafalo, David Liu, Douglas Coldwell, Michael Savin, Tobias Jakobs, Steven Rose, Richard Warner, Dennis Carter, Stephen Sapareto, Subir Nag, Seza Gulec, Allison Calkins, Vanessa L Gates, Riad Salem Treatment parameters and outcome in 680 treatments of internal radiation with resin 90Y-microspheres for unresectable hepatic tumors. International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 74(5), 1494-1500

Dennis L Carter, Lina Asmar, David Barrera, John Caracandas, J Shaker Dakhil, Dean McCracken, Mark A O’Rourke, Richard K Rosenberg, Kristi A Boehm, Des Ilegbodu, Robert L Reid Favorable survival observed after carboplatin, paclitaxel, and concurrent accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy for treatment of locally advanced head and neck carcinoma. Investigational New Drugs 26(5), 473-481

Andrew S Kennedy, William A Dezarn, Patrick McNeillie, Doug Coldwell, Charles Nutting, Dennis Carter, Ravi Murthy, Steven Rose, Richard RP Warner, David Liu, Holger Palmedo, Carroll Overton, Bonita Jones, Riad Salem Radioembolization for unresectable neuroendocrine hepatic metastases using resin 90Y-microspheres: early results in 148 patients. American Journal of Clinical Oncology 31(3), 271-279

Pehr A Lind, Lawrence B Marks, Timothy A Jamieson, Dennis L Carter, James J Vredenburgh, Rodney J Folz, Leonard R Prosnitz Predictors for pneumonitis during locoregional radiotherapy in high‐risk patients with breast carcinoma treated with high‐dose chemotherapy and stem‐cell rescue. Cancer: Interdisciplinary International Journal of the American Cancer Society 94(11), 2821-2829

Dennis L Carter, Mary E Hebert, Karen Smink, Kenneth A Leopold, Robert L Clough, David M Brizel Double blind randomized trial of sucralfate vs placebo during radical radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Head & Neck 21(8), 760-766

Dennis L Carter, Lawrence B Marks, Joseph M Bean, Gloria Broadwater, Atif Hussein, James J Vredenburgh, William P Peters, Leonard R Prosnitz Impact of consolidation radiotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow rescue. Journal of Clinical Oncology 17(3), 887-893