Susan Swetter, M.D.

Clinical Focus

• Cancer > Cutaneous (Dermatologic) Oncology
• Basal / Squamous Cell Carcinomas
• Basal / Squamous Cell Carcinomas - Dermatology
• Cutaneous Oncology
• Dermatology

Administrative Appointments

• Member, Melanoma/Skin Cancer Committee, American Academy of Dermatology (1999 - 2009)
• Member, Scientific Programs Committee, Melanoma Section, American Society of Clinical Oncology (2006 - 2008)
• Member, Melanoma Clinical Guidelines Task Force, American Academy of Dermatology (2006 - 2009)
• Member, Melanoma Panel, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2007 - 2009)
• Member, Board of Directors, American Cancer Society, Santa Clara County Unit (2007 - 2009)

Honors and Awards

• Nominated, Franklin G. Ebaugh, Jr. Award (outstanding dedication to advising medical students), Stanford University School of Medicine (1999, 2001, 2004, 2009)
• Nominated, Kaiser Award for Clinical Teaching, Stanford University School of Medicine (2003, 2004, 2005)
• Recognition for Excellence in Teaching, Stanford University School of Medicine (2004, 2009)
• Leadership Award, Melanoma Care Coalition (2007)
• President’s Volunteer Service Award, President’s Council on Service & Civic Participation, Corporation for National & Community Service (2007)

Professional Education

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Dermatology

Community & International Work

• Program Director, Stanford Skin Cancer Screening Program, 1995-present, Stanford Health Library/Stanford Advanced Medicine/Cancer Center 

Web Site Links

• Stanford Cancer Center - Melanoma Program

Research Interests

Dr. Swetter has directed the Pigmented Lesion and Cutaneous Melanoma Clinic at Stanford and the VA since 1996 and is the Co-Director of the Stanford Multidisciplinary Melanoma Clinic. She serves as the national dermatology liaison to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Melanoma Committee and Co-Chairs the Melanoma Prevention Working Group, a national forum for research collaboration among academic oncologists, dermatologists, epidemiologists, and surgeons dedicated to cancer control and prevention, and currently comprised of 26 Intergroup (ECOG, SWOG) melanoma centers in the US. Dr. Swetter's research interests include secondary prevention of melanoma, including enhanced skin cancer screening targeting high-risk groups, chemoprevention in individuals with atypical mole syndrome, and research focused on increasing professional and public education to improve melanoma awareness. She is also engaged in clinical studies of the epidemiology, prognostic factors, and therapy of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Clinical Trials

• Sulindac in Preventing Melanoma in Healthy Participants Who Are at Increased Risk of Melanoma Recruiting
• Dasatinib in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Mucosal Melanoma, Acral Melanoma, or Solar Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery Recruiting
• Vaccine Therapy Using Melanoma Peptides for Cytotoxic T Cells and Helper T Cells in Treating Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Completed

Publications

• Impaired interferon signaling is a common immune defect in human cancer. Critchley-Thorne RJ, Simons DL, Yan N, Miyahira AK, Dirbas FM, Johnson DL, Swetter SM, Carlson RW, Fisher GA, Koong A, Holmes S, Lee PP. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009; 106 (22): 9010-5
• Recurrence rates associated with incompletely excised low-risk nonmelanoma skin cancer. Rieger KE, Linos E, Egbert BM, Swetter SM. J Cutan Pathol. 2009
• Efficacy of skin self-examination practices for early melanoma detection. Pollitt RA, Geller AC, Brooks DR, Johnson TM, Park ER, Swetter SM. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009; 18 (11): 3018-23
• Melanoma. Coit DG, Andtbacka R, Bichakjian CK, Dilawari RA, Dimaio D, Guild V, Halpern AC, Hodi FS, Kashani-Sabet M, Lange JR, Lind A, Martin L, Martini MC, Pruitt SK, Ross MI, Sener SF, Swetter SM, Tanabe KK, Thompson JA, Trisal V, Urist MM, Weber J, Wong MK. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2009; 7 (3): 250-75
• Melanoma in middle-aged and older men: a multi-institutional survey study of factors related to tumor thickness. Swetter SM, Johnson TM, Miller DR, Layton CJ, Brooks KR, Geller AC. Arch Dermatol. 2009; 145 (4): 397-404