About me
Michael B. Atkins, MD, is deputy director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Scholl Professor and vice chair of the Department of Medical Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is an internationally recognized expert in the management of patients with high-risk and metastatic melanoma or kidney cancer.
Dr. Atkins co-directs the Melanoma Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and the Melanoma Research Program within the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute. In addition, he leads kidney cancer research within the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Center and the MedStar Health system. He is a world-renowned expert in clinical and translational research in both of these patient populations, having led the Kidney Cancer Program and co-led the Melanoma Program at the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center for over a decade each, until his departure for Georgetown Lombardi in 2012. Dr. Atkins is also one of the leading authorities in cancer immunotherapy, having been a founding member and leader of the Cytokine Working Group, and leader of the Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Immunotherapy Interest Group. He has led major multi-investigator clinical and translational research efforts in melanoma and kidney cancer that have uncovered critical biology of these diseases, led to the FDA approval of over 20 new treatments, and have completely revolutionized the treatment and the prognosis for patients. He continues to lead cutting-edge research projects that promise to further advance the care and outlook for patients with these diseases.
Dr. Atkins is also an international authority in the management of patients with either melanoma or kidney cancer. He edits the melanoma, kidney cancer and immunotherapy sections for UpToDate®, the universally available on-line medical textbook, and is co-editor of the fifth and 6th editions of the textbook Cutaneous Melanoma. He serves on the Board of the Directors and co-chairs the Scientific Advisory Council of the Melanoma Research Foundation, is Chair of the Melanoma Research Alliance Medical Advisory Panel, and is a past member of the nominating committee for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Council. He is also past president of the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer. He has published over 500 scientific and review articles, co-edited five books, and given over 700 lectures worldwide.
Dr. Atkins is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. For over 30 years, Dr. Atkins has treated patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancers. He believes that too many patients follow the initial advice they receive, and always encourages patients to seek a second opinion from subject matter experts to establish a comprehensive treatment plan before starting therapy. This will maximize their chances of receiving the optimal approach to their disease and determine if they are eligible for cutting-edge clinical trials. Dr. Atkins’ approach to patients is to always focus on the opportunities for cure, utilizing novel therapies like immune therapy and the timely integration of multidisciplinary care (meaning teams of physicians from medical oncology, surgery, and radiation oncology all work together to develop a unique treatment plan.) With many new therapies available – and even better ones in development – patients with widely metastatic disease have the opportunity for long-term, disease-free, and subsequent treatment-free survival, enabling them to return to their normal lives.
Clinical areas of focus
- Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
- Antiangiogenic Therapy
- Cancer Treatment Monitoring
- Melanoma Treatment
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Methylation Profiling
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Radiation Therapy
- Vaccinations
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Adenocarcinoma
- Anal Cancer
- Anemia
- Ascites
- B Cell Lymphoma
- Basal Cell Carcinoma Of Skin
- Benign Neoplasm Of Kidney
- Benign Neoplasm Of Skin
- Bile Duct Cancer
- Bladder Cancer
- Bladder Carcinoma
- Bone Cancer
- Bone Discontinuity
- Brain Tumor
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia
- Colon Cancer
- Disorders Of Mineral Metabolism
- Esophageal Cancer
- Esophagus Cancer
- Eye Cancer
- Eyelid Cancer
- Family History Of Malignant Neoplasm
- Gastric Cancer
- Hemorrhagic Conditions
- Intrahepatic Bile Ducts Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Lung Metastases
- Malaise And Fatigue
- Malignant Neoplasm
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Bladder
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Cervix Uteri
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Connective And Soft Tissue
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Eye And Adnexa
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Lymph Nodes
- Malignant Neoplasm Of Testicle
- Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Melanoma
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Neoplasm Analysis
- Neutropenia
- Noninfective Gastroenteritis
- Ovarian Cancer
- Pancreas Cancer
- Papillary Carcinoma Of Breast
- Penile Cancer
- Pericardium Diseases
- Plasma Cell Neoplasms
- Prostate Cancer
- Secondary Lymph Node Cancer
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Small Intestine Cancer
- Soft Tissue Sarcoma
- Stomach Cancer
- Subclinical Hypothyroidism
- Submandibular Gland Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Thymus Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
- Urinary Tract Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Vaginal Cancer
- Venous Embolism
- Vulvar Cancer
Procedures I perform
- A1c Testing
- Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
- Adrenal Antibody Testing
- Antiangiogenic Therapy
- Blood Cell Count
- Blood Chemistry Test
- Blood Transfusion
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Bone Density Scan
- Brca Gene Testing
- Cancer Immunotherapy
- Cancer Risk Assessment
- Cancer Treatment
- Cancer Treatment Monitoring
- Cancer Treatment Sensitivity Testing
- Cardiac Cell Therapy
- Cervical Lymph Node Dissection
- Chemotherapy Administration
- Clinical Trials
- Computed Tomography
- Cortical Mapping
- Dopamine Therapy
- Esophageal Cancer Diagnosis
- Flow Immunophenotyping
- Genetic Counseling
- Genetic Mutation Testing
- Gynecological Cancer Screening
- Hepatic Artery Infusion
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Imaging Studies
- Immunohistochemistry Staining
- Immunotherapy
- Internal Radiation Therapy
- Intravenous (IV) Fluids
- Investigational Liver Transplant Therapies
- Kidney Function Test
- Killer Cell Therapy
- Liquid Biopsy
- Liver Biopsy
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Melanoma Resection
- Melanoma Treatment
- Methylation Profiling
- Muscle Injection
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Oncology Consultation
- Pain Medication Management
- Palliative Care
- Pathology Consultation
- Pet-Ct Scan
- Pharmacogenomics
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Proteomic Testing
- Radiation Therapy
- Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping
- Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
- Skin Cancer Treatment
- Tumor Biopsy
- Tumor Marker Testing
- Vaccinations
- Venous Access Device Irrigation
- Venous Blood Collection
- Wide Local Excision
- X-Ray
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Student Resources
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- IH-Indemnity
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Blue Choice Advantage
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- IH-POS
- Core Essential (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- First Health PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- IH-PPO
- UHC Passport
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CareFirst EPO
- POS OA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Medicare Direct
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Sentara Health
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- OA Plus
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- TRICARE East Select
- CIGNA PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Choice POS II Open Access
- IH-Open POS II
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Choice Fund PPO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- TRICARE for Life East
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst NASCO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CareFirst Administrators
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Employee Health Plan
- Medicare FFS
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Choice POS
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Network OA
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MultiPlan, Inc
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Navigate
- TRICARE East Prime
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- First Health PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (1987)
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (1986)
Residency: Tufts Medical Center (1984)
Internship: Tufts Medical Center (1981)
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine (1980)