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
- Cancer Treatment Monitoring
- Melanoma Treatment
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Vaccinations
Procedures I perform
- A1c Testing
- Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
- 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
- Chemotherapy Administration
- Clinical Trials
- Computed Tomography
- Cortical Mapping
- Dopamine Therapy
- Esophageal Cancer Diagnosis
- Flow Immunophenotyping
- Genetic Counseling
- Hepatic Artery Infusion
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Immunohistochemistry Staining
- Immunotherapy
- 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
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Oncology Consultation
- Pathology Consultation
- Pet-Ct Scan
- Pharmacogenomics
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Proteomic Testing
- Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
- Skin Cancer Treatment
- Tumor Marker Testing
- Vaccinations
- 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
- CareFirst NASCO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Choice POS
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-POS
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna HMO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- TRICARE East Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Navigate
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open POS II
- IH-EPO Plus
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- POS OA
- Choice POS II
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- First Health PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-Open HMO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Sentara Health
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Medicare FFS
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- IH-Network Only Plus
- IH-HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst Administrators
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- IH-PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- IH-Open POS Plus
- UHC Passport
- Beech Street PPO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Network OA
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Medicare Direct
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Basic
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- HighMark
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Classic 5000
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- OA Plus
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- United Student Resources
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- First Health PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Aetna Classic 3500
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
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)