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
- 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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- OA Plus
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- CIGNA EPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- IH-EPO Plus
- IH-PPO
- IH-Indemnity
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Choice POS II
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Navigate
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Basic
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- HighMark
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Aetna VA Exchange
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- IH-POS Plus
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Optimum Choice
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst Administrators
- United Student Resources
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Aetna HMO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Beech Street PPO
- TRICARE East Select
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- First Health PPO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Employee Health Plan
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 3500
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Choice Fund PPO
- Sentara Health
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Core Essential (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst NASCO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- IH-Open POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Choice POS
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- IH-POS
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- UHC Passport
- Network OA
- POS OA
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Medicare Direct
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- First Health PPO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst EPO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- CIGNA PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- TRICARE for Life East
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Medicare FFS
- Aetna Classic 5000
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
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)