Michael Benjamin 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.

Dr. Atkins directs the Melanoma Center at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and leads the Melanoma Research Program within the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Network, which has multiple, active cutting-edge clinical trials underway for patients with advanced melanoma. He is a world expert in the treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer, having led the Kidney Cancer Program at the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center from 2002 to 2012. Dr. Atkins is also one of the leading authorities in cancer immunotherapy, having been a founding member of the Cytokine Working Group and past president of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.

Dr. Atkins previously led the Cutaneous Oncology Program at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Melanoma Research Program at the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center, both in Boston.
Dr. Atkins edits the melanoma section for UpToDate® and is co-editor of the fifth edition of the textbook Cutaneous Melanoma. Dr. Atkins also contributes to the melanoma, kidney cancer and immunotherapy chapters of UpToDate's CD-based medical textbook. He serves on the Board of the Directors of the Melanoma Research Foundation, is a member of the nominating committee for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and is a past president of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer.

Dr. Atkins is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. His special interests include melanoma, kidney cancer, immune therapy, novel therapies and clinical research. He is also director of the Melanoma and Cutaneous Malignancy Program, part of the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Network.

For over 30 years, Dr. Atkins has treated patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancers. He believes too many patients follow the initial advice they receive, which is often not the best advice. He encourages patients to seek a second opinion from him— as he sees these conditions on a regular basis, and can ensure the most advanced therapies. Dr. Atkins' approach with patients is to always focus on a cure, utilizing novel therapies like immune therapy. With many new treatments available-and even better ones in development—patients have the opportunity for long-term disease-free survival, even if they have very advanced disease. Dr. Atkins served in multiple leadership positions at Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston, before moving to Washington, DC, two years ago.