June 10, 2020 – Southeast Georgia Health System is pleased to welcome
internationally recognized oncology and hematology specialist
Robert K. Oldham, M.D., to
Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Hematology & Oncology and the Brunswick and Camden Campus medical staff. Oldham is regarded
as a leading pioneer in the development and use of immunotherapy, which
uses a patient’s immune system to attack cancer.
Oldham’s research and development led him to work at renowned institutions
in the U.S. and Europe. Positions he has held include associate professor
of Medicine and associate director of the Vanderbilt Cancer Center, where
he also founded and directed the Division of Oncology. He has worked at
the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as an associate director of the Division
of Cancer Treatment and as a founding director of the Biological Response
Modifiers Program.
His expertise with difficult oncology cases made him highly sought after
as a consultant at medical centers throughout the country. Oldham has
been listed among "The Best Doctors of America" since Woodward/White
began publishing the list.
“Dr. Oldham’s expertise is in high demand and having a physician
of his caliber allows us to provide a level of sophistication in cancer
treatment that patients would find at the nation’s most recognized
cancer centers. We are extremely fortunate that he chose our Health System,” said
Michael D. Scherneck, president & CEO, Southeast Georgia Health System.
For his part, Oldham believes that a community hospital can be as effective
as facilities located in a major metropolis for most cancer patients.
“I’ve worked at 100-bed and 1,000-bed hospitals. When it comes
to quality of care, just because a hospital is smaller, doesn’t
mean it’s not excellent.”
Oldham considered several community hospitals before choosing the Health
System. “I needed a good partner, a hospital that was supportive
of me, where I would feel at home and be productive and helpful. I also
wanted a location I liked and where my family and I had access to good
health care.”
Oldham’s interest in immunotherapy came out of research demonstrating
that cancer is a highly individualized disease. “My experience demonstrated
that certain drugs stimulate immune responses to cancer. We now consider
immunotherapy as the fourth method for treating cancer, in addition to
surgery, radiation and chemotherapy,” Oldham said.
In addition to teaching at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Florida
State University, Oldham has served as a consultant at medical and pharmaceutical
companies in the U.S. and abroad, founded and served as editor-in-chief
at three medical journals and co-edited Principles of Cancer Therapy,
the first comprehensive textbook on the topic. He has contributed to nearly
500 medical/scientific papers and presented extensively at cancer research
and treatment meetings. He is also an active member of several professional
organizations.
Oldham attended the University of Missouri where his undergraduate studies
focused on Chemical Engineering and Pre-Medical Sciences. He earned his
medical degree from the same institution in 1968. His internship and residency
in Internal Medicine took place at Vanderbilt University. Oldham then
pursued a Medical Oncology Fellowship and graduate studies in Immunology
at NCI. While there, he served as a clinical associate in the Radiation
Branch and in the Cellular and Tumor Immunology Section of the Laboratory
of Cell Biology.
Oldham joins
Abraham Cheong, M.D., and
Duane P. Moores, M.D., Ph.D., at
Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-Hematology & Oncology, 2500 Starling Street, Suite 506, Brunswick; 912-466-5506.