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Allen R. Chen

Allen R. Chen, MD, PhD, MHS

Cellular Therapy

Pediatric Medical Oncology

Pediatric Cellular Therapy

Accepting New Patients
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty

Languages

  • English

14 Insurances Accepted

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Gender

Male

About Allen R. Chen

Professional Titles

Vice Chair for Quality, Safety & Service

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Oncology

Background

Chen's primary area of research focuses on bone marrow transplantation (BMT), a highly complex and specialized aspect of pediatric oncology that, in recent years, has become an accepted form of therapy for an increasingly broad range of cancers. In addition to the myriad ways BMT is currently being utilized at Hopkins, Chen is working to refine novel approaches to the therapy and apply them to some of the toughest cases. "One hypothesis is that, in patients receiving a transplant using their own stored stem cells, we can induce an immunologic response from their own cells that mimics the graft received from a healthy donor," Chen says. "We're also excited about the ability to foster immune tolerance when the only available healthy donors aren't perfect matches for the patient."

In a quest to solve some of the rarest and most troubling treatment challenges facing pediatric oncology, Chen and fellow pediatric oncologists at Hopkins have joined forces with others around North America in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium. "We're trying to develop multi-institutional studies to improve the effectiveness of BMT for cancer. The study we're working on now will help us to understand why some patients relapse in spite of BMT for acute myeloid leukemia," says Chen, who chairs the Oncology Strategy Group of this consortium.

Chen also immerses himself in several Hopkins-based initiatives. Recently, he was named Chair of the Oncology Clinical Research Review Committee, a group mandated to oversee all patient-oriented research in the comprehensive cancer center to ensure it meets the center's standards of scientific merit and priority.

He also chairs the Performance Improvement Committee. This multi-disciplinary group consists of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists who examine practical ways to reduce errors and improve patient outcomes. The committee recently joined forces with Hopkins' information technology professionals to apply a computerized order entry system—even to complex treatment protocols like chemotherapy.

"We've seen an amazing improvement; a number of potential medication errors decreased dramatically," Chen says. Currently, the committee is analyzing ways to reduce bloodstream infections in pediatric patients, which can create potentially life-threatening complications.
 
Despite the hectic pace of Chen's professional life, he has managed to find a way to leave behind the stress of his job and bond with his own children. He and his sons began taking Kung Fu classes when his older son began middle school. He's since grown up and left for college, but Chen continues the practice as both a student and a teacher.

Regardless of where Chen is, he's never too far removed from the challenges that await him at work. "Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning, I suddenly realize why a complication has occurred," he says.

Centers and Institutes

Clinical Trial Keywords

Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation; Pediatric Oncology

Additional Academic Titles

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Research Interests

Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation, Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Pediatric Oncology

Selected Publications

  • Chen AR, Lehmann CU. Computerized provider order entry in pediatric oncology: design, implementation, and outcomes. J Oncol Pract. 2011 Jul;7(4):218-22. PMID: 22043183.

  • Brodsky RA, Chen AR, Dorr D, Fuchs EJ, Huff CA, Luznik L, Smith BD, Matsui WH, Goodman SN, Ambinder RF, Jones RJ. High dose cyclophosphamide for severe aplastic anemia: long-term follow-up. Blood. 2010 Mar 18; 115(11):2136-41. PMID: 20018919.

  • Coppell JA, Richardson PG, Soiffer R, Martin PL, Kernan NA, Chen A, Guinan E, Vogelsang G, Krishnan A, Giralt S, Revta C, Carreau NA, Iacobelli M, Carreras E, Ruutu T, Barbui T, Antin JH, Niederwieser D.  Hepatic Veno-occlusive Disease following Stem Cell Transplantation: Incidence, Clinical Course and Outcome.  BBMT. 2010 Feb 16(2): 157-68. PMID: 19766729.

  • Friedman DL, Chen L, Wolden S, Buxton A, McCarten K, FitzGerald TJ, Kessel S, De Alarcon PA, Chen AR, Kobrinsky N, Ehrlich P, Hutchison RE, Constine LS, Schwartz CL.  Dose-Intensive Response-Based Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Newly Diagnosed Intermediate-Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group Study AHOD0031. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Oct 13. pii: JCO.2013.52.5410. [Epub ahead of print].  PMID: 25311218.

  • Katuri, V, Gerber, S, Qiu, X, McCarty, G, Goldstein, SD, Hammers, H, Montgomery, E, Chen, AR, Loeb, DM.  WT1 Regulates Angiogenesis in Ewing Sarcoma.  Oncotarget. 2014 May 15;5(9):2436-49.  PMID: 24810959.

  • Loeb DM, Hobbs RF, Okoli A, Chen AR, Cho S, Srinivasan S, Sgouros G, Shokek O, Wharam MD, Scott T, and Schwartz CL.  Tandem dosing of 153Sm-EDTMP with stem cell support for patients with high risk osteosarcoma.  Cancer 2010 Dec 1;116(23):5470-8. Epub 2010 Aug 16. PMID: 20715156.

  • Luznik L, Bolanos Meade FJ, Zahurak M, Chen AR,  Smith, BD, Brodsky R, Huff, CA,  Borrello I,  Matsui W, Powell J, Kasamon Y, Goodman S, Hess A, Levitsky H, Ambinder R, Jones R, Fuchs E. High-dose Cyclophosphamide as Single Agent, Short-Course Prophylaxis of Graft-versus-Host Disease. Blood. 2010 Apr 22;115(16):3224-30. PMID: 20124511.

  • Munchel A, Chen A, Symons H.  Emergent Complications in the Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patient. Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine. 2011 Sept:12(3):233-244.

  • Paz-Priel I, Cooke DW, Chen AR. Cyclophosphamide for rapid-onset obesity, hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, and autonomic dysregulation syndrome. J Pediatr. 2011 Feb;158(2):337-9. Epub 2010 Aug 21. PMID: 20727534.

  • Pulsipher MA, Horwitz EM, Haight AE, Kadota R, Chen AR, Frangoul H, Cooper LJN, Jacobsohn DA, Goyal RK, Mitchell D, Nieder ML, Yanik G, Cowan MJ, Soni S, Gardner S, Shenoy S, Taylor D, Cairo M, Schultz KR. Advancement of Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantaion Research in North America:  Priorities of the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium. BBMT. 2010 Sep;16(9):1212-21. Epub 2010 Jan 14. PMID: 20079865.

  • Richardson PG, Soiffer RJ, Antin JH, Uno H, Jin Z, Kurtzberg J, Martin PL, Steinbach G, Murray KF, Vogelsang GB, Chen AR, Krishnan A, Kernan NA, Avigan DE, Spitzer TR, Shulman HM, Di Salvo DN, Revta C, Warren D, Momtaz P, Bradwin G, Wei LJ, Iacobelli M, McDonald GB, Guinan EC. Defibrotide for the treatment of severe hepatic veno-occlusive disease and multiorgan failure after stem cell transplantation: a multicenter, randomized, dose-finding trial. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2010 Jul;16(7):1005-17. Epub 2010 Feb 16. PMID: 20167278.

  • Rinke ML, Chen AR, Bundy DG, Colantuoni E, Fratino L, Drucis KM, Panton SY, Kokoszka M, Budd AP, Milstone AM, Miller MR. Implementation of a central line maintenance care bundle in hospitalized pediatric oncology patients. Pediatrics. 2012 Oct;130(4):e996-e1004. PMID: 22945408

  • Rinke ML, Chen AR, Milstone AM, Hebert LC, Bundy DG, Colantuoni E, Fratino L, Herpst C, Kokoszka M, Miller MR.  Bringing Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection Prevention Home: Catheter Maintenance Practices and Beliefs of Pediatric Oncology Patients and Families.  Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient  Safety.  2015 April; 41(4):177-185.

  • Rinke ML, Bundy DG, Chen AR, Milstone AM, Colantuoni E, Pehar M, Herpst C, Fratino L, Miller MR. Central Line Maintenance Bundles and CLABSIs in Ambulatory Oncology Patients. Pediatrics.  2013 Nov;132(5):e1403-12. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-0302. Epub 2013 Oct 7. PMID:  24101764.

  • Rinke ML, Bundy DG, Milstone AM, Deuber K, Chen AR, Colantuoni E, Miller MR. Bringing Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection Prevention Home: CLABSI Definitions and Prevention Policies in Home Health Care Agencies. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. 2013 Aug; 39(8):361-370.  PMID:  23991509.

  • Rinke ML, Milstone AM, Chen AR, Mirski K, Bundy DG, Colantuoni E, Pehar M, Herbst C, Miller MR. Ambulatory Pediatric Oncology CLABSIs: Epidemiology and Risk Factors. Pediatric Blood and Cancer.  2013 Nov;60(11): 1882-9. doi: 10.1002/pbc.24677.  Epub 2013 Jul 23.  PMID:  23881643.

     

  • Ruble K, Hayat M, Stewart K, Chen AR.  Bone Mineral Density After Bone Marrow Transplantation in Childhood:  Measurement and Associations. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2010 Oct;16(10):1451-7. Epub 2010 Apr 24. PMID: 20417715.

  • Ruble K, Hayat M, Stewart KJ, Chen A. Body composition after bone marrow transplantation in childhood. Oncol Nurs Forum.  2012 Mar;39(2):186-92. doi: 10.1188/12.ONF.186-192.  PMID: 22374492

  • Shah NN, Borowitz MJ, Robey NC, Gamper CJ, Symons HJ, Loeb DM, Wayne AS, Chen AR.  Factors Predictive of Relapse of Acute Leukemia in Children after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Jul;20(7):1033-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.03.028. Epub 2014 Mar 30.  PMID: 24691222.

  • Shah NN, Borowitz MJ, Robey NC, Gamper CJ, Symons HJ, Loeb DM, Wayne AS, Chen AR. Feasibility of Treating Post-Transplant Minimal Residual Disease in Children with Acute Leukemia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Jul;20(7):1000-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.03.021. Epub 2014 Mar 27.  PMID: 24680975.

  • Shaw P, Kan F, Ahn K, Spellman S, Aljurf M, Ayas M, Burke M, Cairo M, Chen AR, Davies S, Frangoul H, Gajewski J, Gale R, Godder K, Hale G, Heemskerk M, Horan J, Kamani N, Kasow K, Chan K, Lee S, Leung W, Lewis V, Miklos D, Oudshoorn M, Petersdorf E, Ringden A, Sanders J, Schultz K, Seber A, Setterholm M, Wall D, Yu L, Pulsipher M. Outcomes of pediatric bone marrow transplantation for leukemia and myelodysplasia using matched sibling,mismatched related or matched unrelated donors. Blood 2010 Nov 11;116(19):4007-15. Epub 2010 Jul 29. PMID: 20671124

  • Thornton KA, Chen AR, Trucco MM, Shah P, Wilky BA, Gul N, Carrera-Haro MA, Ferreira MF, Shafique U, Powell JD, Meyer CF, Loeb DM. A dose-finding study of temsirolimus and liposomal doxorubicin for patients with recurrent and refractory bone and soft tissue sarcoma. Int J Cancer. 2013 Aug 15;133(4):997-1005. doi: 10.1002/ijc.28083. Epub 2013 Mar 4. PMID: 23382028.

  • Vasquenza K, Ruble K, Chen A, Billett C, Kozlowski L, Atwater S, Kost-Byerly S.  Pain Management for Children during Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation.  Pain  Manag Nurs.  2014 Sep 26. pii: S1524-9042(14)00089-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2014.05.005.  [Epub ahead of print].  PMID: 25267531.

  • Williams KM, Ostrow LW, Loeb DM, Chung T, Cohn RD, Corse AM, Mammen AL, Chen AR. Immunohistochemistry of affected tissue may guide cGVHD treatment decisions. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2012 May;47(5):731-3. PMID: 21927032

     

  • Zeidan AM, Forde PM, Symons H, Chen A, Smith BD, Pratz K, Carraway H, Gladstone DE, Fuchs EJ, Luznik L, Jones RJ, Bolaños-Meade J.  HLA-Haploidentical Donor Lymphocyte Infusions for Patients with Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies after Related HLA-Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation.  Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Mar;20(3):314-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.11.020. Epub 2013 Dec 1.  PMID 24296490.

Honors

  • 1975 National Merit Scholarship
  • 1975-1978 Daniel Webster Honorary Scholarship, Dartmouth College
  • 1978 Phi Beta Kappa Society, Dartmouth College
  • 1979-1986 Medical Scientist Training Program Fellowship, NIH
  • 1989-1990 Clinical Fellowship, American Cancer Society
  • 1990-1992 NRSA Fellowship, NIH
  • 1993-1994 Young Investigator Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • 1995-1998 Edgar T. Higgins Scholar, The Hodson Trust
  • 2002 First Annual International Clinical Researcher Award
  • 2003 Delta Omega Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • 2003-2014 America's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly Medical
  • 2005-2013 America's Top Doctors for Cancer, Castle Connolly Medical
  • 2007 Food and Drug Administration Commissioner's Special Award
  • 2008-2009 Director's Teaching Award in Clinical Science, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

Memberships

  • American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation,

    Committee on Quality Outcomes, Sub-Committee on Informatics

  • Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research,

    Epic User Group

  • Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy,

    Cellular Therapy and Bone Marrow Collection Inspector

  • American Society of Hematology,

    Annual Meeting Abstract Reviewer and Session Chair

  • Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Consortium,

    Chair

  • Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Consortium,

    Oncology Strategy Group

  • Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Consortium,

    Vice Chair

  • Hodgkin's Disease Committee,

    Protocol Chair, AHOD0121

  • American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
  • Young Investigator,

    Liaison to the Stem Cell Transplantation Committee

  • Hodgkin's Disease Committee,

    Steering Committee

  • Stem Cell Transplantation Discipline,

    Transplantation - Steering Committee Member

  • Hodgkin's Disease Committee,

    Co-Chair, Biology Working Group

  • Stem Cell Transplantation Discipline,

    Developmental Therapeutics Committee Liaison, Stem Cell

  • Young Investigator,

    Liaison to the Hodgkin’s Disease Committee

  • Young Investigator's Committee
  • Children's Oncology Group,

    Member

  • Hodgkin's Disease Committee,

    Salvage Therapy Working Group

  • Stem Cell Transplantation Discipline,

    Adolescent & Young Adults Committee

  • American Society of Clinical Oncology,

    Member

  • American Society of Hematology,

    Member

  • Pediatric Oncology Group,

    Member

  • American Academy of Pediatrics,

    Member

Locations

1
MapLibre
  1. Johns Hopkins Children's Center
    • 1800 Orleans Street, Bloomberg 11N, Baltimore, MD 21287

    Expertise

    Education

    Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

    Graduate School, MHS, 2002

    University of Washington Medical Center

    Fellowship, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, 1992

    University of Washington Medical Center

    Residency, Pediatrics, 1989

    Duke University School of Medicine

    Medical Education, MD, 1986

    Duke University

    Graduate School, 1985

    Board Certifications

    Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

    American Board of Pediatrics, 2006

    Insurance

    Johns Hopkins providers accept various commercial health insurance plans. However, they may not be included in all of an insurance company's plans or offerings. This may include Exchange, Medicaid, Medicare, and specific limited benefit plans. Exceptions to participation also exist based on your employer’s benefits package and the provider's location or specialty. Please contact your insurer directly to make sure your doctor is covered by your plan. For more details, please review our Insurance Information.
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    • Aetna
    • CareFirst
    • Cigna
    • First Health
    • Geisinger Health Plan
    • HealthSmart/Accel
    • Humana
    • Johns Hopkins Health Plans
    • MultiPlan
    • Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
    • Point Comfort Underwriters
    • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
    • UnitedHealthcare
    • Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)