Matthew M. Ladra, MD, MPH
Radiation Oncology
Highlights
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Matthew M. Ladra
Professional Titles
- Director, Pediatric Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital
Primary Academic Title
Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences
Background
Matthew Ladra, M.D., M.P.H., leads the dedicated pediatric team for the Johns Hopkins Proton Therapy Center and is the director of pediatric radiation oncology for the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, a clinical collaboration with Children’s National Hospital, where Dr. Ladra serves as faculty in the department of pediatric oncology. He is also an assistant professor of radiation oncology and molecular radiation sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Listen Dr. Ladra's Cancer Matters podcast episode to learn more about his work.
Previously, Dr. Ladra served as the director of pediatric radiation at the Provision Center for Proton Therapy in Tennessee. He also completed a 2-year fellowship in pediatric proton therapy at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Francis H. Burr Proton Center.
Dr. Ladra is one of a handful of radiation oncologists whose research and clinical efforts focus exclusively on pediatric patients. He is frequently invited to speak on pediatric radiation oncology topics internationally and across the U.S. and has published extensively on the subject through original research book chapters and review articles. Dr. Ladra’s research efforts focus mainly on pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma treatment, early phase clinical trials involving radiation and non-chemotherapeutic agents, and reducing neurocognitive toxicity for pediatric brain tumor patients.
Clinical Trials Summary
View Dr. Ladra's clinical trials at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital.
Recent News Articles and Media Coverage
Proton Therapy for Treating Childhood Cancer (July 25, 2019)
Cancer Matters Podcast: Dr Bill Nelson discussing radiation and proton treatment to treat children with cancer, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center Podcasts. (October 2, 2018)
Washingtonian's 40 Under 40. Washingtonian Magazine. (04/05/2017)
Sibley Memorial Hospital, Children's National announce key hire for proton therapy. Washington Business Journal. (08/30/2016)
Gray 9-year-old becomes state's first pediatric patient for proton therapy. Johnson City Press. (12/17/2014)
First child treated at Provision proton therapy center. Knoxville News Sentinel. (11/26/2014)
Dr. Ladra Speaks About Proton Therapy for Pediatric Cancer Patients. Provision Healthcare. (09/24/2014)
Research Interests
Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma, Proton Therapy
Selected Publications
Ladra MM, Mandeville HC, Niemierko A, Padera TP, Friedmann AM, MacDonald SM, Ebb D, Chen YL, Tarbell NJ, Yock TI. "Local failure in parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma correlates with poor response to induction chemotherapy." Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2015 Jun 1;92(2):358-67. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2015.01.049. Epub 2015 Apr 8.
Ladra MM, Wang KK, Terezakis SA. "Pencil-beam scanning for pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma: Promise and precautions." Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2016 Oct;63(10):1698-9. doi: 10.1002/pbc.26103. Epub 2016 Jun 14.
Lucas JT Jr, Ladra MM, MacDonald SM, Busse PM, Friedmann AM, Ebb DH, Marcus KJ, Tarbell NJ, Yock TI. "Proton therapy for pediatric and adolescent esthesioneuroblastoma." Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2015 Sep;62(9):1523-8. doi: 10.1002/pbc.25494. Epub 2015 Mar 27.
Rao AD, Chen Q, Ermoian RP, Alcorn SR, Figueiredo MLS, Chen MJ, Dieckmann K, MacDonald SM, Ladra MM, Kobyzeva D, Nechesnyuk AV, Nilsson K, Ford EC, Winey BA, Villar RC, Terezakis SA. "Practice patterns of palliative radiation therapy in pediatric oncology patients in an international pediatric research consortium." Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017 Nov;64(11). doi: 10.1002/pbc.26589. Epub 2017 Jul 11.
Shen CJ, Hu C, Ladra MM, Narang AK, Pollack CE, Terezakis SA. "Socioeconomic factors affect the selection of proton radiation therapy for children." Cancer. 2017 Oct 15;123(20):4048-4056. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30849. Epub 2017 Jun 27.
Memberships
- Children's Oncology Group,
Member
- American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology,
Member
- American College of Radiology,
Member
Locations
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- 401 North Broadway Street, Weinberg Building, Floor-L2, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 410-502-8000
- fax: 410-502-1419
- Sibley Memorial Hospital
- 5255 Loughboro Road Northwest, Washington, DC 20016
- phone: 410-502-8000
- fax: 202-919-2490
Expertise
Education
Massachusetts General Hospital
Fellowship, Radiation Oncology, 2014University of Washington Medical Center
Residency, Radiation Oncology, 2012Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Graduate School, International Health, MPH, 2007Tulane University Hospital and Clinics
Medical Education, Medicine, MD, 2007Board Certifications
Radiation Oncology
American Board of Radiology, 2013Insurance
- 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)