Valerae O. Lewis MD

Dr. Lewis is best recognized for her expertise in the complex surgical management of pelvic sarcoma and limb salvage for the pediatric patient. She also happens to be the first woman to chair an orthopaedic department at a freestanding cancer center and in The University of Texas System.

Her clinical focus is sarcoma and her expertise is pelvic and limb surgery for adults and pediatric patients. Her past research has investigated the gene functions tied to osteosarcoma and the development of medications that might interrupt this process. More recently, Dr. Lewis has collaborated with others to identify the role of gene mutations in bone sarcoma patients. To date, her research has resulted in 83 research papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Lewis joined MD Anderson in 2000. She has led MD Anderson’s orthopaedic oncology efforts since 2006, first as Section Chief ad interim and then as Section Chief since 2008. She has served as Department Chair ad interim since Sept. 1, 2014. For more than 10 years, she also has served on the orthopaedic faculty at UTHealth and the Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Lewis was named holder of the Dr. John Murray Professorship in Orthopaedic Oncology in 2010.