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Aruna Turaka, MD, Radiation Oncology, Hershey, PA

ArunaTurakaMD

Radiation Oncology Hershey, PA

Breast Cancer, Hematologic Malignancies, Thoracic Cancer

Associate Professor, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

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  • Office

    400 University Dr
    Hershey, PA 17033
    Phone+1 717-531-0003
    Fax+1 717-531-0446

Summary

  • Dr. Aruna Turaka is a radiation oncologist in Hershey, PA working currently as Associate professor at Penn state university. I was faculty at Fox chase cancer Center and was head of the thoracic radiation oncology, lymphoma, TBI with expertise in stereotactic body radiation therapy, SBRT to both thoracic and extrathoracic lesions. My research experience was in head and neck malignancies, both NSCLC, SCLC, thymoma's and Hodgkin's/non-Hodgkin's lymphoma's, brain metastasis and Merkel cell carcinoma. I was PI on a phase 2 clinical trial and published papers related to my area of clinical expertise on different malignancies in several journals including red journal, AJCO and was speaker both at National (ASTRO) and international conferences in the past 2 decades. I also served as a committee member at ASTRO in the past 10-14 years including scientific counsel, international educational committee and a state captain. I am presently on the ASTRO guidelines subcommittee from the past 4 years and involved in reviewing different published guidelines of the ASTRO in collaboration with radiation oncologists from all cancer centers in US. My hobbies include gardening, and I was a board-certified master gardener from Iowa State University (ISU) with 2 years of training and expertise. I would like to establish my own greenhouse apart from being a radiation oncologist in the next coming few years

Education & Training

  • Iowa State University
    Iowa State UniversityInternship, 2018 - 2020
  • Temple University Hospital/Fox Chase Cancer Center
    Temple University Hospital/Fox Chase Cancer CenterFellowship, Radiation Oncology, 2008 - 2009
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
    All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IndiaMD, Senior Resident, 2002 - 2005
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
    All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India MD, Junior Resident in Radiation Oncology, 1999 - 2002
  • Guntur Medical College NTR
    Guntur Medical College NTRClass of 1991

Certifications & Licensure

  • IA State Medical License
    IA State Medical License 2015 - 2026
  • PA State Medical License
    PA State Medical License 2009 - 2024
  • HI State Medical License
    HI State Medical License 2020 - 2022
  • American Board of Radiology Radiation Oncology
  • Iowa State University Master Gardner

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • Awarded with Recognition as Chairman of Radiation Oncology Nazareth Hospital, Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, 2023
  • Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2023 in Radiation Oncology Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2023, 2023
  • Second in Most Intern Volunteer Serivce Hours for Dubuque County Award Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, 2020
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Clinical Trials

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • A New Evolution in towards better SBRT using “Ultra-High Dose Rate Radiotherapy (UHDR-RT).  
    Aruna Turaka, AROI CON-“Healthy lifestyle, less cancer”), North East Chapter, Agartala, Tripura, 9/8/2023
  • Intramedullary spinal cord metastases from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) associated with carcinomatous meningitis: A Case Report.  
    R D’Silva, J Jaiswal, A Turaka, Journal of Radiotherapy in practice, 12/2/2022
  • Clinical presentation of cancer Cervix  
    Aruna Turaka, Onco-Illuminati, 2021
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Books/Book Chapters

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Abstracts/Posters

  • The Impact of Dose Heterogeneity on Local Recurrence (LR) Rates Following Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT).
    M.A. Hallman, A. Turaka, S. B. Hayes, J.E. Meyer, R.A. Price Jr., ). International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Vol. 90, Issue 1, S18, 56th Annual Meeting American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), San Francisco, CA, 9/1/2014
  • Respiratory Motion-Encompassing Planning Target Volume (ME-PTV) for Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) of Lung Cancer.
    M. Hossain, T. A. Shaikh, L. Jin and A. Turaka., International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Vol. 90, Issue 1, S897, 56th Annual Meeting American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), San Francisco, CA, 9/1/2014
  • Can PET/CT predict pathological response for Operable NSCLC patients treated with Dose-Escalated Radiation Therapy (DE-RT) in Trimodality setting
    A. Turaka, S. Hasan, T. Li, J.Q. Yu, P.C. Shah, R. Mehra, and W.J. Scott., International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Vol. 90, Issue 1, S611–S612, 56th Annual Meeting American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), San Francisco, CA, 9/1/2014
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Press Mentions

  • A patient story who was with treated with concurrent chemo-radiation therapy for the locally advanced Head & Neck cancer at Nazareth Hospital Cancer Center.
    A patient story who was with treated with concurrent chemo-radiation therapy for the locally advanced Head & Neck cancer at Nazareth Hospital Cancer Center. January 4th, 2023
  • Lung Cancer- Part 2: Q & A: Treatment and follow up surveillance for early stage. Daily Newspaper; Opinion
    Lung Cancer- Part 2: Q & A: Treatment and follow up surveillance for early stage. Daily Newspaper; OpinionJanuary 26th, 2022
  • What are the symptoms of lung cancer? Lung Cancer- Part 1: Q & A: symptoms, diagnosis and survival for early stage, Philadelphia Inquirer
    What are the symptoms of lung cancer? Lung Cancer- Part 1: Q & A: symptoms, diagnosis and survival for early stage, Philadelphia InquirerJanuary 21st, 2022
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Committees

  • Member, “Optimizing Mentorship/Sponsorship/Leadership Development”, work group of ASTRO’s Women in Radiation Oncology (WRO) affinity sub-group. 2023 - Present
  • Member, Member Executive Council (MEC)- Nazareth, Trinity Health Network, Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. 2022 - 2023
  • Member, Lung Force Executive committee, American Lung Association (ALA), Eastern division, Philadelphia, PA. 2022 - 2023
  • Member, Regional Physician Advisory Council-TH, Trinity Health Network, Together Care- powered by EPIC to deliver people-centered care. 2022 - 2023
  • Member, Trinity Health Clinical Excellence Council (CEC)- Radiation Oncology Expert panel. 2022 - 2023
  • Member, HP/GR Joint Council, ASTRO Advocacy group 2022 - 2023
  • Member, Guidelines subcommittee (“Clinical Affairs and Quality Council”, CAQC), American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), Annual Meetings. 2020 - 2023
  • State Captain IA state, State Captain Initiative Committee, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2018 - 2023
  • Member, Indo-American Cancer Association (IACA) Traveling Fellowship Selection Committee. 2017 - 2021
  • Member, Merkel cell carcinoma Multi-center Interest Group (MMIG). 2014 - 2023
  • Member, Research grants evaluation committee, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2014 - 2018
  • Member, Grants Subcommittee, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2014 - 2018
  • Member, Lung Clinical Trials working group ("LCT- WG") at the division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, National Cancer Institute (“NCI”) 2013 - 2014
  • Member, Institutional Review Board (IRB), Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 2011 - 2014
  • Member, International Education Subcommittee, American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), Annual Meetings. 2009 - 2013

Research History

  • Editor, SM Radiology journal (SMRJ), International Peer Reviewed Open Access journal2015 - Present
  • Editor, Journal of Radiation Oncology & ResearchEditor, Journal of Radiation Oncology & Research, Jacobs Publishers2014 - Present
  • Editor, Journal of Radiology, OMCIS group2012 - Present
  • Editor, Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology (JNMRT), OMCIS group2011 - Present

Professional Memberships

Other Languages

  • Telugu, Hindi, Urdu