Mark Onaitis, MD
Dr. Mark Onaitis is a thoracic surgeon who specializes in malignant and benign conditions of the chest, including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, thymic malignancies, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. He practices at the University of California San Diego.[1]
Dr. Onaitis uses minimally invasive approaches, including thoracoscopy and robotics in his delivery of care. His clinical expertise lies in achalasia, esophageal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux, lung cancer, myasthenia gravis, paraesophageal hernias, and thymus cancer. He also trains medical students, residents, and fellows.
Education and Career
Dr. Onaitis attended medical school at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, and he remained at Duke for his internship and residency in General Surgery. He served as chief resident and continued at Duke with a fellowship in Thoracic Surgery and a master’s degree in Clinical Research. He is board-certified in thoracic surgery.[1]
Professional Memberships and Activities
Dr. Onaitis is a member of the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons. He has published widely and serves as a reviewer for several professional journals.[1]
Research
Dr. Onaitis’ basic science research includes stem and progenitor cells and lung cancer and his clinical research focuses on quality indicators in thoracic surgery. His recent publications include:[1]
- Integrin avß3 Upregulation in Response to Nutrient Stress Promotes Lung Cancer Cell Metabolic Plasticity. Cancer Res. 2024 Apr 08; OF1-OF13. Nam A, Jain S, Wu C, Campos A, Shepard RM, Yu Z, Reddy JP, Von Schalscha T, Weis SM, Onaitis M, Wettersten HI, Cheresh DA. PMID: 38588407.
- A Multidisciplinary Minimally Invasive Approach Is Necessary for the Contemporary Management of Esophageal Diverticula. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2024 Apr; 34(4):291-298. Broderick RC, Spurzem GJ, Huang EY, Sandler BJ, Jacobsen GR, Weisman RA, Onaitis MW, Weissbrod PA, Horgan S. PMID: 38407920.
- Activation of KrasG12D in Subset of Alveolar Type II Cells Enhances Cellular Plasticity in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res Commun. 2023 11 24; 3(11):2400-2411. Chaudhary P, Xu X, Wang G, Hoj JP, Rampersad RR, Asselin-Labat ML, Ting S, Kim W, Tamayo P, Pendergast AM, Onaitis MW. PMID: 37882674; PMCID: PMC10668634.
- Brief Report: Evaluation of Molecular Profiling Strategies for Neoadjuvant Osimertinib in Stage IIIA EGFR-Mutant NSCLC. Clin Lung Cancer. 2024 01; 25(1):e58-e61. Lu K, Woodward BD, Boys J, Onaitis M, Husain H. PMID: 37852849.
- Tolerability and Feasibility of the Upper Esophageal Sphincter Assist Device in Preventing Acute and Chronic Allograft Rejection Among Lung Transplant Recipients. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2023 07 01; 57(6):574-577. Iyer NR, Afshar K, Golts E, Onaitis MW, Kafi A, Yung GL, Kunkel DC. PMID: 35703261.
