Shanda Blackmon, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
Dr. Shanda Blackmon is a world-renowned thoracic surgeon who specializes in treating patients with esophageal cancer, achalasia, lung cancer, and pleural mesothelioma. She is the director of the Lung Institute at Baylor Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Blackmon has long led the development of surgical treatment and holds several patents, including for an app that is a virtual patient management platform for post-surgical patients. She also pioneered the use of 3D printing and building prototypes for complex thoracic resections.[1]
Education and Career
Dr. Blackmon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Texas and a master of Public Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health before going on to earn her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine.
She completed her residency in the Department of General Surgery at the Georgia Baptist Hospital/Atlanta Medical Center and a fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
After a Clinical Instructorship and fellowship in thoracic surgical oncology at M.D. Anderson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Blackmon led the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Houston Methodist while also serving as director of the hospital’s Thoracic Tumor Board and Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program.[2]
Dr. Blackmon practiced at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where, in addition to her surgical practice, she was the Principal Investigator in several thoracic clinical trials, a professor of surgery, Medical Director of User Experience/Design for the Center for Digital Health, and co-developer of the Enhanced Recovery Program.[1]
Dr. Blackmon is now the Executive Director of the Lung Institute at Baylor Medicine and a professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. She specializes in the surgical treatment of thoracic cancers, foregut and chest conditions, and reconstructive surgeries.
In treating patients with lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma, Dr. Blackmon performs lung volume reduction surgery, minimally invasive thymectomy, robotic lobectomy, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and many other highly technical procedures to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Research
Dr. Blackmon has been actively involved in several clinical trials investigating better treatments and outcomes for patients with mesothelioma, including a 2018 study on national trends in its epidemiology and a 2020 study on surgical staging and resection of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Her current clinical trial is investigating the use of neoadjuvant intrapleural cryotherapy in mesothelioma patients to determine whether it will trigger systemic and local pro-inflammatory changes resulting in the induction of anti-tumor immunity.[2]
She recently published a book from Mayo Clinic Press entitled “The Support Group; Connection, Hope & Healing for Patients + Providers.”[1]
She has published several professional papers and textbook chapters and made numerous scientific presentations on the topics of thoracic and minimally invasive surgery as well as on enabling digital technology. Her professional lectures and publications focus on thoracic oncology surgery, digital enabling technology, ctDNA, 3-D modeling, and patient outcomes.[3]
Professional Memberships
Dr. Blackmon serves as a member of several boards and councils, including:
- American Surgical Association
- Thoracic Surgery Foundation
- Society for Thoracic Surgeons
- Women in Thoracic Surgery
- American Association for Thoracic Surgery
- Southern Thoracic Surgical Association
- American College of Surgeons
- International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus
- European Society of Thoracic Surgeons
She was president of Women in Thoracic Surgery and is an advocate for Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. She currently serves as Secretary of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association and Council Chair for STS. She has also served as Deputy Editor of Annals of Thoracic Surgery.[3]
