Joshua Palmer, MD

About Me

I am a radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, such as primary and secondary brain tumors as well as cancers of the spine. I am also the pediatric malignancy disease site leader and a committed physician-scientist, devoting a significant portion of my professional time to prospective clinical trials and strategies to improve the efficacy of radiation. I have published over 100 manuscripts, book chapters and abstracts, including publications in such leading medical journals as Cancer Cell, Lancet Oncology, JAMA Oncology, Radiotherapy and Oncology, and Journal of Neuro-Oncology and Neurology.

My research focuses on translational oncology, biomarker discovery and the interaction of diet on cancer therapy. I serve as a national co-PI on three brain metastasis trials in the NRG Oncology and ALLIANCE for Clinical Trials groups, as well as on several studies through the Children’s Oncology Group. I am also a member of the International Guideline Harmonization Group for neurocognitive problems and colorectal cancer, and a committee member on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s pediatric CNS tumors national guidelines.

Cancer can be a very scary diagnosis — there’s a lot of anxiety involved — but it is also very complex. It’s important for doctors to use their experience and expertise to distill the information as best as possible so that patients can understand what their treatment options are and best formulate their goals of care. I focus my time and effort to ensure that patients and their families understand the diagnosis and treatment plan. My role is to be an advocate and information source so that patients can make the best decisions for themselves.

I take a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care by working with several different teams, including the skull base tumor group, the spine tumor group, the CNS tumor group, and the pediatric sarcoma and CNS tumor group. It is this close collaboration among the various teams that makes The James such a great place to work. We have the absolute best nurses, physicists, dosimetrists and therapists in the world, and that allows me to be more effective in my role.

In addition to my clinical and research work, I serve as an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at The Ohio State University. I am also a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College of Radiology and the American College of Radiation Oncology. I have research funding from Varian Medical Systems, Kroger and the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, and I serve as a consultant for Huron Consulting Group and Novocure.

Procedures and Conditions I Treat

• Spinal Cord Tumors
• Brain Cancers
• Skull Base Tumors
• Radiation Oncology