Anthony Lucci

Anthony Lucci, M.D. is a Professor in the Department of Breast Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with a dual appointment in the Department of Surgical Oncology, Division of Surgery. He serves as Principal Investigator of the Lucci Laboratory, focusing on innovative cancer research approaches.

Dr. Lucci's research interests center on liquid biopsy-based approaches for cancer detection and monitoring. His laboratory investigates circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), proteomics, and exosomes to develop comprehensive disease snapshots for individual cancer patients. The lab has collected serial blood draws from over 830 breast cancer patients and more than 800 melanoma patients.

• Specializes in triple-negative and inflammatory breast cancer research
• Investigates Stage II-IV cutaneous and uveal melanoma
• Develops methods to predict cancer recurrence
• Identifies novel therapeutic targets through liquid biopsies
• Studies mechanisms of treatment resistance

The Lucci Laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding how CTCs and ctDNA can predict disease progression better than many conventional clinical parameters. Their research has shown that protein expression in CTCs (like HER2) can differ from primary tumors, opening new therapeutic possibilities for patients.