Wade L. Thorstad

Wade L. Thorstad, MD is a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine, where he serves as Chief of the Head and Neck Cancer Service and Co-leader of the Siteman Cancer Center Head & Neck Tumor Center. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Thorstad is a board-certified specialist in Radiation Oncology and Nuclear Medicine who has made significant contributions to head and neck cancer treatment.

Dr. Thorstad received his BS in Biophysics from Trinity University (1986) and his MD from University of Texas Medical School (1991). He completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at Loyola University Medical Center (1995), a residency in Nuclear Medicine at Duke University Medical Center (1997), and a fellowship in Radiation Oncology at the Mayo Clinic (1998). He joined the Washington University faculty in 2000.

Dr. Thorstad's research focuses on improving Head and Neck radiation therapy through intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), studying patterns of failure, and developing treatment guidelines based on efficacy and toxicity. He integrates combined modality therapy using minimally invasive surgical techniques like transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) and transoral robotic surgery (TORS) with IMRT to maximize efficacy while minimizing toxicity. His work also incorporates patient-reported outcomes, anatomic and molecular imaging, and biomarkers to individualize cancer treatment.

With over 167 publications and 10,517 citations, Dr. Thorstad's research spans head and neck oncology, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, radiation therapy techniques, and cancer imaging. His recent work emphasizes AI applications in cancer diagnosis, treatment outcomes for HPV-positive cancers, and personalized approaches to radiation therapy.

Dr. Thorstad has received the Teacher of the Year Award from the Department of Radiation Oncology at Washington University (2011). His clinical expertise includes head and neck oncology, thoracic cancer, nuclear oncology, and PET imaging.

As Chief of the Head and Neck Cancer Service and Co-leader of the Siteman Head and Neck Tumor Center, Dr. Thorstad leads a multidisciplinary team focused on advancing cancer care through research and clinical innovation. His work involves collaboration across radiation oncology, surgery, medical oncology, and pathology to develop comprehensive treatment approaches for head and neck cancer patients.