Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler

Doctor Overview

A top cancer researcher who has shown a keen interest in developing and investigating new treatment options for malignant mesothelioma, Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler is the Director of the Mesothelioma Program at UChicago Medicine, as well as the Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology. Dr. Kindler also serves as a professor of medicine.

As a researcher, Kindler largely focuses on the research of novel drugs, like Alimta and gemcitabine for the treatment of mesothelioma. Her interest in the disease peaked when her father died of mesothelioma in 2001. In particular, Kindler’s research has centered on angiogenesis inhibitors and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.

Dr. Kindler is an associate editor of Lung Cancer and a reviewer for a number of other medical journals, as well as author and co-author of numerous studies, journal articles and book chapters. Her work has garnered much attention in a number of cancer-related professional journals, including the Annals of Oncology, the Journals of Thoracic Oncology, and several others. Because of her expertise, she has lectured about mesothelioma and other conditions at hundreds of scientific meetings and conferences nationally and internationally.

Doctor Fast Facts

Main Specialty: Oncology

Other Interests & Specialties: Oncology, gastrointestinal cancer, hematologic oncology, thoracic cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors and malignant mesothelioma.

Certifications, Awards & Accolades: American Board of Internal Medicine Certification, America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, America’s Top Doctors for Cancer, Chicago Magazine: Top Doctors, CMS Stage 1 EHR, Super Doc Award, Selikoff Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, member of Science Advisory Board of the Mesothelioma Foundation, the NCI Pancreatic Cancer Task Force, International Mesothelioma Interest Group and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology

Education & Experience:

• Medical Degree from University at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
• Internship at UCLA Health System
• Residency at UCLA Health System
• Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Publications

Correlation of patient survival with clinical tumor measurements in malignant pleural mesothelioma. European Radiology. January 2019. doi: 10.1007/s00330-018-5887-z

Influence of Pleurectomy and Decortication in Health-Related Quality of Life Among Patients with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. World Journal of surgery. September 2017;42(4):1036-1045. doi: 10.1007/s00268-017-4264-4

Validation of Progression-Free Survival as a Surrogate Endpoint for Overall Survival in Malignant Mesothelioma: Analysis of Cancer and Leukemia Group B and North Central Cancer Treatment Group (Alliance) Trials. The Oncologist. March 2016;22( 2):189-198. doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0121

Computerized segmentation and measurement of malignant pleural mesothelioma. Medical Physics. January 2011;38(1):238-44. doi: 10.1118/1.3525836

The role of gemcitabine in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Seminars in Oncology. February 2002;29(1):70-6.

Mesothelioma Clinical Trials by Hedy Lee Kindler, MD

Dr. Kindler is associated with the following clinical trials: