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Mark C. Weissler, MD, FACS

Dr. Weissler

Joseph P. Riddle Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery
Chief, Division of Head and Neck Oncology
Chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons
Director of the American Board of Otolaryngology

Specialty:

Head and Neck Cancer; Laryngeal/Tracheal Stenosis; Oral, Oropharyngeal, Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancer; Throid Cancer; Cancer of the Parotid and Submandibular Glands; Major and Minor Salivary Gland Cancer.

Contact Information

  • Appointments: (984) 974-0000
  • Surgery Scheduler: Patricia Longest (919) 966-7491
  • Administrative Coordinator: Anna Noell (919) 966-8927

Education:

  • MD: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 1980
  • Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 1980-1982
  • Residency: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard University, MA, 1982-1985
  • Fellowship: Head and Neck Oncology Surgery, University of Cincinnati, 1985-1986

Professional Experience:

  • Professor and Chief, Division of Head and Neck Oncology, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, UNC School of Medicine, 2001-present
  • Joseph P. Riddle Distinguished Professor of Otolaryngology, UNC, 2000-present
  • Professor, Div. of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surg, Dept. of Surgery, UNC, 1996-2001
  • Associate Professor, Div. Of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Dept. of Surgery, UNC, 1993-1996
  • Assistant Professor, Div. Of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Dept. of Surgery, UNC, 1986-1992

Recent Honors:

  • Named Chair of the Committee on Ethics of the American College of Surgeons
  • Named Chair of the Central Judiciary Committee of the American College of Surgeons
  • Southern Section Triological Society Vice Presidential Citation, Scottsdale AZ, January, 2011
  • Best Doctors in America, 2007-2011 databases
  • America’s Top Doctors recognition for Cancer, published by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., 2007 – 2012
  • America’s Top Doctors recognition for Otolaryngology, published by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd., 2002 – 2012
  • Elected as a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons, 2006-2009.
  • Triological Society – Southern Section Presidential Citation in recognition of outstanding contributions to Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery. Marco Island, FL, January 9, 2004.
  • Top Doctors recognition for Otolaryngology, Business North Carolina, 2002 – 2011

Recent Publications:

  • Hakenewerth AM, Millikan RC, Rusyn I, Herring AH, North KE, Barnholtz-Sloan JS, Funkhouser WF, Weissler MC, Olshan AF. Joint effects of alcohol consumption and polymorphisms in alcohol and oxidative stress metabolism genes on risk of head and neck cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011 Nov;20(11):2438-49. Epub 2011 Sep 22. PMID: 21940907 [PubMed – in process]
  • Ang MK, Patel MR, Yin XY, Sundaram S, Fritchie K, Zhao N, Liu Y, Freemerman AJ, Wilkerson MD, Walter V, Weissler MC, Shockley WW, Couch ME, Zanation AM, Hackman T, Chera BS, Harris SL, Miller CR, Thorne LB, Hayward MC, Funkhouser WK, Olshan AF, Shores CG, Makowski L, Hayes DN. High XRCC1 protein expression is associated with poorer survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Oct 15;17(20):6542-52. Epub 2011 Sep 9. PMID: 21908577 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
  • McKay JD, Truong T, Gaborieau V, Chabrier A, Chuang SC, Byrnes G, Zaridze D, Shangina O, Szeszenia-Dabrowska N, Lissowska J, Rudnai P, Fabianova E, Bucur A, Bencko V, Holcatova I, Janout V, Foretova L, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Benhamou S, Bouchardy C, Ahrens W, Merletti F, Richiardi L, Talamini R, Barzan L, Kjaerheim K, Macfarlane GJ, Macfarlane TV, Simonato L, Canova C, Agudo A, Castellsagué X, Lowry R, Conway DI, McKinney PA, Healy CM, Toner ME, Znaor A, Curado MP, Koifman S, Menezes A, Wünsch-Filho V, Neto JE, Garrote LF, Boccia S, Cadoni G, Arzani D, Olshan AF, Weissler MC, Funkhouser WK, Luo J, Lubiński J, Trubicka J, Lener M, Oszutowska D, Schwartz SM, Chen C, Fish S, Doody DR, Muscat JE, Lazarus P, Gallagher CJ, Chang SC, Zhang ZF, Wei Q, Sturgis EM, Wang LE, Franceschi S, Herrero R, Kelsey KT, McClean MD, Marsit CJ, Nelson HH, Romkes M, Buch S, Nukui T, Zhong S, Lacko M, Manni JJ, Peters WH, Hung RJ, McLaughlin J, Vatten L, Njølstad I, Goodman GE, Field JK, Liloglou T, Vineis P, Clavel-Chapelon F, Palli D, Tumino R, Krogh V, Panico S, González CA, Quirós JR, Martínez C, Navarro C, Ardanaz E, Larrañaga N, Khaw KT, Key T, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Peeters PH, Trichopoulou A, Linseisen J, Boeing H, Hallmans G, Overvad K, Tjønneland A, Kumle M, Riboli E, Välk K, Voodern T, Metspalu A, Zelenika D, Boland A, Delepine M, Foglio M, Lechner D, Blanché H, Gut IG, Galan P, Heath S, Hashibe M, Hayes RB, Boffetta P, Lathrop M, Brennan P. A Genome-Wide Association Study of Upper Aerodigestive Tract Cancers Conducted within the INHANCE Consortium. PLoS Genet. 2011 Mar;7(3).
  • Patel SC, Carpenter WR, Tyree S, Couch ME, Weissler M, Hackman T, Hayes DN, Shores C, Chera BS. Increasing Incidence of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Young White Women, Age 18 to 44 Years. J Clin Oncol. 2011 Mar 7
  • Chen D, Truong T, Gaborieau V, Byrnes GB, Chabrier A, Chuang SC, Olshan AF, Weissler MC, Luo J, Romkes M, Buch S, Nukui T, Franceschi S, Herrero R, Talamini R, Kelsey KT, Christensen BC, McClean MD, Lacko M, Manni JJ, Peters WH, Lubinski J, Trubicka J, Lener MR, Muscat JE, Lazarus P, Wei Q, Sturgis EM, Zhang ZF, Chang SC, Wang LE, Schwartz SM, Chen C, Benhamou S, Lagiou P, Holcatova I, Richiardi L, Kjaerheim K, Agudo A, Castellsague X, Macfarlane TV, Barzan L, Canova C, Thakker NS, Conway DI, Znaor A, Healy CM, Ahrens WH, Zaridze D, Szeszenia-Dabrowska N, Lissowska J, Fabianova E, Bucur A, Bencko V, Foretova L, Janout V, Curado MP, Koifman S, Menezes AM, Wunsch-Filho V, Eluf-Neto J, Fernandez L, Boccia SN, Hashibe M, Hayes RB, Boffetta PA, Brennan P, McKay JD. A sex-specific association between a 15q25 variant and upper aerodigestive tract cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011 Feb 18.
  • Roche JP, Younes MN, Funkhouser WK, Weissler MC. Branchiogenic carcinoma of a first branchial cleft cyst. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2010 Jul; 143(1):167-8.
  • Dellon ES, Cullen NR, Madanick RD, Buckmire RA, Grimm IS, Weissler MC, Couch ME, Shaheen NJ. Outcomes of a combined antegrade and retrograde approach for dilation of radiation-induced esophageal strictures (with video). Gastrointest Endosc. 2010 Apr 24.
  • Divaris K, Olshan AF, Smith J, Bell ME, Weissler MC, Funkhouser WK, Bradshaw PT. Oral health and risk for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study. Cancer Causes Control 2010 Apr;21(4):567-75.
  • Pignon JP, le Maître A, Maillard E, Bourhis J; MACH-NC Collaborative Group. Meta-analysis of chemotherapy in head and neck cancer (MACH-NC): an update on 93 randomised trials and 17,346 patients. Radiother Oncol. 2009 Jul;92(1):4-14. Epub 2009 May 14.
  • Weissler MC, Ebert CS Jr. Chapter 14: Hoarseness. In: Runge MS and Greganti MA (eds.) Netter’s Internal Medicine, 2nd edition, Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier, 2009, pp. 77-82.
  • Weissler MC, Ebert CS Jr. Chapter 16: Neck Masses in Adults. In: Runge MS and Greganti MA (eds.) Netter’s Internal Medicine, 2nd edition, Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier, 2009, pp. 87-94.
  • Weissler MC. Why otolaryngologists-head and neck surgeons should join the American College of Surgeons. Ear Nose Throat J. 2008 Jun;87(6):322-4.
  • Lee SC, Shores CG, Weissler MC. Salvage surgery after failed primary concomitant chemoradiation. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Apr;16(2):135-40.
  • Richey LM, George JR, Couch ME, Kanapkey BK, Yin X, Cannon T, Stewart P, Weissler MC, Shores CG. Defining cancer cachexia in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2007;12(22):6561-67.
  • Richey LM, Shores CG, George J, Lee S, Couch ME, Sutton DK, Weissler MC. The effectiveness of salvage surgery after the failure of primary concomitant chemoradiation in head and neck cancer. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2007 Jan; 136(1):98-103.
  • Richey LM, Olshan AF, George J, Shores CG, Zanation AM, Cannon T, Weissler MC. Incidence and survival rates for young blacks with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the United States. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2006 Oct;132(10):1035-40.
  • Ardeshirpour F, Ebert CS Jr, Dubin MG, Weissler MC. Radiology quiz case 2. Maxillary osteomyelitis. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2006 Jun;132(6):691, 693.Cannon T, Zanation AM, Lai V, Weissler MC. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in young patients: A systematic review of racial demographics. Laryngoscope 2006 Jun;116(6):1021-1026.
  • Gross RD, Steinhauer KM, Zajac DJ, Weissler MC. Direct measurement of subglottic air pressure while swallowing. Laryngoscope 2006 May;116(5):753-61.Gandhi D, Falen S, McCartney W, Shockley W, Weissler M, Wrenn S, Shah G, Mukherji SK. Value of 2-deoxy-D-glucose imaging with dual-head gamma camera in coincidence mode: comparison with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in patients with suspected recurrent head and neck cancers. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2005 Jul-Aug;29(4):513-9.
  • Zanation AM, Sutton DK, Couch ME, Weissler MC. Shockley WW, Shores CG. Use, accuracy, and implications for patient management of [18F]-2-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission/computerized tomography for head and neck tumors. Laryngoscope 2005 Jul;115(7):1186-90.
  • Hudgins PA, Kingdom TT, Weissler MC, Mukhergi SK. Selective neck dissection: CT and MR imaging findings. Am J Neuroradiol 2005 May;26(5):1174-7.
  • Geisler SA, Olshan AF, Cai J, Weissler MC, Smith J, Bell D. Glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms and survival from head and neck cancer. Head Neck 2005 Mar;27(3):232-42.
  • Zajac DJ, Weissler MC. Air pressure responses to sudden vocal tract pressure bleeds during production of stop consonants: new evidence of aeromechanical regulation. J Speech Lang Hear Res 2004 Aug;47(4):784-801.
  • Weissler MC, Scharer SA. What’s New in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, July 2004;199(1):114-123.
  • Chung CH, Parker JS, Karaca G, Wu J, Funkhouser WK, Moore D, Butterfoss D, Xiang D, Zanation A, Yin X, Shockley WW, Weissler WC, Dressler LG, Shores CG, Yarbrough WG, Perou CM. Molecular classification of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas using patterns of gene expression. Cancer Cell; 2004 May; 5:489-500.
  • Gaudet MM, Olshan AF, Poole C, Weissler MC, Watson M, Bell DA. Diet, GSTM1, and GSTT1 and head and neck cancer. Carcinogenesis 2004 May;25(5):735-40. Epub 2003 Dec 19.