Incoming President Named At MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 4, 2011, /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mark Roh, M.D., an internationally renowned liver cancer surgeon has been named Incoming President of MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando and will take over as President next year. Dr. Roh also serves as the cancer center's Medical and Scientific Director, overseeing all clinical activities within the cancer center and clinical, basic and translational research programs. As President, Dr. Roh will expand on his administrative functions in addition to maintaining his clinical practice as a liver cancer surgeon. Dr. Roh will also continue the close working relationship with physician program leaders at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Roh will take over for President Clarence Brown, III, M.D. who will be retiring from his current post.

Dr. Roh joined Orlando Health in August 2009 as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery of MD Anderson - Orlando and Academic Chairman of the Department of Surgery of Orlando Health.  In addition to leading efforts to build world-class departments of surgery, Dr. Roh has established a Liver Cancer Center at MD Anderson - Orlando.

Dr. Roh was recently named among the top one percent of physicians in the nation by US News & World Report and is on the American Cancer Society's Florida Board of Directors.  Since 1994, he has served as the executive editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology. He has been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1992.

Prior to joining Orlando Health, Dr. Roh was professor of surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine and Chairman of Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed his surgical research fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Roh served for 10 years as chief of liver tumor surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He graduated from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business with a master's degree in medical management. Dr. Roh has served in multiple academic and professional appointments in the Department of Surgery and Liver Tumor Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Roh's academic research has been published internationally in numerous peer-reviewed journals, oncology and medical publications, textbooks, and videos.

"Dr. Roh is a tremendous asset to the entire Orlando Health organization and we are delighted that he will be stepping into this very important role for MD Anderson - Orlando," said Sherrie Sitarik, President and CEO, Orlando Health. "Dr. Roh is a talented liver surgeon who is committed to continuing to grow MD Anderson - Orlando as the premier cancer treatment facility in the state of Florida and provide exceptional cancer care right here in Central Florida."

MD Anderson - Orlando's current President, Clarence Brown III, M.D., will retire after 36 years with the organization. Dr. Brown has been at the helm as the leader of MD Anderson - Orlando since the facility opened its doors to the public twenty years ago becoming the first outreach program of the world famous MD Anderson in Houston and bringing internationally renowned cancer care to Central Floridians.

MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, part of Orlando Health, is affiliated with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked MD Anderson Cancer Center as the top cancer treatment center in the U.S. and has ranked it as one of the top two cancer centers for the past 13 years. Orlando Health, a 1,882-bed community-owned, Florida not-for-profit organization established in 1918, annually serves nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients. More information is available at www.mdacco.com.

This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM).  For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com.

SOURCE Orlando Health