Melissa G. Lechner, MD, PhD

Melissa G. Lechner, MD, PhD

(she/her)

Assistant Clinical Professor, Deptartment of Medicine, Endocrinology

Languages

English

Education

Fellowship

Endocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 2020

Internship

Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 2015

Degrees

MD, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, 2014
PhD, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, 2011
BA, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 2006

Residency

Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 2018

Board Certifications

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2020
Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, 2018

Contact Information

Scientific Interests

Dr. Lechner’s research interests are related to understanding the cause of immune related adverse events (IrAE) from cancer immunotherapy. Using a novel mouse model of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-IrAE that she developed, Dr. Lechner is identifying key drivers of these unwanted autoimmune toxicities and evaluating new therapeutic approaches that reduce toxicity without decreasing the anti-tumor efficacy of immunotherapy. In addition, she established the Onco-Endocrinology clinic at UCLA to care for patients with endocrine side effects from cancer immunotherapy, leads prospective clinical trials at UCLA in patients with ICI-associated IrAE, and serves on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Management of Immunotherapy Toxicity Side Effects guidance panel.

Highlighted Publications

Lechner MG, Vyas C, Hamnvik OR, Alexander EK, Larsen PR, Choueiri TK, Angell TE. Risk factors for new hypothyroidism during tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in advanced non-thyroid cancer patients. Thyroid. 2018 Apr;28(4):437-444. PMID: 29652599

Lechner MG, Vyas C, Hamnvik OR, Alexander EK, Larsen PR, Choueiri TK, Angell TE. Hypothyroidism during tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy is associated with longer survival in patients with advanced non-thyroid cancers. Thyroid. 2018 Apr;28(4):445-453. PMID: 29652597

Lechner MG, Bernardo AC, Lampe A, Smooke Praw S, Tam S, Angell TE. Comparison of Stage Distribution and Disease Specific Survival in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer between AJCC 7th and 8th editions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The Oncologist. 2020, Aug 30;26(2):e251-60. PMID: 3286432

Kathuria-Prakash N, Mosaferi T, Xie M, Antrim L, Angell TE, In GK, Su MA, Lechner MG. COVID-19 Outcomes of Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Multi-Center Los Angeles Cohort Study. Endocrine Practice, 2021 Feb;27(2):90-94. PMID: 33551317

Schumm M, Lechner MG, Shu ML, Ochoa JE, Kim J, Tseng C, Leung AM, Yeh MW. Frequency of Thyroid Hormone Replacement after Lobectomy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. Endocrine Practice, in press. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2021.01.004

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