Irene Morae Kang, M.D.

Irene M. Kang, M.D., is medical director of women’s health medical oncology and an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, where she specializes in breast cancer. Her passion for oncology stems from the meaningful relationships she forms with patients and the hope for better outcomes. Her practice philosophy is that care is collaborative and personalized to a patient’s goals.

Dr. Kang is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of California Berkeley and earned her medical degree from the University of California San Francisco. She then completed a residency in internal medicine at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and a fellowship in oncology/hematology at the University of Southern California. She was recruited to the faculty at USC, receiving a teaching award for her work with oncology fellows, and was ranked among LA’s “Top Doctors,” according to LA magazine. She joined City of Hope in 2022 and is the medical director of women’s health medical oncology at City of Hope Orange County.

Her research interests focus on molecular characterization of breast tumors and investigating new treatments for breast cancer. She is active in national organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Southwest Oncology Group.

Dr. Kang devotes time away from the clinic to biking, exercising, and enjoying being a mother.

• 2020, USC Oncology Teaching Award
• 2016, USC Oncology Co-Chief Fellow
• 2014, IRCIMH Trainee Poster Presentation: Honorable Mention
• 2012, Resident Clinical Vignette Competition: First Place
• 2010, Deans Research Quarterly Grant
• 2007, IGCC Grant Recipient for Global Health Diplomacy
• 2006, Phi Beta Kappa
• 2004, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

• 2020, Clinical Investigations Committee, USC Clinical Investigations Support Office
• 2019, Physician Lead at USC – Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, American Society of Clinical Oncology
• 2019, Physician Education Committee – USC Oncology Fellowship
• 2019, USC Institute for Integrative Health – Steering Committee
• 2018, Quality Assurance Committee, USC Clinical Investigations Support Office
• 2014-2017, American Society of Hematology
• 2014, Full Member Early Career, American Society of Clinical Oncology
• 2013-2014, Ethics Committee, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California

• Falcone M, Liu L, Farias A, Zhang J, Kang I, Li M, et al. Evidence for racial/ethnic disparities in emergency department visits following breast cancer surgery among women in California: a population-based study. Breast cancer research and treatment. 2021. Epub 2021/03/07. doi: 10.1007/s10549-021-06119-5. PubMed PMID: 33675489.
• Teng T, Kamal M, Iriondo O, Amzaleg Y, Luo C, Thomas A, Lee G, Hsu CJ, Nguyen JD, Kang I, Hicks J, Smith A, Sposto R, Yu M. N-Acetyl-L-cysteine Promotes Ex Vivo Growth and Expansion of Single Circulating Tumor Cells by Mitigating Cellular Stress Responses. Mol Cancer Res. 2020 Dec 10. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-20-0482. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33303691.
• Kaur P, Campo D, Porras TB, Ring A, Lu J, Chairez Y, Su Y, Kang I, Lang JE. A Pilot Study for the Feasibility of Exome-Sequencing in Circulating Tumor Cells Versus Single Metastatic Biopsies in Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Jul 8;21(14):4826. doi: 10.3390/ijms21144826. PMID: 32650480; PMCID: PMC7402350.
• Lee K, Kang I, Mack WJ, Mortimer J, Sattler F, Salem G, Dieli-Conwright CM. Effect of High Intensity Interval Training on Matrix Metalloproteinases in Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Anthracycline-Based Chemotherapy. Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 3;10(1):5839. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-
• Olimpiadi YB, Brownson KE, Kahn JA, Kim B, Han H, Khemichian S, Fong TL, Kang I, Terando A, Lang JE. Treatment and Outcomes of Early Stage Breast Cancer in Patients with Hepatic Dysfunction. The Journal of Surgical Research. 2020;256:212-9. Epub 2020/07/28. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2020.06.022. PubMed PMID: 32711178; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPMC7854813.
• Algaze S, J Donovan J, Kang I. Hepatitis B Reactivation: A Potentially Serious Complication of Chemotherapy for Solid Tumors. Adv Can Res & Clinical Imag. January 2020. DOI: 10.33552/ACRCI.2020.02.000539.
• Lang JE, Tseng WW, Kang I. Editorial: A Novel Monoclonal Antibody-Targeting Angiogenesis by Inhibiting Secreted Frizzled-Related Protein 2. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019 Dec;26(13):4188-4190. doi: 10.1245/s10434-019-07801-1. Epub 2019 Sep 9. PMID: 31502016.
• Kamal M, Saremi S, Klotz R, Iriondo O, Amzaleg Y, Chairez Y, Tulpule V, Lang J, Kang I, Yu M. PIC&RUN: An integrated assay for the detection and retrieval of single viable circulating tumor cells. Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 25;9(1):17470. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53899-4. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2020 Feb 13;10(1):2877. PMID: 31767951; PMCID: PMC6877641.
• Kang I, Dong S, Xia B, Lu J. Recent Developments in HER2-Directed Therapy in Breast Cancer. Current Breast Cancer Reports Nov 2019. doi 10.1007/s12609-019-00347-x
• Li G, Lu J, Lang J, Kang I. Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Diagnostic, Molecular and Therapeutic Considerations. Current Breast Cancer Reports. Nov 2019 doi: 10.1007/s12609-019-00337-z
• Lee K, Kang I, Mack WJ, Mortimer J, Sattler F, Salem G, Dieli-Conwright CM. Feasibility of high intensity interval training in patients with breast cancer undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy: a randomized pilot trial. BMC Cancer. 2019 Jul 3;19(1):653. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-5887-7. PMID: 31269914; PMCID: PMC6610838.
• Lee K, Kang I, Mack WJ, Mortimer JE, Sattler F, Salem G, Lu J, Dieli-Conwright CM. Effects of high-intensity interval training on vascular endothelial function and vascular wall thickness in breast cancer patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy: a randomized pilot study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Jun 24. doi: 10.1007/s10549-019-05332-7. PMID: 31236810
• Lee K, Kang I, Mortimer JE, Sattler F, Mack WJ, Fitzsimons LA, Salem G, Dieli-Conwright CM. Effects of high-intensity interval training on vascular function in breast cancer survivors undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy: design of a pilot study. BMJ Open. 2018 Jun 30;8(6):e022622. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022622. PMID: 29961039; PMCID: PMC6042553.
• Siddiqi I, Friedman J, Barry-Holson K, Ma C, Thodima V, Kang I, Padmanabhan R, Dias L, Kelly K, Brynes R, Kamalakaran S, Houldsworth J. Characterization of a distinct variant of t(14;18) negative nodal diffuse follicular lymphoma with CD23 expression, 1p36/TNFRSF14 abnormalities, and STAT6 mutations. Modern Pathology 2016. PMID 26965583
• Kang I, Kim YS, Kim C. Mineral deficiency in patients who have undergone gastrectomy. Nutrition. 2007 Apr;23(4):318-22. Epub 2007 Mar 26. PMID 17376653
• Porter J, Craven B, Khan RM, Chang SJ, Kang I, Judkewitz B, Volpe J, Settles G, Sobel N. Mechanisms of Scent-tracking in Humans. Nature Neuroscience. 2007 Jan;10(1):27-9. Epub 2006 Dec 17. PMID 17173046

Abstracts

• Tiu-lim JW, Yin J, Xiu J, Korn WM, Lenz HJ, In GK, Roussos Torres E, Lu JM, Spicer D, Xia B, Hoon D, Krill-Jackson E, Lutterman Heeke A, Sammons S, Isaacs C, Olabisi Ademuyiwa F, Ma CX, Tan AR, Kang I. Molecular characterization of the Ras-MAPK pathway in metastatic breast cancer. Poster at 2021 ASCO National Meeting. J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr 1034)
• Thomas JS, Habib D, Hanna DL, Kang I, Iqbal S, Nieva J, Tsao-Wei D, Acosta F, Hsieh M, Zhang Y, El-Khoueiry AB. A phase 1 trial of FID-007, a novel nanoparticle paclitaxel formulation, in patients with solid tumors. Poster at 2021 ASCO National Meeting. J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr 3021)
• Kathuria-Prakash N, Antrim L, Sun AW, Kang I, Garcia-Jimenez M, Angell TE, Lechner MG, In GK. COVID-19 outcomes in patients with a history of breast cancer: A diverse multicenter Los Angeles cohort study. J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr e12544)
• Ricker C, Amundson E, Algaze S, Ciccone M, Dong S, D’souza A, Felicetti K, Hernandez D, Jayachandran P, Kang I, Narayanan K, Thomas JS, Tulpule V, Umayam R, Xia B, In GK. Assessing somatic and germline variants in cancer patients. Poster at 2021 ASCO National Meeting. J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr 10601)
• Krebs M, Im S, Campone M, Postel-Vinay S, Akenau T, Lopez J, Abida W, Jodreel D, Lee K, Rha S, Kang I, Roylance R, Parr G, Smith C, Goldwin A, Sanay E, Lukashchuk N, Lau A, Pierce A, Loembe B, Dean E. Ceralasertib in combination with olaparib in patients with advanced breast cancer: results of Phase I expansion cohorts. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. December 8-11, 2020 Poster PS11-18, abstract #1765
• Xia B, Feldman R, Cozen W, Kang I, Raez L, Borghaei H, Kim C, Nagasaka M, Mamdani H, A Vanderwalde, S Gopalkrishna, P Gilberto Lopes, M Socinski, A Wozniak, E Kim, A Spira, S Liu, J Nieva. Gender disparities in hormone positive lung cancer. https://meetinglibrary.asco.org/record/185634/abstract ASCO Meeting Library. 2020; ASCO Virtual Scientific Program
• Olimpiadi YB, Brownson KE, Kahn JA, Kim B, Han H, Khemichian S, Fong TL, Kang I, Terando A, Lang JE. Treatment and Outcomes of Early Stage Breast Cancer in Patients with Hepatic Dysfunction. 15th Annual Academic Surgical Congress accepted to be presented February 4-6, 2020.
• Kang I, Spicer D, Lu JM, Tsao-wei D, Groshen S, Garcia A. Phase II Trial of Metronomic Capecitabine and Cyclophosphamide with Lapatinib and Trastuzumab in Patients with HER2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr e12508)
• Dieli-Conwright CM, Lee K, Chow C, Zapanta K, Kang I, Pinski J, Dorff T. Circuit aerobic and resistance exercise to target metabolic dysregulation in breast and prostate cancer survivors: The CARE trial study design. Poster at 2018 ASCO national meeting. J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl; abstr TPS10126)
• Dorff TB, Shelechi M, Kang I, Morgan TE, Groshen SG, Yennu S, et al. A randomized phase II clinical trial of a fasting-mimic diet prior to chemotherapy to evaluate the impact on toxicity and efficacy. Poster at 2018 ASCO national meeting. J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl; abstr TPS10132)
• Kang I, D’souza A, Spicer D, Russell C, Lang J, Nelson M, Silberman H, Lu JM. Review of next generation sequencing outcomes in patients with metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 35, 2017 (suppl; abstr e12558)
• Kang I, Yang D, Siddiqi I, Ailawadhu S, Mohrbacher A, Tulpule A, Kelly K. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in NK/T cell Non-Hodgkin lymphomas in the US: a SEER Analysis. Abstract at ASH National Meeting Dec 2016.
• Chang G, Kang I, Shahabi A, Nadadur M, Athreya K, Suer E, Canter D, Chen M, Martin S, Aron M, Groshen S, Epstein A, Pinski J. MDSC Clinical Assay for Disease Surveillance in Prostate Cancer. Abstract at ASCO national meeting. J Clin Oncol 33, 2015 (suppl; abstr e16091)

Referred Journal Articles/Posters

• Kang I, Pagan V, Kim J, Lewis C, Nguyen P, Glaser S, Ruiterman J, Xia B, Aalto M, Peden C. Listening, Learning and Educating: Person-Centered Care for Older Cancer Patients - a Quality Improvement Initiative. Poster at the “Wellness is an Inside Job” USC Institute for Integrative Health and Wellness annual conference. 2020 Nov 14.
• Culver J, Kagey, J, Freiberg Y, Banerjee V, Sturgeon D, Solomon I, Ricker C, Lerman C, Carey J, Carr A, Cho S, Lu J, Kang I, Patel K, Terando A, Ye J, Spicer D, Nelson M. Integration of Universal Genetic Counseling and Testing for Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients. National Society of Genetic Counselors annual conference. 2020 Nov 18.
• Kang I, Adler S, Hecht F, Dhruva A. Yoga Breathing During Cancer Chemotherapy: Qualitative Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Poster presentation at: International Research Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health; 2014 May 14; Miami, FL.
• Kang I, Zhao G. Kaposi Sarcoma in an HIV negative man: the four subtypes of KS and the entity of idiopathic CD4+ Lymphocytopenia. Poster presentation at: Northern California Chapter Annual Meeting of the American College of Physicians; 2011 Oct 28-30; San Jose, CA.
• Kang I, S Wang, Jahan T, Theodore P, Kukreja J, Jablons D, Yom SS. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Presenting with Obstruction: Factors Prognostic for Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy. Poster session presented at: Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. 2010 Dec 4-6; Chicago, IL. Also published in Journal of Thoracic Oncology Vol 5 Issue 12. Page 544. 2010.
• L Plouffe, I Kang, A Kalache. Older persons in emergencies: An active aging perspective. Technical report published by the World Health Organization Ageing and Life Course division. 2008 Aug. ISBN 978 92 4 156364 2

Presentations

• “State of the Industry: COVID-19 and its impact on healthcare” Invited panel speaker. Korean American Scientists and Engineers Association – USC branch. 2021 March
• Keynote speech: Real world experience of Latina Women with Breast Cancer during COVID-19. The Latino Cancer Institute 2nd Annual National Forum. 2020 Oct.
• Metastatic Breast Cancer: Late Diagnosis and Increased Recurrence Rates. Diversity in Cancer Care (virtual meeting). Total Health Conferencing. 2020 Oct.
• Breast Cancer. LAC+USC Internal Medicine lecture series. 2020 April
• Oncologic Emergencies. LAC+USC Internal Medicine lecture series. 2019 Sep.
• The Latest Advancements in Metastatic Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. Susan G. Komen In My Own Voice. 2019 Aug.
• Clinical Significance of Breast Cancer Site Specific Data Items. 2019 Cancer Surveillance Program Educational Symposium. 2019 Aug.
• Localized breast cancer. Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Fellows Didactic Lecture 2020 Aug, 2019 Aug, 2018 Jan.
• Metastatic breast cancer. Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Fellows Didactic Lecture 2020 Aug, 2019 Sep, 2017 Sep.
• Hormonal therapy for early stage breast cancer. Keck School of Medicine. Clinical Updates Series. 2019 Feb.
• Adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. LAC+USC. Breast Surgery Fellows Didactic Lecture 2018, Aug, 2019 Feb, 2020 Feb, 2020 Sep.
• Breast Cancer Staging Update. LAC + USC. Annual Cancer Program Lecture. 2017 Dec, 2018 Dec.
• Integrative Medicine in Cancer Care. American Pacific American Medical Student Association Annual Meeting 2018 Feb.
• USC.edu panel speaker. USC Innovation Conference. 2018 Jan.
• Breast cancer update: Grand Rounds Regional Medical Center. 2017 Nov.
• Cancer Immunotherapy: Grand rounds presentation Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. 2014 June
• Screening mammography: A comparison of Safety Net Institutes. Outpatient QA project presentation 2013 April
• Tumor microenvironment in Breast Cancer: Deans Research Grant Presentation. Kang I, Park C. 2011 April