Lorna Rodriguez-Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D.

626 -218 -4052
Lorna Rodriguez
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Gynecologic Oncology Surgeon
4.7 (43 RATINGS)
Clinical Expertise
Gynecologic Malignancies, Surgery & Chemotherapy
Ovarian Cancer
Vulvar Cancer
Endometrial Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Clinical Trials
Immunotherapy
Languages
Spanish
Appointments
Vice Chair of Faculty Development
Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Surgery
I am determined to work in finding ways to make women with ovarian cancer feel better and I definitely hope to find a cure someday soon.
 
For more than 30 years, Lorna Rodriguez-Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., has been a standout in gynecological oncology. Specializing in ovarian cancer, she has served as clinician, instructor and researcher at several of America's leading medical institutions.
 
Her interest in medicine began when, as a child, she watched as doctors cared for her chronically ill brother. “I wanted to be one of them,” she recalls, “so I could help people when they felt hopeless ... I wanted to be both a scientist that would make discoveries and find new cures, and a physician that could alleviate the pain of illness.”
 
The much-honored Dr. Rodriguez-Rodriguez earned her medical degree at University of Puerto Rico Medical School and continued her training at Rutgers Medical School, University of Michigan Medical School and University of Rochester Medical School. She's held positions at Rochester, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, among others.
 
Consistently rated one of America's "Top Doctors," Dr. Rodriguez-Rodriguez spent two decades leading the Gynecologic Oncology Department at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.
 
A noted researcher, Dr. Rodriguez-Rodriguez is eagerly continuing her ovarian cancer investigations at City of Hope, which she calls “the perfect environment” that's home to “many amazing scientists and clinicians (with) similar goals about making discoveries to cure cancer.”
Location
Education & Experience
Board Certifications

  • 1988-present, Certificate of Special Competence in Gynecological Oncology

  • 1987-present, American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Degrees

  • 1996, Biochemistry Ph.D., University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY

  • 1993, M.S. Biochemistry, University of Rochester Medical School, Rochester, NY

  • 1979, Doctor of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical School, San Juan, PR

  • 1975, Bachelor in Science (Magnum cum Laude), University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR

Fellowship

  • 1986, Fellowship, Gynecological Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Residency

  • 1983, Residency, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rutgers Medical School, Cooper University Hospital Camden, New Jersey

Internship

  • 1983, Internship, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rutgers Medical School, Cooper University Hospital Camden, New Jersey

Professional Experience

  • 2019-present, Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, California

  • 2019-present, Vice Chair of Faculty Development, City of Hope, Duarte, California

  • 2008-2019, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
    Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology with tenure

  • 2017-2019, Chief, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Rutgers CINJ

  • 2016-2017, Acting Chief, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Rutgers CINJ

  • 2012-present, Director of Precision Medicine, Rutgers CINJ

  • 2012-2017, Director, Biorepository Services, Rutgers CINJ

  • 2000-2012, Chief, Gynecologic Oncology, CINJ

  • 2000-2008, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology with tenure, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

  • 1996-2000, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Rochester Medical School

  • 1996-2000, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology University of Rochester Medical School

  • 1996-2000, Director, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Rochester Medical School

  • 1986-1995, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Awards & Memberships
Awards

  • 2021, Carol Emmott Fellowship

  • 2021, Los Angeles Magazine Top Doctors 2020

  • 2016, Selected as a Top Doctor for Cancer in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2016, Invited to serve on AACR Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee

  • 2016, Selected as one of New York Metro Area’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.

  • 2015, Invited to be a member of the BIONJ DX Precision Medicine Committee

  • 2015, Selected as one of Jersey’s 1992 Top Doctor Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2015, Selected as a Top Doctor for Cancer in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2015, Selected as Co-Chair GYN Clinical Trials Working Group

  • 2015, Selected as a Top Doctor for Women’s Health in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2014, Selected as one of the Best Doctors in America by Best Doctors, Inc. USA

  • 2014, Selected as a Top Doctor for Women featured in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2014, Selected as a Top Doctor for Cancer Care featured in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2014, Selected as a Top Doctor for Women’s Health featured in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2014, Selected as one of New York Metro Area’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.

  • 2014, Selected as one of New Jersey’s Outstanding Physician by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.

  • 2013, Selected as one of New York Metro Area’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd.

  • 2011, Selected as a NJ Top Doctor for Women’s Health by NJTopDocs.com

  • 2009, Selected as one of the Outstanding NJ Physicians by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd. Appeared in Inside New Jersey Magazine

  • 2009, Nominated for Woman of the Year in Medicine & Healthcare by the American Biographical Institute Board of International Research

  • 2008, Invited to speak at the 2008 AACR Jane Cook Wright Lectureship and review the scientific work of the winner
    2007, Invited to serve on the RCMI-IdeA review Committee (NIH COBRE Awards)

  • 2007, Invited to be the Chair for the Selection Committee for the AACR-Minorities in Cancer Research

  • 2007-2012, Invited to draft the Gynecologic Chapter of The NJ Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan

  • 2007, Selected by Rush Holtz to represent women in leadership of NJ in Washington, DC

  • 2006, Consultant to Senator Buono of NJ regarding new legislature on ovarian cancer prevention

  • 2006, Invited to be a member of the Ovarian Cancer Workshop as part of the Cancer Control

  • 2006, Nominated to the Gynecologic Cancer Steering Committee (NCI)

  • 2005-2006, Plan/Invited to be a co-chair at a Progress Review group by NCI (AYAO PRG)

  • 2001, Invited Speaker to the International Conference on the Extracellular Matrix of the Female Reproductive Tract

  • 2000, Invited by the Office on Women’s Health (NIH) to participate on a workshop about barriers to health care access

  • 2000, Invited by the Office on Women’s Health (NIH) to participate on a Scientific Workshop on Lesbian’s Health

Memberships

  • 2017-present, Member, Molecular Tumor Board, American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry Study

  • 2015-present, Member, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee 2016

  • 2015-present, Co-chair GYN Clinical Trials Working Group

  • 2015-present, Member, BIG Ten Cancer Research Consortium

  • 2015-May 2020, Member, ORIEN Total Cancer Care Protocol Advisory Committee

  • 2015-present, Member, BIONJ DxPM Committee

  • 2007-2008, AACR Chairperson Selection Committee for AACR Minorities in Cancer Research /Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship

  • 2007-2008, Gynecology Track Leader

  • 2006, Program Committee, AACR

  • 2005, Member, International Gynecologic Cancer Society

  • 2005-2008, Cancer Education Committee

  • 2004-2005, AACR Scientist Survivor Committee

  • 2003, Membership Committee, ASCO

  • 2001-2007, ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Program Committee

  • 1988-present, Member, Society of Gynecologic Oncology

  • 1998, Member, American Radium Society

  • 1988, Fellow, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Publications
Martincuks A, Li PC, Zhao Q, Zhang C, Li YJ, Yu H, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. CD44 in Ovarian Cancer Progression and Therapy Resistance-A Critical Role for STAT3. Front Oncol. 2020 Dec 1;10:589601. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.589601. PMID: 33335857; PMCID: PMC7736609.
 
Wang EW, Wei CH, Liu S, Lee SJ, Shehayeb S, Glaser S, Li R, Saadat S, Shen J, Dellinger T, Han ES, Stewart D, Wilczynski S, Cristea M, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. Frontline Management of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer-Combining Clinical Expertise with Community Practice Collaboration and Cutting-Edge Research. J Clin Med. 2020 Sep 1;9(9):2830. doi: 10.3390/jcm9092830. PMID: 32882942; PMCID: PMC7565288.
 
Kohut A, Earnhardt MC, Cuccolo NG, Kim CS, Song M, Girda E, De Meritens AB, Stephenson R, Balica A, Leiser A, Demissie K, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. Evaluating unplanned readmission and prolonged length of stay following minimally invasive surgery for endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Jan;156(1):162-168. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2019.08.023. Epub 2019 Dec 13. PMID: 31839339
 
Harris HR, Cushing-Haugen KL, Webb PM, Nagle CM, Jordan SJ; Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group, Risch HA, Rossing MA, Doherty JA, Goodman MT, Modugno F, Ness RB, Moysich KB, Kjær SK, Høgdall E, Jensen A, Schildkraut JM, Berchuck A, Cramer DW, Bandera EV, Rodriguez L, Wentzensen N, Kotsopoulos J, Narod SA, McLaughlin JR, Anton-Culver H, Ziogas A, Pearce CL, Wu AH, Lindström S, Terry KL. Association between genetically predicted polycystic ovary syndrome and ovarian cancer: a Mendelian randomization study. Int J Epidemiol. 2019 Jun 1;48(3):822-830. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyz113. PMID: 31211375
 
Stein MN, Malhotra J, Tarapore RS, Malhotra U, Silk AW, Chan N, Rodriguez L, Aisner J, Aiken RD, Mayer T, Haffty BG, Newman JH, Aspromonte SM, Bommareddy PK, Estupinian R, Chesson CB, Sadimin ET, Li S, Medina DJ, Saunders T, Frankel M, Kareddula A, Damare S, Wesolowsky E, Gabel C, El-Deiry WS, Prabhu VV, Allen JE, Stogniew M, Oster W, Bertino JR, Libutti SK, Mehnert JM, Zloza A. J Immunother Cancer. Safety and enhanced immunostimulatory activity of the DRD2 antagonist ONC201 in advanced solid tumor patients with weekly oral administration. 2019 May 22;7(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s40425-019-0599-8. PMID: 31118108
 
Paratala BS, Chung JH, Williams CB, Yilmazel B, Petrosky W, Williams K, Schrock AB, Gay LM, Lee E, Dolfi SC, Pham K, Lin S, Yao M, Kulkarni A, DiClemente F, Liu C, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Ganesan S, Ross JS, Ali SM, Leyland-Jones B, Hirshfield KM. RET rearrangements are actionable alterations in breast cancer. Nat Commun. 2018 Nov 16;9(1):4821. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07341-4
 
Song M, Kumaran MN, Gounder M, Gibbon DG, Nieves-Neira W, Vaidya A, Hellmann M, Kane MP, Buckley B, Shih W, Caffrey PB, Frenkel GD, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. Phase I Trial of selenium plus chemotherapy in gynecologic cancers. Gynecol Oncol. 2018 Sep;150(3):478-486. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2018.07.001.
 
Severson EA, Riedlinger GM, Connelly CF, Vergilio JA, Goldfinger M, Ramkissoon S, Frampton GM, Ross JS, Fratella-Calabrese A, Gay L, Ali S, Miller V, Elvin J, Hadigol M, Hirshfield KM, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Ganesan S, Khiabanian H. Detection of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential in clinical sequencing of solid tumor specimens. Blood. 2018 May 31;131(22):2501-2505. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-03-840629.
 
Dhami J, Hirshfield KM, Ganesan S, Hellmann M, Rojas V, Amorosa JK, Riedlinger GM, Zhong H, Ali SM, Pavlick D, Elvin JA, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. Comprehensive tumor profiling aids in treatment of a metastatic endometrial cancer. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2018 Apr 2;4(2). pii: a002089. doi: 10.1101/mcs.a002089.
 
Shivappa N, Hébert JR, Paddock LE, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Olson SH, Bandera EV. Dietary inflammatory index and ovarian cancer risk in a New Jersey case-control study. Nutrition. 2018 Feb;46:78-82. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.08.011.
 
Khiabanian H, Hirshfield KM, Goldfinger M, Bird S, Stein M, Aisner J, Toppmeyer D, Wong S, Chan N, Dhar K, Gheeya J, Vig H, Hadigol M, Pavlick D, Ansari S, Ali S, Xia B, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Ganesan S. Inference of Germline Mutational Status and Evaluation of Loss of Heterozygosity in High-Depth, Tumor-Only Sequencing Data. JCO Precis Oncol. 2018. doi: 10.1200/PO.17.00148. Epub 2018 Jan 19. PubMed PMID: 30246169; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6148761
 
Foran DJ, Chen W, Chu H, Sadimin E, Loh D, Riedlinger G,  Goodell LA, Ganesan S, Hirshfield K, Rodriguez L, DiPaola RS. Roadmap to a Comprehensive Clinical Data Warehouse for Precision Medicine Applications in Oncology. Cancer Inform. 2017 Mar 2;16:1176935117694349. DOI: 10.1177/1176935117694349.
 
Manne SL, Virtue SM, Ozga M, Kashy D, Heckman C, Kissane D, Rosenblum N, Morgan M, Rodriquez L. A comparison of two psychological interventions for newly-diagnosed gynecological cancer patients. Gynecol Oncol. 2017 Feb;144(2):354-362. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.11.025
 
Panda A, Mehnert JM, Hirshfield KM, Riedlinger G, Damare S, Saunders T, Kane M, Sokol L, Stein MN, Poplin E, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Silk AW, Aisner J, Chan N, Malhotra J, Frankel M, Kaufman HL, Ali S, Ross JS, White EP, Bhanot G, Ganesan S. Immune Activation and Benefit From Avelumab in EBV-Positive Gastric Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2017 Nov 15. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djx213.
 
Stein MN, Bertino JR, Kaufman HL, Mayer T, Moss R, Silk A, Chan N, Malhotra J, Rodriguez L, Aisner J, Aiken RD, Haffty BG, DiPaola, RS,  Saunders T, Zloza A, Damare S, Beckett Y, Yu B, Najmi S, Gabel C, Dickerson S, Zheng L, El-Deiry WS, Allen JE, Stogniew M, Oster W, Mehnert JM., First-in-Human Clinical Trial of Oral ONC201 in Patients with Refractory Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Aug ;23(15):4163-4169. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-2658
 
Bandera EV, Lee VS, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Powell CB, Kushi LH. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Treatment And Survival. Clin Cancer Res. 2016 Dec 1;22(23):5909-5914.
 
Sapiezynski J, Taratula O, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Minko T. Precision targeted therapy of ovarian cancer. J Control Release. 2016 Oct 14;243:250-268. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.10.014.
 
Kulkarni A, Al-Hraishawi H, Simhadri S, Hirshfield KM, Chen S, Pine S, Jeyamohan C, Sokol L, Ali S, Teo ML, White E, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Mehnert JM, Ganesan S. BRAF Fusion as a Novel Mechanism of Acquired Resistance to Vemurafenib in BRAFV600E Mutant Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2017 Sep 15;23(18):5631-5638. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-16-0758.
 
Bandera EV, Lee VS, Qin B, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Powell CB, Kushi LH. Impact of body mass index on ovarian cancer survival varies by stage. Br J Cancer. 2017 Jul 11;117(2):282-289. DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2017.162.
 
Hirshfield KM, Tolkunov D, Zhong H, Ali SM, Stein MN, Murphy S, Vig H, Vazquez A, Glod J, Moss RA, Belyi V, Chan CS, Chen S, Goodell L, Foran D, Yelensky R, Palma NA, Sun JX, Miller VA, Stephens PJ, Ross JS, Kaufman H, Poplin E, Mehnert J, Tan AR, Bertino JR, Aisner J, DiPaola RS, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Ganesan S. Clinical Actionability of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling for Management of Rare or Refractory Cancers. Oncologist. 2016 Aug 26. pii: theoncologist. 2016. 2006-0049
 
Sapiezynski J, Taratula O, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L, Minko T. Precision targeted therapy of ovarian cancer. J Control Release. 2016 Dec 10;243:250-268. DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.10.014.
 
Rojas V, Hirshfield KM, Ganesan S, Rodriguez-Rodriguez L. Molecular Characterization of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Dec 15;17(12). pii: E2113
Ratings & Reviews
Ratings and reviews below are gathered from the Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey. CG CAHPS is a standardized survey that is used to measure a patient's experience in the physician office setting. Ratings are an average of all responses to questions about a provider's care, with 5 stars being the highest.
Ratings
4.8
Show respect for what you say
4.8
Rate provider 0-10
4.7
Know important info medical history
4.7
Provider listen carefully to you
4.6
Spend enough time with you
4.6
Provider explain in way you understand
4.5
Recommend this provider office
Reviews
10/24/22
Dr. Rodriguez, showed concern and professional as she did the exam. Her assistant also asked many questions and answer my concerns. - Verified patient
06/01/22
Great staff! - Verified patient
05/27/22
Dr Rodriguez is the best - Verified patient
04/01/22
[...] My first time at City of Hope & all treated me very well excellent Dr. Lorna Rodriguez. Thanks. - Verified patient
01/31/22
ALL EXCELLENT! - Verified patient