Kurt A. Melstrom, M.D.

[email protected]
(877) 460-4673
Kurt A. Melstrom, M.D.
Colorectal Surgeon
Clinical Expertise
  • Colon Cancer
  • Rectal Cancer
  • Anal Cancer
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Laparoscopic Surgery
  • Sphincter Preservation Surgery
Research Area
  • Colon Cancer
  • Rectal Cancer
Academic Appointments
  • Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery
Clinical Teams
Colorectal Cancer
Surgery
Colorectal Surgery
Additional Contacts
  • Glendora Patients
    (626) 914-3921
  • Referring Physicians/Colleagues
    (626) 218-0118

Described as “warm and approachable,” “down-to-earth” and “awesome” by his patients, Kurt Melstrom, M.D., has received a Patients' Choice Award and a Compassionate Doctor Recognition Award.

Dr. Melstrom joined City of Hope in 2015 after a five-year association with Beth Israel Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He received his medical doctorate from Weill Cornell Medical College and served residencies at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, and New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Currently, Dr. Melstrom is an associate clinical professor in the Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery at City of Hope.

A frequent speaker and author of numerous articles, Dr. Melstrom has also received special training in robotic surgery, laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery, as well as high resolution anoscopy.

Location

Education & Experience

Board Certifications

  • General Surgery
  • Colon and Rectal Surgery

Degrees

  • 1999–2003, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, M.D.
  • 1995–1999, Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ithaca, NY, B.A. Chemistry with Distinction.

Fellowship

  • 2005–2007, Research Fellowship in Trauma and Burn Research, Loyola University Medical Center, Burn Shock Trauma Institute, Maywood, IL

Residency

  • 2010–2011, Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
  • 2003–2010, General Surgery Residency, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL

Professional Experience

  • 2021–present, Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2021–present, Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2015–2021, Assistant Clinical Professor, Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
  • 2011–2015, Attending Physician, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Mount Sinai (Formerly Beth Israel Medical Center), New York, NY
  • 2006–2008, Contract Physician, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, IL
  • 2005–2007, Contract Physician, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, IL
  • 2000, Research Assistant, Mentors, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Department of Surgery, New York, NY
  • 1999–2003, Tissue Procurement Team Leader, New York Firefighters Skin Bank, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
  • 1999–2001, Research Assistant, Strang Cancer Prevention Center, New York, NY
  • 1998–1999, Research Assistant, Cornell University, Department of Textiles and Apparel, Ithaca, NY
  • 1997–1999, Facility Assistant, Cornell University, Department of Chemistry, Ithaca, NY

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2010, John Keeley Surgical Fellowship, Osaka, Japan
  • 2009–2010, Administrative Chief Resident, Loyola University Department of Surgery
  • 2009–2010, Loyola Surgery Resident Service Project Award
  • 2008 Chicago Surgical Society Annual Award for Surgical Research, 2nd Prize
  • 2007, American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma Resident Paper Competition, Chicago Chapter, 2nd Place
  • 1999, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key National Honor Society
  • 1999, George Caldwell Prize for Excellence in Chemistry, 1999
  • 1998, Victor Grohman Scholar Athlete Award
  • 1998, All-Ivy Academic Team
  • 1998, COSIDA/GTE Academic All-America Team, District 1
  • 1998, Harold Adlard Lovenberg Prize for Excellence in Chemistry
  • 1997, 1999, 400 Club, Athletes who received 4.9 GPA’s
  • 1996, Daniel M. Bondareff Freshman Scholar Athlete Award

Memberships

  • 2014–present, Fellow, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
  • 2013–present, Fellow, American College of Surgeons

Publications

  • Lai L, Blakely A, Invernizzi M, Lin J, Kidambi T, Melstrom K, Yu K, Lu T. Separation of Color Channels from Conventional Colonoscopy Images Improves Deep Neural Network Detection of Polyps. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 2021; 26(1): 015001.
  • Melstrom K, Kaiser A. Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Rectal Cancer. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2020; 26(30): 4394-4414.
  • Konstantinidis I, Lee B, Trisal V, Paz I, Melstrom K, Sentovich S, Lai L, Raoof M. National Postoperative and Oncologic Outcomes after Pelvic Exenteration for T4b Rectal Cancer. Journal of Surgical Oncology, 2020; Epub ahead of print.
  • Konstantinidis I, Ituarte P, Woo Y, Warner S, Melstrom K, Kim J, Singh G, Lee B, Fong Y, Melstrom L. Trends and Outcomes of Robotic Surgery for Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers in the USA: Maintaining Perioperative and Oncologic Safety. Surgical Endoscopy, 2020; 34(11): 4932-4942.
  • Blakely A, Chanson D, Wong F, Eng O, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Lai L, Fong Y, Sun V. Health-Related Quality of Life and Oncologic Outcomes After Surgery in Older Adults with Colorectal Cancer. Supportive Care in Cancer, 2020; 28(6): 2857-2865.
  • Li R, Shinde A, Fakih M, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Nelson R, Glaser S, Chen Y, Goodman K, Amini A. Impact of Surgical Resection on Survival Outcomes After Chemoradiotherapy in Anal Adenocarcinoma. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 2019; 17(10): 1203-1210.
  • Limchantra I, Fong Y, Melstrom K. Surgical Smoke Exposure in Operating Room Personnel: A Review. JAMA Surgery, 2019; 154(10): 960-967.
  • Raoof M, Zafar S, Ituarte P, Krouse R, Melstrom K. Using a Lymph Node Count Metric to Identify Underperforming Hospitals After Rectal Cancer Surgery. Journal of Surgical Research, 2019; 236: 216-223.
  • Stewart C, Ituarte P, Melstrom K, Warner S, Melstrom L, Lai L, Fong Y, Woo Y. Robotic Surgery Trends in General Surgical Oncology From the National Inpatient Sample. Surgical Endoscopy. 2018; 33: 2591-2601.
  • Sun V, Crane T, Slack S, Yung A, Wright S, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Fakih M, Krouse R, Thomson C. Rationale, Development, and Design of the Altering Intake, Managing Symptoms (AIMS) Dietary Intervention for Bowel Dysfunction in Rectal Cancer Survivors. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 2018; 68: 61-66.
  • Cho M, Gong J, Frankel P, Synold T, Lim D, Chung V, Chao J, Li D, Chen Y, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Singh G, Luevanos E, Fakih M. A Phase I Clinical Trial of Binimetinib in Combination with FOLFOX in Patients with Advanced Metastatic Colorectal Cancer who Failed Prior Standard Therapy. Oncotarget, 2017; 8(45): 79750-79760.
  • Sun V, Dumitra S, Ruel N, Lee B, Melstrom L, Melstrom K, Woo Y, Sentovich S, Singh G, Fong Y. Wireless Monitoring Program of Patient-Centered Outcomes and Recovery Before and After Major Abdominal Cancer Surgery. JAMA Surgery, 2017; 152(9): 852- 859.
  • Cho M, Akiba C, Lau C, Smith D, Telatar M, Afkhami M, Sentovich S, Melstrom K, Fakih M. Impact of RAS and BRAF Mutations on Carcinoembryonic Antigen Production and Pattern of Colorectal Metastases. World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, 2016; 8(1): 128-135.
  • Melstrom K. Robotic Rectal Cancer Surgery. Cancer Treatment and Research, 2016; 168: 295-308.
  • Melstrom LG, Melstrom KA, Pilewskie M, Wang EC, Winchester DJ. DCIS Size and Resection Volume Predict Margin Status. 2010; 33(5): 438-442.
  • Muthu K, Le HK, Melstrom KA, Szilagyi A, Gamelli RL, Shankar R. Perturbed Bone Marrow Monocyte Development Following Burn Injury and Sepsis Promote Hyporesponsive Monocytes. 2008; 29(1): 12-21.
  • Melstrom LG, Melstrom KA, Ding XZ, Adrian TE. Mechanisms of Skeletal Muscle Degradation and its Therapy in Cancer Cachexia. 2007; 22(7): 805-814.
  • Melstrom KA, Kozlowski R, Hassett DJ, Suzuki H, Bates DM, Gamelli RL, Shankar R. Cytotoxicity of Pseudomonas Secreted Exotoxins Requires OxyR Expression.2007; 143(1): 50-57.
  • Shankar R, Melstrom KA, Gamelli RL. Inflammation and Sepsis: Past, Present and the Future. 2007; 28(4): 566-571.
  • Melstrom KA, Smith JW, Gamelli RL, Shankar R. New Perspectives For a New Century: Implications of Pathogen Responses For the Future of Antimicrobial Therapy. 2006; 27(3): 251-264.
  • Carothers AM, Melstrom KA, Mueller JD, Weyant MJ, Bertagnolli MM. Progressive Changes in Adherens Junction Structure During Intestinal Adenoma Formation in Mutant Mice. 2001; 276(42): 39094-39102.

Book Chapters

  • Melstrom K. The SAGES Atlas of Robotic Surgery. Chapter 22: Colectomy. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2018.
  • Melstrom K, Martz J. Current Therapy in Colon and Rectal Surgery, 3rd Edition. Chapter 14: Anal Melanoma and Basal Cell Cancer of the Perianal Region. Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2017.
  • Melstrom K, Sentovich S. Surgical Emergencies in the Cancer Patient. Chapter 11: Colon and Rectal Surgical Emergencies. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 2017.

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 five stars being the highest.
5.0
Recommend this provider office
5.0
Provider explain in way you understand
5.0
Provider listen carefully to you
5.0
Show respect for what you say
4.9
Know important info medical history
4.9
Spend enough time with you
4.9
Rate provider 0-10
02/19/26
Easy to understand and uses plain language in explanations. - Verified patient
02/19/26
My experience with City of Hope has been exceptional. [...] - Verified patient
01/18/26
Good experience - Verified patient
01/15/26
Excellent experience - Verified patient
01/15/26
Very good experience - Verified patient