Dr. Charles M. Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO
Surgeon
1400 Pressler Street 5042 Houston TX, 77030-4008Rating
5/5
About
Dr. Charles M. Balch has enjoyed a remarkable career as a clinical and academic surgical oncologist for 45 years, establishing himself as a preeminent authority in both melanoma and breast cancer. Recognized as one of the leading specialists in melanoma, Dr. Balch has consistently been at the cutting edge of oncologic surgery. His contributions have profoundly influenced the understanding and management of the disease, shaping clinical practices on a global scale. A prolific author, he has penned over 800 scholarly works, covering an array of subjects including the natural progression of melanoma, prognostic indicators, surgical treatment standards, clinical research techniques, and cancer immunology. His ongoing research continues to inform treatment guidelines and steer clinical trials. In addition to his clinical and academic accomplishments, Dr. Balch is a highly regarded leader in medical education and administration. He has been instrumental in creating networks for clinical trials and outcomes research, promoting collaboration that transcends institutions and geographical boundaries. His leadership has left an enduring legacy on surgical training, research benchmarks, and the worldwide dissemination of oncology knowledge. Since his induction as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1978, Dr. Balch has significantly influenced the organization's trajectory through his active participation in various committees and boards. His involvement with the Commission on Cancer, the ACS Oncology Group, the American Joint Commission on Cancer, and the ACS Foundation Board of Directors exemplifies his unwavering dedication to advancing the field and nurturing the future generation of surgical oncologists. Dr. Balch’s impact reaches well beyond the United States. He has delivered lectures in over 42 countries and at many prominent academic medical institutions across the U.S., continuing to serve as a global ambassador for surgical oncology, sharing his expertise and promoting innovation worldwide.
Education and Training
University of Toledo BS, Immunology 1963
Columbia College of Physicians/Surgeons MD 1967
Board Certification
California: G083615
Texas: H0121
Alabama: 6533
Maryland: D0055872
SurgeryAmerican Board of SurgeryABS
Provider Details
Expert Publications
Data provided by the National Library of Medicine- The new melanoma staging system.
- Surgical margins for melanoma: is 2 cm too much?
- Pediatric melanoma.
- Melanoma in children: heightened awareness of an uncommon but often curable malignancy.
- Nomograms and staging in melanoma: new tools for better predicting outcomes.
- Screening for cutaneous melanoma.
- Randomized clinical trials in surgery: why do we need them?
- Arnoldus Goudsmit, MD, PhD: chemotherapist, visionary, founder of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 1909-2005.
- Sentinel-node biopsy in melanoma.
- Method of biopsy and incidence of positive margins in primary melanoma.
- Melanoma in children and teenagers: an analysis of patients from the National Cancer Data Base.
- An integrated tree-based classification approach to prognostic grouping with application to localized melanoma patients.
- Lymph node biopsy results for desmoplastic malignant melanoma.
- Can completion lymph node dissection be avoided for a positive sentinel node in melanoma?
- Prescribing patterns of surgical oncologists: are we surgeons, oncologists, or both? Results of a society of surgical oncology survey.
Faculty Titles & Positions
- Professor and Past-Chair of Surgery; Founding Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Annals of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgical Oncology - University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University -
- US Public Health Service, Program Specialist General Clinical Research Centers Branch, National Institutes of Health 1968 - 1970
- Professor of Surgery University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery 2011 - 2016
- Professor Emeritus Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2019 - Present
- Professor of Surgery Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2000 - 2011
- Professor of Oncology Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2000 - 2011
- Professor of Dermatology Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2006 - 2011
- Deputy Director for Clinical Trials and Outcomes Research Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2007 - 2011
- Director (Founding), Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions 2007 - 2011
- Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer American Society of Clinical Oncology 2000 - 2005
- President and Chief Executive Officer City of Hope (COH) National Medical Center 1996 - 1998
- Chairman, Board of Directors, COH Management Services Organization City of Hope (COH) National Medical Center 1996 - 1998
- Chairman, Board of Directors, COH Samaritan, L.L.C. City of Hope (COH) National Medical Center 1997 - 1998
- Clinical Professor of Surgery The University of Southern California School of Medicine 1996 - 2000
- Executive VP for Health Affairs The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994 - 1996
- Vice President for Hospital and Clinics The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1993 - 1994
- Head, Division of Surgery and Anesthesiology The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1993
- Chairman, Department of Surgical Oncology The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1996
- Professor of Surgery The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 2016 - Present
- Professor of Immunology The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1996
- Professor of Immunology The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1996
- Adjunct Professor, Div. Of Surgery, Dept. of Surgical Oncology The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center 2000 - 2016
- Chairman, Executive Council M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1995 - 1996
- Co-Chairman, Budget Council M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994 - 1996
- Member, President's Executive Board M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1993 - 1996
- Member, Executive Committee of the Strategic Plan M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1988 - 1996
- Member, Research Council M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1996
- Member, Academic Affairs Educational Council M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994 - 1996
- Member, Facilities Steering Committee M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1993 - 1996
- Member, University Cancer Foundation M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1993 - 1996
- Member, PRS Retirement Board M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1993 - 1996
- Member, Audit Committee M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994 - 1996
- Member, Board of Directors, Physician Referral Service (PRS) M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1994 - 1996
- Member, Business Operations and Fee Committee, PRS M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1992 - 1996
- Chairman, Business Operations and Fee Committee, PRS M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1991 - 1993
- Co-Chairman, Organizing Committee for Capital Campaign M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1992 - 1993
- Member, Texas Outreach Committee M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1991 - 1993
- Member, Clinical Training of Residents and Fellows Committee M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1988 - 1993
- Member, Anderson Network Internal Advisory Board M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1986 - 1992
- Member, Executive Committee of the Medical Staff M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1994
- Member, Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 1985 - 1994
- Associate Chairman, Department of Surgery The University of Health Science Center at Houston 1985 - 1996
- (Founding) Medical Director M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Outreach Corporation 1993 - 1996
- Member, Board of Directors MD Anderson at Orlando Cancer Center 1991 - 1995
- Chief, Section of Surgical Oncology University of Alabama 1979 - 1985
- Staff Surgeon Veterans Administration Hospital 1975 - 1985
- Chief of Oncology Research Veterans Administration Hospital 1975 - 1985
- Department of Surgery Visiting Professor (Sponsored by Eleanor Roosevelt, International Fellowship; UICC) University of Sydney, Department of Surgery 1983 -
- Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee U.S. Military Cancer Institute 2001 - 2009
- Member, Research Advisory Board Anne Arundel Health System Research Institute 2008 - 2011
- Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board Patient Advocacy Foundation 2010 - 2019
- Member, Scientific Advisory Board A.C. Carmargo Cancer Center 2016 - Present
- Chief of Surgical Oncology and Associate Director Clinical Studies at the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center -
- President and CEO City of Hope National Medical Center -
- Executive Vice President and CEO American Society of Clinical Oncology -
Awards
- Honorary Member 2023 National Academy of Medicine of Mexico
- Appointed Professor Emeritus 2019 Johns Hopkins University Board of Trustees
- Honorary Member 2018 Surgical Association of Colombia
- MD Anderson Department of Surgical Oncology initiates Charles M. Balch Clinical Research Award to a graduating Fellow 2018
- “Charles M. Balch MD Distinguished Service Award” 2018 Society of Surgical Oncology
- Charles M. Balch International Fellowship 2018 Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery
- Honorary Consultant 2017 The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine
- “The Winship 80” 2017 Emory Cancer Center
- Honorary International Consultant 2017 Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology
- Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Membership 2017 Egyptian Society Surgical Oncology
- Honorary Fellowship 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
- Honorary Fellowship 2016 Japan Surgical Society
- Honorary Professor 2016 Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, China
- Honorary Member 2015 Latin American Society of Surgical Oncology
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2014 British Association of Surgical Oncology
- Honorary Member 2014 European Society of Surgical Oncology
- Society of Surgical Oncology Appreciation Award for serving as Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Annals of Surgical Oncology for 20 years 2014
- Honorary Professor 2013 Guangdong General Hospital; Guangdong Academy of Medical Science
- Honorary Member 2012 Israeli Society of Surgical Oncology
- Honorary Member 2011 Hellenic Society of Surgical Oncology
- University of Toledo Highest Alumni Award 2010
- Honorary PhD Doctorate 2009 University of Crete, Greece
- Clinical Research Award 2009 Association of Community Cancer Centers
- Surgery Graduation Address 2009 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Honorary Member 2008 British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Honorary Fellow 2008 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Special Recognition Award 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology
- Statesman Award 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology
- Heritage Award 2006 Society of Surgical Oncology
- Honorary Member 2004 Italian Society of Surgical Oncology
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2003 American Skin Association
- William Rudder Traveling Fellow 2000 Queensland Cancer Foundation, Australia
- Surgical Oncology Award 1999 Roswell Park Cancer Institute
- Award for Scientific Excellence 1994 American-Italian Foundation for Cancer Research
- American Society of Clinical Investigation (elected) 1985
- Eleanor Roosevelt Fellowship 1983 International Union Against Cancer
- American Cancer Society Professorship 1980
Professional Memberships
- Society of Surgical Oncology
- Association for Academic Surgeons
- National Institutes of Health
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- National Dialogue on Cancer (now: C-Change)
- American Board of Surgery
- American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer
- American College of Surgeons
- American College of Surgeons Foundation
- American Joint Committee on Cancer
- Society of University Surgeons
- Southeastern Cancer Study Group
- General Motors Cancer Research Foundation, Inc.
- American Radium Society
- American Cancer Society
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network
- International Sentinel Node Society
- William S Graham Foundation for Melanoma Research, Inc. (The “Billy Foundation”)
- Friends of Cancer Research
- Patient Advocacy Foundation
- OncoNano Inc. (University of Texas licensed nanoparticle)
- Cancer Expert Now, LLC
- American Association for Cancer Education (inactive)
- American Association of Immunologists (inactive)
- American Board of Surgery (inactive)
- American Cancer Society (inactive)
- American Medical Association (inactive)
- American Radium Society (inactive)
- American Society of Breast Surgeons
- American Society of Clinical Investigation
- American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (inactive)
- American Surgical Association
- Association for Academic Surgery
- Hellenic Society of Surgical Oncology (honorary member)
- Italian Society of Surgical Oncology (honorary corresponding member)
- Pan-Pacific Surgical Association
- Reticuloendothelial Society (inactive)
- Society for Biological Therapy (inactive)
- Southeastern Cancer Study Group (inactive)
- Surgical Biology Club II
- Southern Surgical Association
- Transplantation Society (inactive)
- World Health Organization Melanoma Group
- European Society of Surgical Oncology (inactive)
Fellowships
- Department of Experimental Pathology (Laboratory of Dr. Joseph D. Feldman) Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation Immunology 1973
Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors
- Health Volunteers Overseas and the American College of Surgeons Foundation
Dr. Charles M. Balch, MD, FACS, FASCO's Practice location
Department of Surgical Oncology, UT MD Anderson Ca
1400 Pressler Street 5042 -Houston, TX 77030-4008Get Direction
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