About me
Michael B. Atkins, MD, is deputy director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Scholl Professor and vice chair of the Department of Medical Oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is an internationally recognized expert in the management of patients with high-risk and metastatic melanoma or kidney cancer.
Dr. Atkins co-directs the Melanoma Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and the Melanoma Research Program within the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute. In addition, he leads kidney cancer research within the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Center and the MedStar Health system. He is a world-renowned expert in clinical and translational research in both of these patient populations, having led the Kidney Cancer Program and co-led the Melanoma Program at the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center for over a decade each, until his departure for Georgetown Lombardi in 2012. Dr. Atkins is also one of the leading authorities in cancer immunotherapy, having been a founding member and leader of the Cytokine Working Group, and leader of the Georgetown Lombardi Cancer Immunotherapy Interest Group. He has led major multi-investigator clinical and translational research efforts in melanoma and kidney cancer that have uncovered critical biology of these diseases, led to the FDA approval of over 20 new treatments, and have completely revolutionized the treatment and the prognosis for patients. He continues to lead cutting-edge research projects that promise to further advance the care and outlook for patients with these diseases.
Dr. Atkins is also an international authority in the management of patients with either melanoma or kidney cancer. He edits the melanoma, kidney cancer and immunotherapy sections for UpToDate®, the universally available on-line medical textbook, and is co-editor of the fifth and 6th editions of the textbook Cutaneous Melanoma. He serves on the Board of the Directors and co-chairs the Scientific Advisory Council of the Melanoma Research Foundation, is Chair of the Melanoma Research Alliance Medical Advisory Panel, and is a past member of the nominating committee for the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Council. He is also past president of the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer. He has published over 500 scientific and review articles, co-edited five books, and given over 700 lectures worldwide.
Dr. Atkins is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. For over 30 years, Dr. Atkins has treated patients with advanced melanoma and kidney cancers. He believes that too many patients follow the initial advice they receive, and always encourages patients to seek a second opinion from subject matter experts to establish a comprehensive treatment plan before starting therapy. This will maximize their chances of receiving the optimal approach to their disease and determine if they are eligible for cutting-edge clinical trials. Dr. Atkins’ approach to patients is to always focus on the opportunities for cure, utilizing novel therapies like immune therapy and the timely integration of multidisciplinary care (meaning teams of physicians from medical oncology, surgery, and radiation oncology all work together to develop a unique treatment plan.) With many new therapies available – and even better ones in development – patients with widely metastatic disease have the opportunity for long-term, disease-free, and subsequent treatment-free survival, enabling them to return to their normal lives.
Clinical areas of focus
- Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
- Cancer Treatment Monitoring
- Melanoma Treatment
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Vaccinations
Procedures I perform
- A1c Testing
- Adjuvant Hormone Therapy
- Antiangiogenic Therapy
- Blood Cell Count
- Blood Chemistry Test
- Blood Transfusion
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Bone Density Scan
- Brca Gene Testing
- Cancer Immunotherapy
- Cancer Risk Assessment
- Cancer Treatment
- Cancer Treatment Monitoring
- Cancer Treatment Sensitivity Testing
- Chemotherapy Administration
- Clinical Trials
- Computed Tomography
- Dopamine Therapy
- Esophageal Cancer Diagnosis
- Flow Immunophenotyping
- Genetic Counseling
- Hepatic Artery Infusion
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Immunohistochemistry Staining
- Immunotherapy
- Intravenous (IV) Fluids
- Investigational Liver Transplant Therapies
- Kidney Function Test
- Killer Cell Therapy
- Liquid Biopsy
- Liver Biopsy
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Melanoma Resection
- Melanoma Treatment
- Neoadjuvant Therapy
- Oncology Consultation
- Pathology Consultation
- Pet-Ct Scan
- Pharmacogenomics
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Prolotherapy Infusions
- Proteomic Testing
- Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
- Skin Cancer Treatment
- Tumor Marker Testing
- Vaccinations
- Wide Local Excision
- X-Ray
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Sentara Health
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst NASCO
- Beech Street PPO
- TRICARE East Prime
- IH-PPO
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Tricare Reserve Select
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- TRICARE for Life East
- Medicare Direct
- Medicare FFS
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- IH-POS
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- POS OA
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Choice POS
- Choice POS II
- TRICARE East Select
- Choice Fund PPO
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- OA Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- IH-HMO
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst EPO
- CIGNA Indemnity
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Aetna Basic
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA EPO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Employee Health Plan
- UHC Passport
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Navigate
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- MultiPlan, Inc
- United Student Resources
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CareFirst Administrators
- First Health PPO
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Network OA
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA PPO
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Open HMO Option
- BlueChoice Open Access
- IH-EPO Plus
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open POS II
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (1987)
Fellowship: Tufts Medical Center (1986)
Residency: Tufts Medical Center (1984)
Internship: Tufts Medical Center (1981)
Medical School: Tufts University School of Medicine (1980)