Ira J. Dunkel, MD

I am also working to develop new treatments for retinoblastoma, a rare eye tumor that occurs in children. These include the use of intensive therapy for children whose retinoblastoma has metastasized (spread outside of the eye) and local chemotherapy for those with advanced cancer in the eye.

In addition to patient care and research, I am one of the lead attendings on the Faculty Fellow Team. The team works closely with young doctors training in this subspecialty to help them learn how best to identify the individual needs of patients and manage the care of children with malignancies.

Nationally, I am on the Children’s Oncology Group Retinoblastoma and Brain Tumor Committees, and I serve as the Principal Investigator for national clinical trials dealing with these tumors.

I find it very rewarding to work with patients and their families and to tailor and explain to them their treatment options, guiding them in complex decision-making or exploring various alternatives. Our goal is to cure the cancer while leaving the patient with as normal a life as possible.