Getting a diagnosis of cancer is the most challenging thing any patient and family will have to go through. My job is to provide the most comprehensive options for patients, with state-of-the-art care and compassion.
Work and Credentials:
Primary Location
Position
Medical Oncologist
Board Certification
Medical Oncology and Internal Medicine
Fellowship
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Medical Oncology
Internship
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Residency
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Medical School
New York University School of Medicine
College
Harvard University
Special Interests
Thoracic, sarcomas, clinical trials
Alexander I Spira, MD, PhD, FACP
Co-Director, VCS Research Institute, Director, Thoracic and Phase I Program, Clinical Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins
Dr. Alexander Spira earned his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine. He then went on to complete his internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During his training, Dr. Spira was granted many awards and honors, and he completed several specialized fellowship programs. Among these honors were the National Institutes of Health Medical Scientist Training Program Fellowship (1990-1997), Merck Corporation Scholarship (1995-1995), Pediatric AIDS Foundation Fellowship (1993- 1995) and Harvard University Scholarship (1987-1990). Dr. Spira has also received his PhD from the New York School of Arts and Sciences.
As Director of the Virginia Cancer Specialists (VCS) Research Institute and the Phase I Trial Program, Dr. Spira is actively involved in advancing medicine and offering targeted treatment options for patients. Although his research interests are numerous, Dr. Spira particularly enjoys studying immunotherapy, personalized medicine, GI, thoracic and lung cancer and sarcomas. Dr. Spira is also Co-Chair of the USOncology Thoracic Oncology Committee, Chair of the USOncology Research Executive Committee, and member of the USOncology National Policy Board Executive Committee. Dr. Spira is a faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and serves as Assistant Professor of Oncology.
Throughout his career, Dr. Spira has been recognized as a Top Doctor in Northern Virginia Magazine and Washingtonian magazine for multiple years. In 2014, he received the prestigious “Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor” award. In his spare time, Dr. Spira enjoys spending time with his family, coaching children’s sports, cycling, and cheering on his favorite New York sports teams.
Physician Videos:
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Physician Publications
June 3, 2022
ASCO 2022 | KRYSTAL-1: activity and safety of adagrasib in patients with advanced/metastatic KRASG12Cm NSCLC
Read MoreMore Publications by Alexander I. Spira, MD, PhD, FACP
June 3, 2022
Adagrasib in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring a KRASG12C Mutation
Read MoreJune 3, 2022
KRAS Inhibitor Shrinks Tumors in Over 40% of NSCLC Patients
Read MoreJune 3, 2022
Dr. Spira on the Potential Role of Adagrasib in NSCLC
Read MoreApril 8, 2022
Rubius Therapeutics Reports Updated Clinical Data at AACR from the Ongoing Monotherapy Phase 1 Arm of the Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial of RTX-240 in Advanced Solid Tumors Demonstrating Single-Agent Activity and Favorable Tolerability
Read MoreMarch 15, 2022
Has the Enemy "MET" Its Match? Subgroup Analysis Results from VISION Study
Read MoreDecember 1, 2021
A phase 1b study evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of berzosertib in combination with gemcitabine in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Read MoreDecember 1, 2021
Phase II, Randomized Study of Spartalizumab (PDR001), an Anti-PD-1 Antibody, versus Chemotherapy in Patients with Recurrent/Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Read MoreOctober 18, 2021
The Effects of HER2 Alterations in EGFR Mutant Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Read MoreSeptember 13, 2021
Characterization of KRAS Mutation Subtypes in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Read MoreAugust 2, 2021
Amivantamab in EGFR Exon 20 Insertion-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Progressing on Platinum Chemotherapy: Initial Results From the CHRYSALIS Phase I Study
Read MoreJuly 1, 2021
First-in-Human Phase I Study of ABBV-085, an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Targeting LRRC15, in Sarcomas and Other Advanced Solid Tumors
Read MoreJuly 1, 2021
A Phase Ib/II Study of Pepinemab in Combination with Avelumab in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Read MoreMay 24, 2021
Clinical outcomes and resource utilization after surgical resection with curative intent among patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with adjuvant therapies in a community oncology setting: A real-world retrospective observational study
Read MoreMay 3, 2021
Multicenter, Open-Label, Phase I Study of DSP-7888 Dosing Emulsion in Patients with Advanced Malignancies
Read MoreMay 1, 2021
Modernizing Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria: Recommendations of the ASCO-Friends of Cancer Research Laboratory Reference Ranges and Testing Intervals Work Group
Read MoreFebruary 25, 2021
Activity and Safety of Mobocertinib (TAK-788) in Previously Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations from a Phase I/II Trial
Read MoreJanuary 29, 2021
Datopotamab deruxtecan and Enhertu show promising early clinical activity in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Read MoreJanuary 29, 2021
Datopotamab Deruxtecan Elicits Early Antitumor Activity in Relapsed/Refractory Metastatic NSCLC
Read MoreDecember 26, 2020
Model Informed Dosing Regimen and Phase I Results of the Anti-PD-1 Antibody Budigalimab (ABBV-181)
Read MoreSeptember 1, 2020
Reducing Uninformative IND Safety Reports: A List of Serious Adverse Events anticipated to Occur in Patients with Lung Cance
Read MoreAugust 11, 2020
Brigatinib Versus Crizotinib in Advanced ALK Inhibitor–Naive ALK-Positive Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Second Interim Analysis of the Phase III ALTA-1L Trial
Read MoreJune 7, 2020
Camidanlumab Tesirine, an Antibody-Drug Conjugate, in Relapsed/Refractory CD25-positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Phase I Study
Read MoreApril 7, 2020
Effect of Doxorubicin Plus Olaratumab vs Doxorubicin Plus Placebo on Survival in Patients With Advanced Soft Tissue SarcomasThe ANNOUNCE Randomized Clinical Trial
Read MoreMarch 21, 2020
Outcomes with durvalumab by tumour PD-L1 expression in unresectable, stage III non-small-cell lung cancer in the PACIFIC trial
Read MoreOctober 1, 2019
A review of canakinumab and its therapeutic potential for non-small cell lung cancer.
Read MoreAugust 1, 2019
Detection of NRG1 Gene Fusions in Solid Tumors.
Read MoreAugust 1, 2019
Multicenter Phase I Study of Erdafitinib (JNJ-42756493), Oral Pan-Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced or Refractory Solid Tumors.
Read MoreSeptember 25, 2018
Brigatinib versus Crizotinib in ALK-Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Read MoreMarch 9, 2016
Atezolizumab versus docetaxel for patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer (POPLAR): a multicentre, open-label, phase 2 randomised controlled trial
Read MoreSeptember 14, 2015
Efficacy and Safety of Trabectedin or Dacarbazine for Metastatic Liposarcoma or Leiomyosarcoma After Failure of Conventional Chemotherapy: Results of a Phase III Randomized Multicenter Clinical Trial
Read MoreJune 3, 2013
START: A phase III study of L-BLP25 cancer immunotherapy for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.
Read MoreFebruary 1, 2013
Cabozantinib in Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer: Results of a Phase II Randomized Discontinuation Trial
Read MoreJanuary 2, 2013
Expert Insight: Adjuvant Therapy Fails for High-Risk Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Read MoreJune 1, 2012
Phase II study of two eribulin regimens in combination with erlotinib in patients (pts) with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Read MoreApril 16, 2012
Randomized Phase II Trial of Erlotinib With and Without Entinostat in Patients With Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Who Progressed on Prior Chemotherapy
Read MoreJanuary 1, 2012
Clinical trial design in the age of molecular profiling.
Read MoreSeptember 8, 2011
A phase II study of eribulin mesylate (E7389) in patients with advanced, previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer.
Read MoreJune 1, 2011
Results of a phase II study of single-agent sunitinib in elderly non-small cell lung cancer patients
Read MoreJune 1, 2011
Clinical outcome of single agent volasertib (BI 6727) as second-line treatment of patients (pts) with advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (UC).
Read MoreJune 1, 2011
Cabozantinib (XL184) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Results from a phase II randomized discontinuation trial.
Read MoreDecember 4, 2010
Serotonin Dysregulation Correlates with Both Bone and Active Disease In Multiple Myeloma.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2010
Phase I Trial of Oxaliplatin, Infusional 5-Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin (FOLFOX4) With Erlotinib and Bevacizumab in Colorectal Cancer.
Read MoreDecember 3, 2009
Use of an ex vivo multiplexed signal pathway inhibitor treatment to reveal sensitivity of myeloma and nonmyeloma bone marrow cell populations.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2009
Phase II trial of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel, carboplatin, and bevacizumab in first-line patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
Read MoreJanuary 22, 2004
Multidisciplinary Management of Lung Cancer
Read MoreJanuary 1, 2002
The use of Chemotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Read More
