Research & Publications †
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Biographical Sketch
David Adelstein, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Department of Solid Tumor Oncology in the Taussig Cancer Center, and he is a Professor of Medicine in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He is also Co-Chairman of the National Cancer Institute Head and Neck Cancer Steering Committee. This group is instrumental in defining the national agenda for clinical investigation in this disease.
Dr. Adelstein completed his undergraduate education at the University of Chicago, his medical school training at New York University School of Medicine, and his internship, residency and hematology/oncology fellowship at Case Western Reserve University Hospitals -- where he served as Chief Medical Resident from 1979-1980.
After his training, he joined the Staff of the Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital (now MetroHealth Medical Center). He came to the Cleveland Clinic in 1989 to the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, where he has served as both Vice-Chairman and Acting Chairman.
Dr. Adelstein is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. His interests include diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract, including the head and neck and esophagus. He has focused on the integration of chemotherapy and radiation with surgery in the curative management of these diseases.
He continues to be an active Clinical Investigator, and has conducted a number of multimodality clinical trials within Cleveland Clinic, as well as nationally. He has published widely on the management of aerodigestive tract malignancies in multiple medical journals.
Specialty Interests
Head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, solid tumor oncology, cancer, esophageal cancer, hypopharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, nasal cavity cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, oral cancer
Awards & Honors
Fellow in FACP since 7/1/09 from the Ohio Chapter
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. The Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists
receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, the Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 1/29/2013, Dr. Adelstein has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by the Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about the Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers’ discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.