HOUSTON, July 29,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The
Inner Circle, Charles M. Balch, MD,
FACS, FASCO is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for his
contributions to Surgical Oncology and Medical Education.
Dr. Charles M. Balch stands as a
beacon of excellence in the fields of surgical oncology and medical
education, with a global impact that spans continents. With a
diverse background and unparalleled expertise, Dr. Balch has
dedicated his career to advancing the treatment of cancer and
shaping the future of medical professionals worldwide.
Dr. Balch's journey began with a Bachelor of Science degree in
biology, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Toledo in Ohio. He furthered his education with a
prestigious MD from Columbia College of
Physicians and Surgeons, followed by extensive training in general
surgical residency at renowned institutions such as Duke University Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Balch
honed his skills through specialized fellowships in immunology at
the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, as well as clinical
administrative research with the National Institutes of Health.
As a board-certified surgeon with more than 49 years in the
medical field, Dr. Balch's impact extends far beyond the operating
room. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has
held leadership positions in numerous prestigious organizations,
including serving as Past President of the Society of Surgical
Oncology and Chair of the executive committee for the Commission on
Cancer. His contributions to melanoma staging as Chair of the
melanoma staging committee for the American Joint Committee on
Cancer have been instrumental in advancing cancer care worldwide. A
leading authority in both melanoma and breast cancer, as well as
immunotherapy, Dr. Balch has made significant contributions to
laboratory research in tumor immunology and human T lymphocyte
differentiation. He is the author of more than 840 publications
which have been cited more than 35,000 times in the biomedical
literature (an average of 75 citations per article, h-index of
89).
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Balch has been deeply
involved in medical education and research throughout his career.
He has served as Executive Vice President and CEO for the American
Society of Clinical Oncology and played pivotal roles in
organizations such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and
the Association for Academic Surgeons. Dr. Balch's commitment to
education is further evidenced by his involvement with the founding
boards of the NASA Space Center in Houston and the NASA Astronaut Medical
Standards Committee.
A renowned and exceptional leader in multiple arenas, Dr. Balch
is the Founding Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of the Annals of Surgical
Oncology, which is recognized as the leading journal in the world
in its field, with more than 11,000 surgical and library
subscribers in 110 countries; Co-Editor-in-Chief of Chinese
Clinical Oncology; Founding Editor-in-Chief of Patient Resource
Cancer Guides now in its 15th year, which distributes nearly one
million cancer guides (with 51 different titles) to cancer patients
each year; President of Cancer Expert Now International; President
of International Sentinel Node Society; Professor and Past-Chair of
Surgery of the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston, Texas. He is the former
Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer of the
American Society of Clinical Oncology in Alexandria, Virginia; President and CEO, City
of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California; Professor of Surgery,
Oncology and Dermatology; Deputy Director for Clinical Trials and
Outcomes Research; Director of Johns Hopkins Clinical Research
Network Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns
Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland.
Further, Dr. Balch has served on The American Board of Surgery
(Board of Directors); the Association of Academic Surgeons
(President); The International Sentinel Node Society (as
President); the Commission on Cancer (Chair, Board of Directors);
the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (Founding Board of
Directors); and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (Executive
Committee). He holds honorary memberships in 12 national surgical
organizations (including the Royal Australasian College of
Surgeons; the Japan Surgical Society; the National Academy of
Medicine of Mexico; and the
European Society of Surgical Oncology); a Ph.D degree (honora
causa) from the University of Crete; a Lifetime Achievement Award from the
British Association of Surgical Oncology; National Academy of
Medicine of Mexico Honorary Member; Professor Emeritus from John
Hopkins University; and the Highest Alumni Award from his alma
mater, The University of Toledo.
The doctor has lectured in more than 42 different countries in
the world and most of the major academic centers in the United States. As one of the leading
melanoma experts in the world, Dr. Balch is the editor of Cutaneous
Melanoma, regarded as the authoritative textbook on melanoma, now
in its 6th edition through Spring Publications. His contributions
to the melanoma literature include over 147 published articles, 6
books, and 154 book chapters or invited educational articles
regarding his clinical investigations involving the natural history
of melanoma, prognostic factors predicting clinical outcome, and
standards of surgical treatment. He has published extensively on
the conduct and methodology of clinical research. Dr Balch, Dr
Seng-jaw Soong and colleagues performed one of the first prognostic
factors analysis for melanoma in a landmark paper which was the
first to use the Cox multifactorial regression analysis. They were
the first to identify the major prognostic factors for Stage I, II
and III melanoma that were the independent predictor of survival,
including melanoma ulceration as a key predictor of metastases and
interferon sensitivity. Their research on the natural history and
predictive factors of melanoma clinical outcome essentially
redefined the criteria now used worldwide for stratification
criteria and end results reporting of clinical trials as well as
TNM staging for melanoma.
Dr. Balch is an acclaimed expert in the area of breast cancer
and was one of the co-co-principal investigators of the only
randomized surgical trial that compared Halsted radical mastectomy
with modified radical mastectomy and was one of the pioneers of
skin-sparing mastectomies followed by immediate breast
reconstruction. As a distinguished professional in immunology
research, he was the first to demonstrate that T lymphocytes were
bone marrow derived and then processed in the thymus, and first
described T lymphocyte distribution in various animal species
including rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and monkeys. He was also the
first to describe human NK and T Cell differentiation antigens,
including the widely studied CD57 lymphocyte antigen. He has
numerous articles about tumor and transplantation immunology, with
more than 100 scientific publications and book chapters.
Dr. Balch attributes much of his success to the guidance and
mentorship of esteemed figures in medicine, including the late Dr.
Donald Morton, Dr. John R. Durant, and Dr. R. Lee Clark, Jr. Their influence has shaped his
approach to patient care, research, and leadership.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Balch is deeply
involved in his communities, serving as an Elder and member of
multiple churches. He also contributes to humanitarian efforts as
Chair of the Board of Directors for Undying Hope International.
As Dr. Balch continues to leave an indelible mark on the field
of surgical oncology and medical education, his legacy of
excellence and compassion serves as an inspiration to all who have
the privilege of working alongside him.
Contact: Katherine Green,
516-825-5634, editorialteam@continentalwhoswho.com
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SOURCE The Inner Circle