Dejka M. Araujo, MD, a Medical Oncologist with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Get to know Medical Oncologist Dr. Dejka M. Araujo, who serves patients in Houston, Texas.

Recognized as a skilled medical oncologist, Dr. Araujo is a Professor within the Department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Since 2009, she has been serving as an Associate Faculty Member at The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She is also Call Schedule Coordinator within the Department of Sarcoma Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Among her institutional committee activities, Dr. Araujo is a member of the Sarcoma Medical Oncology Committee for Appointments and Promotions, the CARTOX Cell Therapy Committee, and the Graduate Medical Education Institutional Review Subcommittee. 

Her clinical and research interests are focused on synovial sarcoma. As the team leader of the Synovial Sarcoma Working Group, she oversees a number of clinical and preclinical research projects that are an integral part of the Sarcoma Mini-Moonshot Program. 

“We have two synovial sarcoma cell lines and are in the process of obtaining a third line to be used for our 850 compound drug screen. We then plan to test rational combinations of active agents in order to identify candidates for further clinical testing. With the help of Dr. Andy Futreal, we are in the process of whole exome sequencing of 20 fresh frozen samples. Data is in the analysis pipeline for 11 cases, with another 9 in the queue for sequencing. With the data from this sequencing project, we are hoping to determine what drives this sarcoma subtype which in turn will hopefully shed light on better therapeutic approaches. Another on-going project is a retrospective review of the MD Anderson Experience of treating patients with synovial sarcoma, 1994-2012. Thus far, data from 546 out of 646 patient records have been obtained” stated Dr. Araujo.

Back in the early days of her academic career, she graduated with her medical degree from UAMS College of Medicine in 1999. She then went on to perform her clinical internship and residency at the University of Alabama in 2000 and 2002, respectively. She followed this up with a clinical fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2005.

Passionate about her profession, Dr. Araujo is board-certified in medical oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine, a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Currently, she is an active member of many professional organizations, including the Connective Tissue Oncology Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. A medical oncologist is a doctor who has special training in diagnosing and treating cancer in adults using chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, and targeted therapy. He or she is often the main health care provider for someone who has cancer.

Among Dr. Araujo’s numerous accolades include: 2020 Top Performer. Your patients have rated you in the top 10% nationally on CAHPS measures related to their care experience with you, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; 2020 Fastest to Close Encounters, MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Cancer Medicine; 2019 Fastest to Close Encounters, MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Cancer Medicine; 2019 Top Performer. Your patients have rated you in the top 1% nationally on CAHPS measures related to their care experience with you, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; 2014 Commitment To Care Award, Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation; 2012 David Edwin Bostrom Endowment; 2004 ASCO Foundation Merit Award; 2004 The Connie and Jim Walter Fellowship in Sarcoma; 1995 Summa Cum Laude, University of Notre Dame; 1995 Phi Beta Kappa, University of Notre Dame; 1995 The Gertrude Austin Marti Award in Theology, University of Notre Dame; 1995 Washington County Medical Society Scholarship; and 1991 Notre Dame Scholar, University of Notre Dame.

Learn more about Dr. Dejka M. Araujo:
Through her findatopdoc profile, https://www.findatopdoc.com/doctor/3604701-Dejka-Araujo-Oncologist or through The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/dejka_steinert_araujo.html 

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