Dr. Timothy Pluard: the Future of MBC Care is Already Here

In her introduction to our new season  Lisa Laudico has promised you an ambitious season. The Road to a Cure team agrees.  We are going back on the virtual road  in our tireless  quest for a cure. As in the past, we are committed to bringing you the updates on the breakthrough research and promising new directions in the field of breast cancer.  But unlike last season, we are taking a little detour to the basics to help you build your own cancer vocabulary, understand your diagnosis, and feel good about your treatment options and your healthcare team. We call it MBC101.  

Last season we loved the intimate nature of our conversations with the best minds in breast cancer research.  As a team member described this experience  “It’s like having coffee in Starbucks with a  much smarter friend.” This season we aim to continue having our coffee-klatsches.

Our first guest is a wonderful oncologist and an exceptional human being Dr. Timothy Pluard.

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Meet the Guests of this Episode

Timothy Pluard, MD

Timothy J. Pluard, MD, is medical director at Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute and the Paul Koontz Endowed Chair of Breast Disease at the University of Missouri- KC School of Medicine. Under his leadership, Saint Luke’s has launched two new signature centers, offering a level of cancer expertise not found within 450 miles of Kansas City. 

In 2016, Saint Luke’s Hospital launched its innovative Koontz Center for Advanced Breast Cancer, one of the few centers nationally, and the only in the Midwest, dedicated exclusively to the care of patients with metastatic breast cancer. 

In 2017, Dr. Pluard led the creation of Saint Luke’s Center for Precision Oncology, the only center within a 450-mile radius that brings together experts in clinical oncology, tumor genomics, and computational biology. This unique multidisciplinary team has the expertise to identify the exact genomic alteration causing a patient’s tumor, and find the best possible treatment—even if it has never been used on that kind of cancer before. 

Prior to joining Saint Luke’s, Dr. Pluard served as associate professor of medicine at Washington University in Saint Louis, and clinical director of the breast oncology program at Siteman Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

He has published extensively on new therapeutic approaches to breast cancer and the care of metastatic breast cancer patients.

Want more?

Check out our past episodes with Dr. Pluard.