SUMMARY
David A. Woodrum, M.D., Ph.D., researches the molecular cell signaling mechanisms of tumor resistance to thermal ablation and new techniques for MRI-guided thermal ablation. Dr. Woodrum's specialty is interventional radiology, with an emphasis on oncology treatment and MRI interventions. He has a background in physics, cellular biology and interventional radiology.
Dr. Woodrum's Ph.D. research training centered on the role of small heat shock proteins in vascular smooth muscle relaxation. But the role of heat shock proteins in cell signaling became a focus of his early research examining how these proteins contribute to cellular resistance to thermal ablation. Initially, his early clinical research centered on the translation of preclinical tools into clinical applications. However, in doing this, he realized that the biology of the systems being treated was not understood well enough, specifically how tumor biology affects the outcomes of percutaneous or catheter-based tumor treatment.
Although each tumor is different, all are treated the same. In reality, tumor biology and tumor history may play significant roles in how tumors should be treated. To this end, Dr. Woodrum found that modulation in cell signaling pathways can change the efficacy of ablations.
It has been challenging to interest large pharmaceutical companies in clinical trials with a small subset of patients to try to translate these findings. As such, this research has stalled until more-specific chemotherapy agents are approved for use.
Dr. Woodrum's clinical practice with MRI-guided procedures has opened up new treatments for patients who have exhausted surgical and radiation treatment options. A subgroup of patients with recurrent prostate cancer after surgery or radiation represents a unique category for which more treatment options are being made available for those without good options. For these patients, MRI-guided cryoablation expands treatment choices and many times can prevent future recurrences.
Dr. Woodrum is pursuing the clinical application of many different MRI-compatible technologies to determine how existing devices can be improved. He also is pursuing ways to improve procedural performance through better ablative monitoring using MRI. The goal is to provide new and better treatments for patients with cancer.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect prostate cancer with MRI offers several advantages and holds great promise in improving diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes. Early studies indicate enhanced sensitivity and specificity using AI algorithms to analyze MRI images to detect subtle abnormalities that human readers might miss. These AI algorithms have improved lesion-level sensitivity by nearly 19% and patient-level specificity by 14% for clinically significant prostate cancer detection with multiparametric MRI.
Focus areas
- New MRI-guided ablation procedures.
- Exploration of cell signaling pathway blockage to sensitize tumor ablation.
- Use of AI technology to enhance the clinical application of MRI ablation technology.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Woodrum is developing new MRI-guided procedures to expand treatment options for patients with cancer.
Professional highlights
- Head, Interventional MRI, Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, 2018-present.
- Chair, Research and Grants Division, Society of Interventional Radiology, 2023-2025.