Dr. Eugene Ahn, MD, first dreamed of finding a cure for cancer when he was 5 years old. “My father was a hematologist/oncologist, and I always had a strong desire to improve our understanding and treatment of cancer,” says Dr. Ahn, Medical Director of Clinical Research at Cancer Treatment Centers of America ® (CTCA), Chicago, which is located between the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas. He also serves the CTCA enterprise as Deputy Medical Director of Clinical Research.
Dr. Ahn earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology at Yale University in 1993. He completed his Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of Miami in 1997. His postgraduate training, from 1997 to 2007, included a residency in internal medicine at the University of Utah, fellowships in infectious disease and hematology/oncology at the University Miami, and a National Institutes of Health-funded research fellowship in microbiology/immunology.
From 2007 to 2014, he served as faculty at the same institution, and as Assistant Professor, he was the principal investigator on numerous clinical trials focused on improving the treatment of breast cancer and other diseases. His work is published in renowned journals, including Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Clinical Breast Cancer and Genomics. In 2016, Chicago Magazine named him to Chicago’s Top Cancer Doctors list for Medical Oncology. In 2017, he was elected by his peers to a three-year term on the board for The Society for Integrative Oncology.
Dr. Ahn recommends complementing conventional treatment plans with patient-preferred mind-body interventions to enhance immunity through innate biological pathways called “psychoneuroimmunology.” Research has shown that mind-body interventions enhance such conventional cancer treatments as surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy by improving dose tolerance and ability to complete therapy, quality of life and, in some studies, enhance cure rates.
“Ultimately, I joined CTCA® because they have been delivering for decades this type of integrative care to every patient that is seen here, and I’m excited for the unlimited possibilities we can build here by continuing to offer and further innovate this integrative approach,” says Dr. Ahn.
Licensed to practice medicine by the State of Florida and Illinois, Dr. Ahn is board certified in Medical Oncology, Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
He will also serve as CTCA Chicago's Medical Director for Clinical Research (in Integrative Oncology) to enhance the clinical research portfolio at CTCA. He has particular interest in studying the most active ingredients of an integrative oncology approach.
When he is not at CTCA, Dr. Ahn enjoys spending time with his wife and newborn girl, playing piano and guitar, and exploring the beautiful outdoors.