Luke Rothermel, MD, MPH

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Member, Cancer Prevention Control & Population Research Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Rothermel is a cancer surgeon with a focus on melanoma, sarcoma, and peritoneal surface cancers. He completed his residency in general surgery at University Hospitals in Cleveland, and a cancer research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. He trained in Surgical Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He was recruited back to University Hospitals to help lead the melanoma and sarcoma disease teams in 2019. He engages in research to identify new immunotherapy strategies for advanced melanomas, with a current effort to modify the environment surrounding tumors to promote the successful action of immune cells against cancers. Early attempts using a novel drug in mice improve the understanding of the impact of this therapy on the immune system and the melanoma tumors. The ultimate goal is to study this therapy in patients in the near future as a way to boost currently effective immunotherapies in melanoma. Additionally, Dr. Rothermel collaborates with scientists and staff in the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center to improve the assessment and navigation of our patients with cancer who encounter significant barriers to achieving the best outcomes of their treatments.