Meet Our Team

Shalin Shah, M.D.
Medical Director
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology

Dr. Shah graduated from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York with a special distinction for research in Radiation Oncology. He completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at Albert Einstein/Montefiore Hospitals, where he served as the Chief Resident during his final year. He then completed his clinical fellowship in Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson. Prior to practicing in the Sugar Land and Oak Bend centers, he treated patients as part of the multidisciplinary head and neck cancer team at MD Anderson, and was listed among America's top oncologists in 2009 by the Consumers' Research Council of America. Dr. Shah is board certified by the American Board of Radiology. He is interested in researching how diet, exercise, and other integrative medicine strategies can improve the cure rates and side effects of treatment in cancer patients. Dr. Shah serves on the Board of Directors of the Indian American Cancer Network (IACAN). 
Languages spoken: Gujarati, Hindi and Spanish

Surgical Oncologists

Nicole Fleming, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Gynecologic Oncology

Dr. Fleming has returned to the Houston area after completing her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University Medical Center and fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at University of California at Los Angeles Medical Center. Dr. Fleming has a special interest in minimally invasive surgery, including robotic-assisted laparoscopy, for appropriate patients with cervical, endometrial, and early-stage ovarian cancers. In addition to providing excellent patient care, Dr. Fleming continues to pursue her research interests, including surgical innovation and outcomes in gynecologic malignancies, and personalized treatment options for patients with ovarian and endometrial cancer. She is principal investigator and collaborator on multiple clinical trials involving surgery and chemotherapy to treat gynecologic malignancies. She has authored and co-authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals on these and other subjects. In addition, she has been invited to write book chapters on a variety of topics in gynecologic oncology.

Dr. Fleming is a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, and American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. In addition, she serves as reviewer for several journals including Gynecologic Oncology and Annals of Surgical Oncology.

Susan Hoover, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Associate Professor, Surgical Oncology

Dr. Hoover specializes in the treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the breast. She received her medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed her general surgery residency, followed by a Susan G. Komen interdisciplinary breast fellowship at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. She also holds national committee appointments in the Society for Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the Association of Women Surgeons. She has been chosen by her peers for listing in Best Doctors in America® since 2009. Dr. Hoover strives to provide the highest level of multidisciplinary care to her breast patients. She has extensive experience using the latest minimally invasive breast surgery techniques, including sentinel lymph node biopsy, breast ultrasound, breast needle biopsy and accelerated partial breast irradiation.

Craig Messick, M.D. 
Assistant Professor, Colorectal Surgery

Dr. Messick graduated from The University of Texas Medical School in Houston. Following graduation, he completed his general surgery residency at Case Western Reserve University, Case Medical Center in Cleveland, followed by a fellowship in colon and rectal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He has received several honors and awards, including being named as, the Dudley P. Allen, MD, Scholar while at Case Western Reserve University, and the Sanford R. Weiss, MD, Scholar while at the Cleveland Clinic. He was presented the Harry E. Bacon, MD, Foundation Award, for his presentation at the 2009 American Society of Colorectal Surgeons (ASCRS) annual national meeting. Dr. Messick performs both traditional open and minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgical techniques, and his clinical interests include malignant and benign diseases of the colon, rectum and anus, inherited cancer syndromes, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, perianal disease and other less frequent diseases.

John Papadopoulos, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Urology

Dr. Papadopoulos is a fellowship trained urologic oncologist and certified urologist by the American Board of Urology. He completed his medical degree at the Texas Tech University School of Medicine and then went on to complete an internship in general surgery and residency training in urology at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. In 2007, he came to MD Anderson where he completed two years of fellowship training in urologic oncology and robotic surgery. Dr. Papadopoulos is a collaborator in multiple clinical trials involving high risk prostate cancer as well as active surveillance for low risk prostate cancer. He is currently the director of urologic oncology at the MD Anderson Regional Care Centers in Katy and Sugar Land where he treats patients with bladder, prostate and kidney cancer. 

Michelle Shen, M.D. 
Assistant Professor, Surgical Oncology

Dr. Shen earned her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where she also completed her residency in general surgery and was awarded resident of the year. Following her residency, Dr. Shen completed a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is a member of the Texas Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons.
Additional Languages Spoken: Mandarin

Mark Zafereo, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Head and Neck Surgical Oncology

Dr. Zafereo specializes in treating tumors and cancers of the head and neck. He received his medical degree from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and completed his otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology at MD Anderson. Dr. Zafereo is board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His clinical interests include head and neck cancer, salivary gland tumors, melanoma, thyroid and parathyroid.

Medical Oncologists

Mark A. Lewis, M.D.
Assistant Professor, General Oncology

Dr. Lewis received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine with High Honor, where he also completed his residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine. Dr. Lewis completed a fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was chief fellow, prior to returning to Houston for his current role with MD Anderson. He is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Lewis has received numerous honors, awards and accolades in his career, and has published over 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals on a number of cancer-related topics. As a general hematologist and medical oncologist, his clinical interests include breast, colon, head & neck, and lung cancers, as well as cancers running in families. His primary research interest is gastrointestinal oncology. His philosophyof care is, “There is no textbook approach to cancer. Every patient has their own story; I aim to understand them on an individual level so that I can personalize their care in every respect.”

Janet Tu, M.D.
Assistant Professor, General Oncology

Dr. Tu received her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where she also completed her training in internal medicine and hematology/medical oncology. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Tu’s clinical interests include both benign and malignant hematology along with a variety of solid tumors, with particular interests in breast, head and neck, lung and colon cancers. 
Additional languages spoken: Chinese (Mandarin)

Shi-Ming Tu, M.D.
Professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology

Dr. Tu earned his medical degree from the Washington University in St. Louis, MO. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Illinois Hospitals in Chicago, followed by a fellowship at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center. He specializes in the treatment of prostate and testicular cancers. Dr. Tu has been recognized with several honors and awards, including the University Cancer Research Award and the Upjohn Research Award. He has written a book on the “Origin of Cancers: Clinical perspectives and Implications of a Stem-Cell Theory of Cancer.”

Radiation Oncologists

Isidora Arzu, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology

Dr. Arzu was born and raised in Belize and educated in the United States. She received her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Rice University and her medical degree from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She completed her training in general radiation oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her first two years in practice were spent specializing in breast cancer and lymphoma. Dr. Arzu has extensive experience using the latest radiation therapy technologies and currently treats all disease sites. Her clinical interests include community education, cancer prevention and screening. She is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.

Pain Medicine

Mitchell Engle, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Pain Medicine

Dr. Engle earned his medical degree and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 2007. His Ph.D. research examined the role of the spinal cord in the development of neuropathic pain. He completed a clinical internship at the Physicians Medical Center Carraway in Birmingham, Alabama, followed by a clinical residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. While at the University of Alabama-Birmingham he served as a chief resident. Dr. Engle completed a fellowship in Pain Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology in both Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Pain Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Care Team

Care teams also consist of Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants, who collaborate with the patient and physicians to provide top-quality cancer treatment. Mid-level providers are an essential part of cancer care in Sugar Land.

Nurse Navigator

• Laurie Hughes 

Advanced Practice Nurses

• Stephanie Williams
• Jaimy John
• Misty White

Physician Assistants

• Jaime Szeto
• Stacey Webster