Dan Fernandez, MD, PhD

Cancer Focus:
Bladder Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer, Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor, Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer, Lung Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer (Nonmelanoma), Testicular Cancer, Vaginal Cancer

Dr. Fernandez received his MD degree in 2005 from Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University and PhD degree in 2004 from the University of South Florida/National Institutes of Health Graduate Partnerships Program. During his time at the National Institutes of Health, he spent two years as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Research Scholar working in the Laboratory of Chemical Physics of the NIDDK where his research focused on vibrational spectroscopic imaging modalities applied to prostate cancer. Dr. Fernandez completed an Internal Medicine Residency at the California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, CA. He then completed residency training in Radiation Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida, where he also served as Chief Resident.

Dr. Fernandez joined the Moffitt Radiation Oncology Faculty in 2012 and currently serves as the Brachytherapy Service Chief. His clinical focus is the treatment of a variety of cancers with brachytherapy, which comprises several forms of internal radiation therapy. Cancer types treated include genitourinary, gynecologic, sarcoma, gastrointestinal, thoracic, cutaneous, and head and neck malignancies. His research interests include modern image-guided adaptive brachytherapy strategies and the use of highly conformal external beam radiotherapy and stereotactic radiotherapy/radiosurgery for the treatment of gynecologic and genitourinary malignancies.

 

Education & Training

Residency:

• California Pacific Medical Center - Internal Medicine
• University of South Florida - Radiation Oncology

Medical School:

• Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University - MD

• Ahmed KA, Quick AM, Chon HS, Chern JY, Bixel K, Kim Y, Li J, Montejo ME, Dowell RA, Kim S, Fernandez DC, Lam CA, Hakam A, Rosa M, Shafique M, Shahzad MM, Wenham RM. Atezolizumab and Stereotactic Body Radiation in Metastatic, Recurrent, or Persistent Cervical Cancer: Results From a Phase 2 Multi-Institutional Study. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2025 May. Pubmedid: 40379142.
• Parikh N, Yamoah K, Johnstone P, Torres-Roca J, Pow-Sang J, Fernandez D, Rishi A, Grass GD. Prostate Artery Embolization in the Setting of Prostate Cancer: Review and Opinion. Cancer Control. 2025 Jan.32. Pubmedid: 39876663. Pmcid: PMC11775958.
• Rishi A, Albuquerque KV, Jhingran A, Donovan EK, Horne ZD, Ludwig MS, Pathak P, Goldsberry R, Glaser SM, Garg A, Yin V, Fernandez DC, Beriwal S, Ahmed KA, Montejo ME. Definitive intensity-modulated radiotherapy for organ preservation in vulvar cancer: A multicenter study. Gynecol Oncol. 2025 Aug.199:1-9. Pubmedid: 40513383.
• Fink AKC, DeRenzis AC, Awasthi S, Jahan N, Johnstone PAS, Pow-Sang J, Torres-Roca J, Grass D, Fernandez D, Naghavi A, Tan S, Manley B, Li R, Poch M, Yu A, Little N, Bass E, Ercole CE, Katsoulakis E, Burri R, Smith R, Stanley NB, Vadaparampil ST, Yamoah K. Identifying and overcoming barriers to participation of minority populations in clinical trials: Lessons learned from the VanDAAM study. Cancer Med. 2023 Jan.12(2):1869-1877. Pubmedid: 35796421. Pmcid: PMC9883445.
• Awasthi S, Grass GD, Torres-Roca J, Johnstone PAS, Pow-Sang J, Dhillon J, Park J, Rounbehler RJ, Davicioni E, Hakansson A, Liu Y, Fink AK, DeRenzis A, Creed JH, Poch M, Li R, Manley B, Fernandez D, Naghavi A, Gage K, Lu-Yao G, Katsoulakis E, Burri RJ, Leone A, Ercole CE, Palmer JD, Vapiwala N, Deville C, Rebbeck TR, Dicker AP, Kelly W, Yamoah K. Genomic Testing in Localized Prostate Cancer Can Identify Subsets of African Americans With Aggressive Disease. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Dec.114(12):1656-1664. Pubmedid: 36053178. Pmcid: PMC9745424.
• Rishi A, Saini AS, Spiess PE, Yu A, Fernandez DC, Johnstone PAS, Naghavi AO. Novel portable apparatus for outpatient high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy in penile cancer. Brachytherapy. 2022 Aug.21(6):839-847. Pubmedid: 35915039.
• Yamoah K, Awasthi S, Mahal BA, Zhao SG, Grass GD, Berglund A, Abraham-Miranda J, Gerke T, Rounbehler RJ, Davicioni E, Liu Y, Park J, Cleveland JL, Pow-Sang JM, Fernandez D, Torres-Roca J, Karnes RJ, Schaeffer E, Freedland SJ, Spratt DE, Den RB, Rebbeck TR, Feng F. Novel Transcriptomic Interactions Between Immune Content and Genomic Classifier Predict Lethal Outcomes in High-grade Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol. 2022 Apr.81(4):325-330. Pubmedid: 33303244.
• Yuan Z, Fernandez D, Dhillon J, Abraham-Miranda J, Awasthi S, Kim Y, Zhang J, Jain R, Serna A, Pow-Sang JM, Poch M, Li R, Manley B, Fink A, Naghavi A, Torres-Roca JF, Grass GD, Kim S, Latifi K, Hunt D, Johnstone PAS, Yamoah K. Proof-of-principle Phase I results of combining nivolumab with brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy for Grade Group 5 prostate cancer: safety, feasibility, and exploratory analysis. Prostate Cancer P D. 2021 Mar.24(1):140-149. Pubmedid: 32651467. Pmcid: PMC7882397.
• Asamoah FA, Yarney J, Scott A, Vanderpuye V, Yuan Z, Fernandez DC, Montejo ME, Agyeman M, Boateng SN, Anarfi K, Aidoo C, Shahzad MM, Chern JY, Chon HS, Wenham RM, Yamoah K, Ahmed KA. Comparison of Definitive Cervical Cancer Management With Chemotherapy and Radiation Between Two Centers With Variable Resources and Opportunities for Improved Treatment. JCO Glob Oncol. 2020 Oct.6:1510-1518. Pubmedid: 33021855. Pmcid: PMC7605379.
• Petitt MS, Ackerman RS, Hanna MM, Chen L, Mhaskar RS, Fernandez DC, Patel SY. Anesthetic and analgesic methods for gynecologic brachytherapy: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Brachytherapy. 2020 May.19(3):328-336. Pubmedid: 32122807.
• Mohammadi H, Prince A, Figura NB, Peacock JS, Fernandez DC, Montejo ME, Chon HS, Wenham RM, Eschrich SA, Torres-Roca JF, Ahmed KA. Using the Radiosensitivity Index (RSI) to Predict Pelvic Failure in Endometrial Cancer Treated With Adjuvant Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020 Mar.106(3):496-502. Pubmedid: 31759077. Pmcid: PMC7050205.
• Rishi A, Rollins M, Ahmed KA, Hunt DC, Sarkar P, Fernandez DC, Hoffman MS, Apte SM, Shahzad MMK, Chon HS, Chern JY, Wenham RM, Montejo ME. High-dose intensity-modulated chemoradiotherapy in vulvar squamous cell carcinoma: Outcome and toxicity. Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Feb.156(2):349-356. Pubmedid: 31771865.
• Naghavi AO, Fernandez DC, Mesko N, Juloori A, Martinez A, Scott JG, Shah C, Harrison LB. American Brachytherapy Society consensus statement for soft tissue sarcoma brachytherapy. Brachytherapy. 2018 Jan.16(3):466-489. Pubmedid: 28342738.
• Sartor O, Vogelzang NJ, Sweeney C, Fernandez DC, Almeida F, Iagaru A, Brown A, Smith MR, Agrawal M, Dicker AP, Garcia JA, Lutzky J, Wong YN, Petrenciuc O, Gratt J, Shore ND, Morris MJ. Radium-223 Safety, Efficacy, and Concurrent Use with Abiraterone or Enzalutamide: First U.S. Experience from an Expanded Access Program. Oncologist. 2018 Feb.23(2):193-202. Pubmedid: 29183960. Pmcid: PMC5813754.
• Altazi BA, Fernandez DC, Zhang GG, Hawkins S, Naqvi SM, Kim Y, Hunt D, Latifi K, Biagioli M, Venkat P, Moros EG. Investigating multi-radiomic models for enhancing prediction power of cervical cancer treatment outcomes. Phys Med. 2018 Feb.46:180-188. Pubmedid: 29475772. Pmcid: PMC7771366.
• Echevarria MI, Naghavi AO, Abuodeh YA, Ahmed KA, Chevere C, Fernandez D, Yamoah K. Low-dose-rate Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer in Low-resource Settings. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2017 Oct.99(2):378-382. Pubmedid: 28871987.
• Altazi BA, Zhang GG, Fernandez DC, Montejo ME, Hunt D, Werner J, Biagioli MC, Moros EG. Reproducibility of F18-FDG PET radiomic features for different cervical tumor segmentation methods, gray-level discretization, and reconstruction algorithms. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2017 Nov.18(6):32-48. Pubmedid: 28891217. Pmcid: PMC5689938.
• Naghavi AO, Gonzalez RJ, Scott JG, Mullinax JE, Abuodeh YA, Kim Y, Binitie O, Ahmed KA, Bui MM, Saini AS, Zager JS, Biagioli MC, Letson D, Harrison LB, Fernandez DC. Implications of staged reconstruction and adjuvant brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent soft tissue sarcoma. Brachytherapy. 2017 Jul.15(4):495-503. Pubmedid: 27180128. Pmcid: PMC7771533.
• Chung H, Polf J, Badiyan S, Biagioli M, Fernandez D, Latifi K, Wilder R, Mehta M, Chuong M. Rectal dose to prostate cancer patients treated with proton therapy with or without rectal spacer. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2017 Jan.18(1):32-39. Pubmedid: 28291917. Pmcid: PMC5689902.
• Naghavi AO, Gonzalez RJ, Scott JG, Kim Y, Abuodeh YA, Strom TJ, Echevarria M, Mullinax JE, Ahmed KA, Harrison LB, Fernandez DC. Staged reconstruction brachytherapy has lower overall cost in recurrent soft-tissue sarcoma. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2017 Feb.9(1):20-29. Pubmedid: 28344600. Pmcid: PMC5346606.
• Naghavi AO, Gonzalez RJ, Scott JG, Abuodeh YA, Echevarria M, Mullinax JE, Ahmed KA, Harrison LB, Fernandez DC. Staged Reconstruction Brachytherapy Has Lower Overall Cost in Recurrent Soft Tissue Sarcoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2016 Oct.96(2S):E398-E399. Pubmedid: 27674581.
• Strom TJ, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Shrinath K, Nethers K, Mellon EA, Fernandez DC, Saini AS, Hunt DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. Health-related quality-of-life changes due to high-dose-rate brachytherapy, low-dose-rate brachytherapy, or intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Brachytherapy. 2016 Jul.14(6):818-825. Pubmedid: 26452602.
• Mellon EA, Javedan K, Strom TJ, Moros EG, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Wasserman SG, Wilder RB. A dosimetric comparison of volumetric modulated arc therapy with step-and-shoot intensity modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2015 Oct.5(1):11-15. Pubmedid: 25413432.
• Yang G, Strom TJ, Wilder RB, Shrinath K, Mellon EA, Fernandez DC, Biagioli MC. Dosimetric coverage of the prostate, normal tissue sparing, and acute toxicity with high-dose-rate brachytherapy for large prostate volumes. Int Braz J Urol. 2015 May.41(3):435-441. Pubmedid: 26200536. Pmcid: PMC4752135.
• Naghavi AO, Strom TJ, Nethers K, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Shrinath K, Yue B, Kim J, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. Clinical implications of a prostate-specific antigen bounce after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Int J Clin Oncol. 2015 Jun.20(3):598-604. Pubmedid: 25193155.
• Strom TJ, Wilder RB, Fernandez DC, Mellon EA, Saini AS, Hunt DC, Biagioli MC. High-dose-rate brachytherapy with or without intensity modulated radiation therapy as salvage treatment for an isolated, gross local recurrence of prostate cancer post-prostatectomy. Brachytherapy. 2014 Sep.13(2):123-127. Pubmedid: 24269146.
• Chuong MD, Fernandez DC, Shridhar R, Hoffe SE, Saini A, Hunt D, Meredith KL, Biagioli MC. High-dose-rate endorectal brachytherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer in previously irradiated patients. Brachytherapy. 2014 May.12(5):457-462. Pubmedid: 23707855.
• Fernandez DC, Hoffe SE, Barthel JS, Vignesh S, Klapman JB, Harris C, Almhanna K, Biagioli MC, Meredith KL, Feygelman V, Rao NG, Shridhar R. Stability of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fiducial marker placement for esophageal cancer target delineation and image-guided radiation therapy. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2014 Mar.3(1):32-39. Pubmedid: 24674261.
• Strom TJ, Hutchinson SZ, Shrinath K, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Nethers K, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. External beam radiation therapy and a low-dose-rate brachytherapy boost without or with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Int Braz J Urol. 2014 Jul.40(4):474-483. Pubmedid: 25251952.
• Strom TJ, Wilder RB, Fernandez DC, Mellon EA, Saini AS, Hunt DC, Pow-Sang JM, Spiess PE, Sexton WJ, Poch MA, Biagioli MC. A dosimetric study of polyethylene glycol hydrogel in 200 prostate cancer patients treated with high-dose rate brachytherapy±intensity modulated radiation therapy. Radiother Oncol. 2014 Apr.111(1):126-131. Pubmedid: 24746567.
• Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Spiess PE, Wilder RB. Primary bladder preservation treatment for urothelial bladder cancer. Cancer Control. 2013 Jul.20(3):188-199. Pubmedid: 23811703.
• Bhargava R, Perlman RS, Fernandez DC, Levin IW, Bartick EG. Non-invasive detection of superimposed latent fingerprints and inter-ridge trace evidence by infrared spectroscopic imaging. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2009 Aug.394(8):2069-2075. Pubmedid: 19415243.
• Bhargava R, Fernandez DC, Hewitt SM, Levin IW. High throughput assessment of cells and tissues: Bayesian classification of spectral metrics from infrared vibrational spectroscopic imaging data. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2006 Jul.1758(7):830-845. Pubmedid: 16822477.
• Fernandez DC, Bhargava R, Hewitt SM, Levin IW. Infrared spectroscopic imaging for histopathologic recognition. Nat Biotechnol. 2005 Apr.23(4):469-474. Pubmedid: 15793574.
• Fernández D, Vega D, Ellena JA, Echeverría G. Losartan potassium, a non-peptide agent for the treatment of arterial hypertension. Acta Crystallogr C. 2002 Jul.58(Pt 7):m418-m420. Pubmedid: 12094046.
• Bhargava R, Fernandez DC, Schaeberle MD, Levin IW. Theory and application of gain ranging to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging. Appl Spectroscopy. 2001.55(12):1580-1589.
• Bhargava R, Schaeberle MD, Fernandez DC, Levin IW. Novel Route to Faster Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging. Appl Spectroscopy. 2001.55(8):1079-1084.
• Bhargava R, Fernandez DC, Schaeberle MD, Levin IW. Effect of Focal Plane Array Cold Shield Aperture Size on Fourier Transform Infrared Micro-Imaging Spectrometer Performance. Appl Spectroscopy. 2000.54(12):1743-1750.
• Broderick JB, Duderstadt RE, Fernandez DC, Wojtuszewski K, Henshaw TH, Johnson MK. Pyruvate Formate-Lyase Activating Enzyme is an Iron-Sulfur Protein. J Am Chem Soc. 1997.119(39):7396-7397.
• Freilich JM, Spiess PE, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Shi EJ, Hunt DC, Gupta S, Wilder RB. Lipiodol as a fiducial marker for image-guided radiation therapy for bladder cancer. Int Braz J Urol. 40(2):190-197. Pubmedid: 24856485.
• Contreras JA, Wilder RB, Mellon EA, Strom TJ, Fernandez DC, Biagioli MC. Quality of life after high-dose-rate brachytherapy monotherapy for prostate cancer. Int Braz J Urol. 41(1):40-45. Pubmedid: 25928509. Pmcid: PMC4752055.