Dr. Maria Tria Tirona, MD, FACP

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• Phase III controlled evaluation of glutamine for decreasing stomatitis in patients receiving fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy.

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Get to know Oncologist Dr. Maria Tria Tirona, who serves patients in Huntington, West Virginia.

Named one of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly, Dr. Tirona serves as the Director of Medical Oncology at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center in Huntington, West Virginia, and the Director of the Oncology Fellowship Program.

The staff of the Medical Oncology Program at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center is committed to improving the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with cancer. Medical oncologists – physicians with special training and experience in diagnosis and treatment of a wide spectrum of malignant diseases – plan cancer treatments involving the use of chemotherapy, hormonal agents, and/or biological therapy in the management of cancer.

Alongside her clinical role, Dr. Tirona serves as a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Hematology/Oncology Section of the Department of Medicine at Marshall University – Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Prior to her current endeavors, she led the cancer clinical trials program of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and served as Director of Medical Oncology at the Allan Blair Cancer Center in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

In addition to being a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP), she is a member of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, the Canadian Medical Protective Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Canadian National Committee on Colorectal Cancer Screening, the Canadian and Saskatchewan Medical Associations, the Medical Group Management Association, the West Virginia Oncology Society, and the West Virginia Clinical Trials Working.

Before embarking on her professional journey, Dr. Tirona earned her medical degree from the UERMMMC College of Medicine in the Philippines in 1981. Upon relocating to the United States, she completed her residency in internal medicine at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo in New York, where she also served as chief resident. She then completed her fellowship in hematology/oncology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Renowned for her expertise in the field of oncology, the doctor is board-certified in both internal medicine and medical oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world. 

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer and provides medical care for a person diagnosed with cancer. They lead a cancer treatment team of various healthcare professionals, treat patients with radiation therapy, coordinate treatment plans and prescribe various types of treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, as well as assist patients with pain management.

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