Cancer Health Equity Research

Dr. Esnaola is Division Chief of Surgical Oncology and Gastrointestinal Surgery in the Department of Surgery at Houston Methodist Hospital and Surgical Director of the Houston Methodist Cancer Center. He is an experienced, clinically active surgical oncologist and participates in the multidisciplinary care of complex patients with gastrointestinal cancers (including primary and metastatic colorectal cancer), hepatico-pancreatico-biliary malignancies, and soft tissue sarcomas. He is a graduate of Rice University and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in general surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/ Harvard Medical School and subsequently completed clinical/research fellowships in surgical oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Esnaola completed a Master in Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. His research interests include clinical and translational cancer health disparities research, decision and cost-effectiveness analysis, dissemination and implementation research, process of care and cancer care delivery trials, and novel neoadjuvant therapies for solid tumors. Previous collaborations with Dr. Marvella Ford have addressed racial/ethnic differences and disparities in cancer care and outcomes. Their work has identified risk factors for underuse of attempted curative resection in patients with non-metastatic breast, lung, and colorectal cancer and provided an evidence base to guide future interventions to optimize cancer care and narrow the persistent gap in cancer outcomes among underserved populations. As a graduate of the American Association for Cancer Research Integrative Molecular Epidemiology Workshop, the American Association for Cancer Research /American Society of Clinical Oncology Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop, the Southwest Oncology Group Young Investigators Training Course, and the American College of Surgeons Clinical Trials Methods Course, he is well-versed and experienced in the design/conduct of translational research, as well as phase I-III clinical trials. He currently serves as Multi-PI (with Dr. Marvella Ford) on a National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities RO1-funded, National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program-sponsored, multi-state, cluster-randomized clinical trial to increase rates of lung-directed therapy with curative intent in African Americans with early stage lung cancer. As Associate Director for Cancer Control and Population Sciences at the Houston Methodist Cancer Center, he is tasked with optimizing ongoing community outreach and engagement initiatives and ensuring that the Center’s clinical and research enterprise addresses the cancer burden and needs of its catchment area. Dr. Esnaola also completed a Master in Business Administration at the Haslam College of Business /University of Tennessee and has a long-standing interest in optimizing perioperative processes of care to maximize surgical quality (including equity), safety, and value. As Leader of the Best Practices Initiative for American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, he developed several evidence-based, expert panel-rated Best Practice Guidelines designed to preventing common postoperative complications and enhance perioperative care of geriatric surgical patients.