Ira Gordon

Dr. Ira Gordon is a veterinary radiation oncologist, scientist, and entrepreneur with a passion for solving challenging problems using technology and innovative approaches.

His clinical interests include all aspects of radiation therapy, but especially the use of imaging and advanced radiation techniques to improve tumor control and patient quality of life. He has a specific interest in tumors of the head and neck as well as central nervous system tumors. Despite being very introverted, he loves meeting pet families and getting to understand the needs and priorities they have for their pets. The most rewarding aspect of his job is having the ability to provide pet owners with the information they need about the various treatment options available and the pros/cons of each. This allows them to make fully informed healthcare decisions for their pets, even when facing complex problems where there is often not a clear “best” answer regarding these choices.

He is the Medical Director of The Oncology Service by Ethos Veterinary Health. He is also the Founder and Managing Partner of XPrep Learning Solutions, which provides the primary study resource used by all veterinarians and veterinary technicians in North America preparing to take national board exams. Dr. Gordon is the Treasurer of the Veterinary Cancer Society and serves on multiple committees for the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR), the Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (VRTOG) and the non-profit organization FETCH-a-Cure. He has authored influential research and review articles as well as book chapters on veterinary radiation therapy.

Dr. Gordon is a native Californian and obtained his veterinary degree from the University of California, Davis. He completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at The Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) and then his residency training in radiation oncology in 2007 at the University of California, Davis. He then became a clinical instructor of radiation oncology at UC Davis until he moved to the Washington DC area to continue to advance his training as a postdoctoral fellow with the Radiation Oncology Branch of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD.

Ira lives in Virginia with his amazing wife Tamara, a reporter for National Public Radio, their two sons and a sweet but highly mischievous rescued Hound mix named “Cokie Roberts”. He’s a pretty big nerd outside of radiation oncology too, as evidenced by his love of Star Wars and The Big Lebowski. He enjoys playing and coaching sports, grilling/smoking foods, and occasionally embarrassing himself by trying to remember how to play guitar.

Published Articles:

• When a Veterinary Oncologist’s Work Really Hits Home, Vet-Prep Blog, Read Article
• When Treatment Fails, Vet-Prep Blog, Read Article
• Tolerability of oral sorafenib in pet dogs with a diagnosis of cancer, Veterinary Medicine, Read Article
• Protein Phosphatase 2A Inhibition with LB100 Enhances Radiation-Induced Mitotic Catastrophe and Tumor Growth Delay in Glioblastoma, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, Read Article
• Ionizing radiation and glioblastoma exosomes: implications in tumor biology and cell migration, Translational Oncology, Read Article
• Radiosensitization by the novel DNA intercalating agent vosaroxin, Radiation Oncology, Read Article
• Development and characterization of 5 canine B-cell lymphoma cell lines, Leukemia Research, Read Article
• Sequential low-dose-rate half-body irradiation and chemotherapy for the treatment of canine multicentric lymphoma, JVIM, Read Article
• Temporal changes in characteristics of injection-site sarcomas in cats: 392 cases (1990-2006), PLoS One, Read Article
• A novel rodent model of spinal metastasis and spinal cord compression, BMC Neuroscience, Read Article
• Opposing effects of pigment epithelium-derived factor on breast cancer cell versus neuronal survival: implication for brain metastasis and metastasis-induced brain damage, Cancer Research, Read Article
• The Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium: using spontaneously occurring cancers in dogs to inform the cancer drug development pathway, PLoS Medicine, Read Article
• Catching cancer by the tail: new perspectives on the use of kinase inhibitors, Clinical Cancer Research, Read Article
• A novel, removable, cerrobend, beam-blocking device for radiation therapy of the canine head and neck: pilot study, Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, Read Article
• Modeling opportunities in comparative oncology for drug development, ILAR Journal, Read Article
• Spontaneous hemoperitoneum in cats: 65 cases (1994-2006), JAVMA, Read Article
• Assessment of the accuracy and precision of a patient immobilization device for radiation therapy in canine head and neck tumors, Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound, Read Article
• Evaluation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway and the effect of rapamycin on target expression and cellular proliferation in osteosarcoma cells from dogs, AJVR, Read Article
• Evaluation of strontium Sr 90 for the treatment of superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum in cats: 49 cases (1990-2006), JAVMA, Read Article