Department of Surgery Faculty
Thelma Constance Hurd, M.D., FACS
Associate Professor
Division: Surgical Oncology
Email: hurdt@uthscsa.edu
Board Certifications:
1991 - American Board of Surgery
2001 - American Board of Surgery - Recertification
Texas State Board of Medical Examiners
Medical Examiners of New Jersey
Education:
MD, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, 1983
Postgraduate training:
1992-1993, Research Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
1990-1992, Clinical Fellowship, Surgical Oncology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
1985-1987, Research Fellowship, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey,
Newark, NJ
1984-1990, Residency, General Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
1983-1984, Internship, General Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ
Research interests: markers of breast cancer progression, special
surgical techniques such as skin sparing mastectomy, lymphatic
mapping/sentinel node biopsy and health disparities in underserved populations.
Her basic science research has involved investigations of HER2-neu and Urinary
Plasminogen Activator in Breast Cancer and her work has been published in peer
review medical journals.
Dr. Hurd founded and currently serves as the Director of the
South Texas Esperanza y Vida Program, a novel breast and cervical cancer
education and screening program for Hispanic women and men in south Texas and
the Texas-Mexico Border Region. This program is one of the first community
based, dedicated breast and cervical cancer education, screening and early
detection in this region. The Esperanza y Vida projects are located in the
cities of San Antonio, Laredo, Eagle Pass and Corpus Christi in Texas. Dr.
Hurd's work is also addressing health disparities at the international level.
Since 2005, she has been a member of the core leadership team at the Center for
Research on Minority Health at the MD Anderson Cancer Center that is developing
and building a comprehensive cancer program in Nigeria.
Publications:
Chu QD, King T, Hurd TC (Editors).
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.
Special issue of the International Journal of Breast Cancer, includes editorial and
research efforts in breast cancer. Feb 2012.
King DW, Hurd TC, Hajek RA, Jones LA. Using a Biopsychosocial Approach to Address Health Disparities – One Person's Vision. J Cancer Educ. 2009;24 Suppl 2:S26-32.
Ramsey S, Whitley E, Mears VW, McKoy JM, Everhart RM, Caswell RJ, Fiscella K, Hurd TC, Battaglia T, Mandelblatt J. Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of cancer patient navigation programs: conceptual and practical issues.; Patient Navigation Research Program Group. Cancer. 2009 Dec 1;115(23):5394-403.
Harvey S, Kohga S, Sait SNJ, Markus G, Hurd TC, Martinick M, Geradts J, Saxena R, Gibbs JF. Co-Expression of Urokinase With Haptoglobin in Human Carcinomas. J Surg Res. 2009 Apr;152(2):189-97. Epub 2008 Jul 15.
Vazquez B, Rousseau D, Hurd TC. Surgical Management of Breast Cancer. Semin Oncol. 2007 Jun;34(3):234-40. Review
Hurd TC, Morningstar L. Cancer and Race in America: Have We Met the Screening Goals? November 2006, Women and Cancer.
Hinrichs CS, Watroba NL, Rezaishiraz H, Giese W, Hurd T, Fassl KA. Lymphedema Secondary to Postmastectomy Radiation: Incidence and Risk. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 11(6):573-580, 2004.
Chu QD, Hurd TC, Harvey S, Martinick M, Markus G, Tan DF, GibbsJF, Loree T. Overexpression of the Urinary Plasminogen Activator (uPA) Protein and mRNA in Thyroid Carcinogenesis. Diagnostic Molecular Pathology 13(4): 241-246, 2004.
Newman, LA, Hurd T, Leitch M, Kuerer HM, Diehl K, Lucci A, Giuliano A, Hunt KK, Putnam W, Wells SA. A Report on Accrual Rates for Elderly and Minority-Ethnicity Cancer Patients to Clinical Trials of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group. Journal of the American College of Surgeons October 199(4):644-651, 2004.
Heller B, Winston J, Hurd TC. Angiosarcoma of the Breast Presenting with Contralateral Lymph Node Metastasis after Breast Conserving Surgery. Contemporary Surgery 2005.
Fuhrman B, Maddalena B, Hurd T, Muti P. Basal Growth Hormone Concentrations in Blood and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Case-Control Study. The Prostate July 1;64(2):109-115, 2005.
Palesty A, Foster J, Hurd T, Watroba N, Rezaishiraz H, Edge SB. Axillary Recurrence in Women with a Negative Sentinel Lymph Node and No Axilllary Dissection in Breast Cancer. J. 2005 (in press)
Presentations:
Mexican American Men and Female Cancer Screening: Is the Texas Mexico Border Different?,
by Thelma Hurd, MD; Virginia Mika, PhD (University Health Systems), Thankam Sunil, PhD (UT San Antonio), and Frank
Moore PhD (UT School of Public Health - San Antonio Extension) at the December 2010,
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, Texas.
'An Assessment of Breast Cancer Awareness in South Texas Border Communities: A Community Based Participatory Approach,' by Thankam Sunil PhD, Thelma Hurd, MD and Frank Moore PhD, was presented to legislators at the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute (SALSI), October 2010.
'Breast Cancer in Hispanic Women in Texas: Where to from Here?', April 2009, Disparities in Cancer Care Symposium held during the 19th Annual meeting of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
'Determinants of Cancer Screening Practices in an Urban Mexican Community,' April 2009, at the 100th American Association of Cancer Research in Denver, CO. This work was ranked among the top 3-4% of papers accepted for poster presentation and received the Highly Rated distinction. This distinction is shared by coauthors Dr. Thankum Sunil (UTSA), Dr. Virginia Mika (UHS), Dr. Frank Moore (UTSPH San Antonio Extension) and Dr. Larry Morningstar (UTHSCSA).
In the news:
Thelma Hurd, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of
Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, presented 'Hispanic Women, Screening
and Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Where Access and Biology Collide' at the
inaugural Surgical Healthcare Disparities meeting in Baltimore Md. Co-sponsored
by the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, Johns Hopkins and Howard University,
this is the first healthcare disparities symposium focused on surgical issues
in underserved populations held in the United States. (4-18-12)
Thelma Hurd, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, participated in a round table discussion on integration of the evolving US healthcare system: Convened by Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary of Health, as part of the 'One Sight 2012 Community Leaders Tour', the event was held at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center/University of Houston Center for Health Equity & Evaluation Research. Dr. Koh was joined by Admiral Epifanio Elizondo, Regional Health Administrator IV, James Dickens, Regional Health Administrator VI and Special Assistant to the OASH Kirby Bumpus and the Institutional leadership from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson and the University of Houston. (2-8-12)
Thelma Hurd, MD, FACS, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, and Thankam Sunil, PhD, UTSA, presented the initial results of their project, 'Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Breast Cancer in South Texas Counties', to community leaders and stakeholders in Del Rio and Eagle Pass in January 2012. Over 2000 men and women from high needs colonias households in Del Rio and Eagle Pass participated in the household survey study that assessed factors that affect breast cancer risk, screening and treatment. This is the first study of this type conducted in these communities. The project was done in partnership with the Office of Border Affairs and Southwest Border AHEC. (2-8-12)
Breast cancer researchers present recent breast cancer awareness information to legislators: 'An Assessment of Breast Cancer Awareness in South Texas Border Communities: A Community Based Participatory Approach,' by Thankam Sunil PhD, Thelma Hurd, MD and Frank Moore PhD was presented to legislators at the San Antonio Life Sciences Institute (SALSI) showcase in October 2010. The project enables promotoras in the Eagle Pass and Del Rio colonias to conduct a community survey of breast cancer awareness among women and men in the communities. The promotoras are integrated throughout all aspects of project development, implementation and dissemination. (10-20-10)
Congratulations to Thelma Hurd, MD, Associate Professor, Surgical Oncology, who has been selected to receive the President's Volunteer Service Award and Congressional Awards at the United Nations General Assembly, New York, in recognition of her service and ongoing work in Nigeria with the Africa Cancer Prevention Group, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the Center for Research on Minority Health. More about Dr. Hurd's award
Research funding:
National Cancer Institute - $369,994. 8/08-8/10.
Principal Investigator, Improved Cancer Screening: Life Skills
Training in South Texas Hispanic Communities.
This project is studying the effect of life skills training on breast
and cervical cancer screening health behaviors among Mexican women in
Laredo, Eagle Pass and Corpus Christi. It is also piloting the
Esperanza y Vida program, a novel community-based breast and cervical cancer program,
that utilizes a promotora based training model to promote education,
screening and early detection.
National Institutes of Health - $26,332,750.00. 5/08-5/13 Co-investigator, Community Engagement Core Co-PI, Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science: A Partnership to Improve Health (U54). The Community Engagement Core will implement a Community Outreach, Participation, and Engagement (COPE) program within the Institute for Integration of Medicine and Science (IIMS) which will promote community – academic research partnerships by building upon the strengths of existing clinical, translational and health disparities programs and partnerships in south Texas.
Biosketch: Dr. Hurd is a Surgical Oncologist, Associate Professor of Surgery and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in San Antonio (UTHSCSA), Texas. She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the UT School of Public Health Houston- San Antonio Extension.
Dr. Hurd obtained her undergraduate education at Brown University with a major in Biology. She completed her medical school and general surgery residency training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark, New Jersey. During her residency she completed a two year research fellowship in Shock/ Trauma. Dr. Hurd completed her clinical and research fellowship training at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer respectively. After completing her fellowship training, she served as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Hurd was recruited to the Division of Breast Surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute Buffalo, New York and the Department of Surgery at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY) in Buffalo, New York. During her eight year tenure Dr. Hurd had a full-time commitment to research and clinical practice within the Division of Breast Surgery.
Dr. Hurd's primary research has focused on markers of breast cancer progression, special surgical techniques such as skin sparing mastectomy and lymphatic mapping/sentinel node biopsy and health disparities in underserved populations. Since 2002, Dr. Hurd's research has focused upon health disparities in underserved populations. Currently, Dr. Hurd is a co-investigator on the UTHSCSA CTSA center grant and serves as the Co-Director of the Community Outreach Participation Engagement (COPE) within the community engagement core. The COPE Resource Center's mission is to decrease health disparities among underserved populations in South Texas. To this end, it links communities with academia to increase access to T3/T4 translational research and decrease health disparities via initiatives that specifically address communities' health needs. Dr. Hurd maintains a very active community service record and served as the Director of the Witness Project of Buffalo, and the Witness Project of Niagara. She has received multiple awards for outstanding contributions to healthcare and community outreach in Western New York that include Uncrown Queens, African-American Achiever Award (Roswell Park Cancer Institute), Outstanding Christian Board of Education, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and a New York State Congressional Citation. She is a nine time recipient of the Best of Doctors in America Destination.
Professional Societies:
American College of Surgeons
Society of Surgical Oncology
Intercultural Cancer Council
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Society of Black Academics Surgeons
The Robert M. Zollinger Society
Dr. Hurd serves on the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Special Populations Committee and is a member of the Continuing Medical Education Committee for the Society for Surgical Oncology. She is a member of the Editorial Board for the Annals of Surgical Oncology and serves as a reviewer for multiple journals that include Breast Diseases Quarterly, Journals of Surgical Oncology, Achieves of Surgery and Cancer.
