Michelle Mierzwa, MD

Michelle L. Mierzwa
Clinical Professor
Office:
Michigan Medicine
Radiation Oncology
1500 E Medical Center Dr
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
Available to mentor
Michelle Mierzwa, MD
Michelle L. Mierzwa
Clinical Professor
  • About
  • Links
  • Qualifications
  • Center Memberships
  • Research Overview
  • Recent Publications
  • Manage Your Profile

  • About

    Dr. Mierzwa has 13 years of clinical experience in treatment of head and neck cancer. Her clinical research interests have included novel chemoradiation regimens for head and neck cancers, as well as imaging markers and biomarkers of tumor response to radiation and toxicity. Specifically, she collaborates with the Departments of Otolaryngology and Medical Oncology to develop clinical trials to identify for oropharynx cancer patients who may be eligible for de-escalation of chemoradiation or may require intensified therapy. She is also the PI of an ongoing novel oropharynx cancer surveillance and survivorship protocol.

    Administrative Assistant: Rebecca Roulo, [email protected]

    Links

    • RadOnc Bio

    Qualifications

    • Residency
      University of Cincinnati, Division of Radiology, Cincinnati, United States
      2004 - 2008
      Residency
    • Internship
      Christ Hospital, Internal Medicine, Cincinnati, United States
      2003 - 2004
      Internship
    • MD
      University of Cincinnati - College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45267, United States
      1999 - 2003
    • MS
      Vanderbilt Universtiy, 2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN, 37240, United States
      1997 - 1999
    • BS
      Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
      1993 - 1997

    Center Memberships

    • Center Member
      Rogel Cancer Center

    Research Overview

    - Advanced imaging techniques and imaging markers of response to radiotherapy in head and neck cancer
    - Development of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in head and neck cancer
    - Outcome modelling for tumor control and toxicity in head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy Clinical trial development to de-escalate radiotherapy in oropharynx cancer
    - Clinical trial development using imaging markers to improve tumor control in high-risk head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy
    - Head and neck cancer

    Recent Publications

    See All Publications
    • Journal Article
      Characterization of Cannabis Use In Patients with Prostate, Lung, and Breast Cancer Enrolled in a Statewide Multicenter Cohort
      Cousins MM, Higgins L, Dykstra MP, Yin H, Griffith K, Schipper M, Dominello MM, Sharma R, Johnson-Olokesusi J, Bavireddy V, Mietzel M, Kendrick D, Dess RT, Heimburger DK, Jolly S, Vicini FA, Pierce LJ, Covington E, Mierzwa ML. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, 2026 Sep 27; 126 (1): e325 - e326. DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.06.1373
    • Journal Article
      Twelve-Month Swallowing Outcomes in a Phase II Trial of PET-Adapted Radiation for HPV-Associated Oropharynx Squamous Cell Carcinoma
      Higgins L, Suresh K, Wilkins S, Lyden T, Blakely A, Ambrose M, Elliott DA, Strohbehn G, Prince ME, Casper K, Shuman A, Stucken CL, Forner D, Heft-Neal ME, Yalamanchi P, Brenner C, Swiecicki PL, Worden F, Mierzwa ML, Shah JL. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, 2026 Sep 27; 126 (1): e689 - e690. DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.06.2147
    • Journal Article
      UMCC 2023.006: A Pilot Phase II Trial of Individualized FDG-PET and DCE-MRI Directed Adaptive RT in HPV-related Stage III Oropharynx Cancer
      Higgins L, Suresh K, Shah JL, Nasser B, Casper K, Prince ME, Forner D, Buchakjian M, Heft-Neal ME, Yalamanchi P, Rosen BS, Shuman A, Stucken CL, Brenner C, D'Silva N, Swiecicki PL, Worden F, Mierzwa ML. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, 2026 Sep 27; 126 (1): e689 DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.06.2146
    • Journal Article
      Combined Positive Score and Cost-Effectiveness of Perioperative Pembrolizumab for Head and Neck Cancer. Epub ahead of print
      Coyle AH, Hutton DW, Buchakjian MR, Casper KA, Forner DW, Hawley ST, Heft Neal ME, Malloy KM, Mierzwa ML, Prince ME, Shah JL, Sweicicki PL, Shuman AG, Stucken CL, Veenstra CM, Worden FP, Yalamanchi P. JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2026 Sep 1; e262124 - e262124. DOI:10.1001/jamaoto.2026.2124
    • Journal Article
      Refining adjuvant radiation therapy decision using a nomogram in major salivary gland carcinoma
      Gau M, Su J, Huang SH, Alfaraj FA, Souied O, Mierzwa ML, Marta GN, Kowalski LP, Moraes FY, Xu W, Bayley A, Hahn E, Kim JJ, McPartlin A, O'Sullivan B, Hope A, Tsai CJ, Malik N, Waldron J, Bratman SV, Javed H, de Almeida JR, Yao CMKL, Hosni A. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 2026 Jul 1; 220: DOI:10.1016/j.radonc.2026.111528
      PMID: 42001963
    • Journal Article
      Association of routine electronic symptom monitoring with reduced opioid use in patients with head and neck cancers.
      Gharzai LA, Liu Y, Sun Z, Garcia M, Rothrock NE, Cella D, Suresh K, Stepan K, Shaunfield S, Forner D, Casper K, Shah JL, Mayo C, Tang X, Rosen B, Mierzwa ML. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026 May 29; 44 (16_suppl): 1579 - 1579. DOI:10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.1579
    • Journal Article
      Accuracy and Safety of Patient-Facing GenAI Platforms in Post-Laryngectomy Care
      Casper J, Prince A, Knill C, Lyden T, Hardenbergh A, Ambrose M, Mierzwa ML, Buchakjian M, Dave F, Prince ME, Heft-Neal ME, Yalamanchi P. International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, 2026 Apr 18; 125 (1): e40 - e41. DOI:10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.02.080
    • Journal Article
      Neutrophil to Lymphocyte and Lymphocyte to Monocyte Ratios Predict Improved Survival and Response to Induction Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx
      Risch Z, Bellile E, Bughrara MS, Swiecicki PL, Casper K, Malloy K, Hogikyan N, Spector M, Shuman A, Stucken C, Chinn S, Chepeha DC, Jolly S, Mierzwa M, Bradford C, Eisbruch A, Carey T, Prince M, Wolf GT, Worden FP. Head and Neck, 2026 May 1; 48 (5): 1311 - 1318. DOI:10.1002/hed.70132
      PMID: 41403153