Thomas William LeBlanc
Associate Professor of Medicine

Dr. LeBlanc is a medical oncologist, palliative care physician, and patient experience researcher.  His clinical practice focuses on the care of patients with hematologic malignancies, with a particular emphasis on myeloid conditions and acute leukemias including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs / MPDs, CML).  He is an active member of the inpatient non-transplant hematologic malignancies care team, based on the 9100 ward of Duke University Hospital.

His research interests converge on common issues faced by people with cancer, particularly those with high-risk or relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies. Issues of symptom burden and quality of life are of central importance in these settings, and may lead patients to face difficult decision-making scenarios. Dr. LeBlanc’s research explores the experience of patients and families in these settings, and aims to improve patients experiences living with blood cancers, including the involvement of specialist palliative care services to provide an extra layer of support along with their comprehensive cancer care, to improve symptom management and quality of life.

Dr. LeBlanc is the recipient of a Junior Career Development Award grant from the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC), a Sojourns Scholars Leadership Award from the Cambia Health Foundation, and a Mentored Research Scholar Grant from the American Cancer Society. These grants have funded efforts to better understand the experience of patients living with AML, including studies of symptom burden, quality of life, distress, understanding of prognosis, and treatment decision-making. This work has been mentored by a team of expert researchers, including Drs. Amy Abernethy, James Tulsky, Karen Steinhauser, Kathryn Pollak, and Peter Ubel.  Dr. LeBlanc's work in palliative care research led to his recognition as an "Inspirational Leader under 40" by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), and "fellow" status from the Academy in 2016. Dr. LeBlanc was the 2017-18 Chair of the ASCO Ethics Committee, and Chairs the Scientific Review Committee of the NIH/NINR-funded Palliative Care Research Cooperative Group (PCRC; www.palliativecareresearch.org). He has served on various national guideline panels for AML, and for palliative/supportive care issues in oncology. 

He completed residency training in Internal Medicine at Duke, as well as fellowships in Medical Oncology and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.  He graduated from the Duke University School of Medicine, also earning a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy during that time, and served as Chief Medical Resident at the Durham VA Medical Center in 2010-11.  He holds board certifications in Medical Oncology, and in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.  He is actively involved with teaching of medical students and housestaff at Duke, particularly with regards to issues of patient-doctor communication, and is mentoring several Duke trainees on research projects.

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