Nick Figura, MD

Cancer Focus:
Brain Cancer, Esophageal Cancer, Glioblastoma, Hodgkin Lymphoma, Lung Cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Rectal Cancer

Dr. Nicholas Figura is an Assistant Member in the Department of Radiation Oncology. Dr. Figura will be located at the Moffitt partnership site at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, working with Dr. Ronica Nanda and Dr. Roberto Diaz. Dr. Figura received his MD from the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine. He recently completed a Radiation Oncology Residency at Moffitt Cancer Center/University of South Florida, where he also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Figura’s clinical interests include the use of definitive radiotherapy in the treatment of head and neck, thoracic, gastrointestinal, and hematologic malignancies as well as the use of palliative radiotherapy for oligometastatic disease. His primary research focuses on the use of radiotherapy in novel clinical settings to ultimately improve patient outcomes, such as 1) combining immunotherapy and radiation in the treatment of oligometastatic disease, 2) incorporating radiotherapy as a bridging treatment strategy for patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, and 3) exploring the potential role of noninvasive cardiac ablation using stereotactic radiotherapy for refractory cardiac arrhythmias.

Education & Training

Residency:

• Moffitt Cancer Center - Radiation Oncology

Medical School:

• University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine - MD

• Liveringhouse CL, Palm RF, Bryant JM, Yang GQ, Mills MN, Figura ND, Ahmed KA, Mullinax J, Gonzalez R, Johnstone PA, Naghavi AO. Neoadjuvant Simultaneous Integrated Boost Radiation Therapy Improves Clinical Outcomes for Retroperitoneal Sarcoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2023 Sep.117(1):123-138. Pubmedid: 36935026.
• Keit E, Liveringhouse C, Figura N, Weygand J, Sandoval ML, Garcia G, Peters J, Nieder M, Faramand R, Khimani F, Kim S, Robinson TJ, Johnstone PAS, Penagaricano J, Latifi K. Feasibility and Toxicity of Full-Body Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Technique for High-Dose Total Body Irradiation. Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Jan.22. Pubmedid: 37287260. Pmcid: PMC10272663.
• Mills MN, Potluri TK, Kawahara Y, Fahey M, Figura NB, Soyano AE, Washington IR, Diaz R, Oliver DE, Yu HM, Etame AB, Vogelbaum MA, Czerniecki BJ, Arrington JA, Sahebjam S, Forsyth PA, Soliman HH, Han HS, Ahmed KA. The presentation of brain metastases in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer and potential implications for screening brain MRIs. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022 Jan.191(1):209-217. Pubmedid: 34669082.
• Figura NB, Sim AJ, Jain MD, Chavez JC, Robinson TJ. Radiation therapy prior to CAR T-cell therapy in lymphoma: impact on patient outcomes. Expert Rev Hematol. 2022 Dec.15(12):1023-1030. Pubmedid: 36369950.
• Mills MN, Naz A, Thawani C, Walker C, Figura NB, Kushchayev S, Oliver DE, Etame AB, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Liu JKC, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Capecitabine and stereotactic radiation in the management of breast cancer brain metastases. BMC Cancer. 2021 May.21(1):552. Pubmedid: 33992087. Pmcid: PMC8126143.
• Mills MN, Thawani C, Figura NB, Oliver DE, Soyano AE, Etame A, Robinson TJ, Liu JK, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Yu HM, Ahmed KA. Breast cancer subtype predicts clinical outcomes after stereotactic radiation for brain metastases. J Neurooncol. 2021 May.152(3):591-601. Pubmedid: 33742358.
• Mills MN, Walker C, Thawani C, Naz A, Figura NB, Kushchayev S, Etame A, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Liu J, Vogelbaum MA, Forsyth PA, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman HH, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Trastuzumab Emtansine (T-DM1) and stereotactic radiation in the management of HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases. BMC Cancer. 2021 Mar.21(1):223. Pubmedid: 33663447. Pmcid: PMC7934378.
• Figura NB, Robinson TJ, Sim AJ, Wang X, Cao B, Chavez JC, Shah BD, Khimani F, Lazaryan A, Davila M, Bachmeier C, Nishihori T, Liu HD, Kim S, Locke FL, Jain MD. Patterns and Predictors of Failure in Recurrent or Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphomas After Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Dec.111(5):1145-1154. Pubmedid: 34242714. Pmcid: PMC9791939.
• Bates JE, De Leo AN, Malouff TD, Parekh AD, Patel NV, Figura NB, Asher D, Mohammadi H, Waddle MR. Resident Considerations for Virtual Interviews in Radiation Oncology: Perspectives from the Sunshine State. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2020 Oct. Pubmedid: 33073062. Pmcid: PMC7547573.
• Sim AJ, Ahmed KA, Keller A, Figura NB, Oliver DE, Sarangkasiri S, Robinson TJ, Johnstone PAS, Yu HM, Naghavi AO. Outcomes and the Role of Primary Histology Following LINAC-based Stereotactic Radiation for Sarcoma Brain Metastases. Am J Clin Oncol. 2020 May.43(5):356-361. Pubmedid: 32217854.
• Mohammadi H, De Leo AN, Asher D, Malouff TD, Waddle MR, Figura NB, Patel NV, Bates JE, Parekh AD. The Florida Radiation Oncology Resident Experience During Coronavirus Disease 2019: Perspectives and Recommendations. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2020 May.5(4):727-731. Pubmedid: 32426557. Pmcid: PMC7233204.
• Mohammadi H, Prince A, Figura NB, Peacock JS, Fernandez DC, Montejo ME, Chon HS, Wenham RM, Eschrich SA, Torres-Roca JF, Ahmed KA. Using the Radiosensitivity Index (RSI) to Predict Pelvic Failure in Endometrial Cancer Treated With Adjuvant Radiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2020 Mar.106(3):496-502. Pubmedid: 31759077. Pmcid: PMC7050205.
• Yang G, Mills M, Kim Y, Figura NB, Doyle C, Oliver D, Grass GD, Robinson T, Chavez J, Kim S. Enhancement of the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) with lymphopenia (FLIPI-L): a predictor for overall survival and histologic transformation. Blood Cancer J. 2020 Jan.9(12):104. Pubmedid: 31894139. Pmcid: PMC6938796.
• Figura NB, Oliver DE, Mohammadi H, Martinez K, Grass GD, Hoffe SE, Johnstone PAS, Frakes JM. Novel Dose Escalation Approaches for Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy to Adrenal Oligometastases: A Single-Institution Experience. Am J Clin Oncol. 2020 Feb.43(2):107-114. Pubmedid: 31764023.
• Mills MN, Figura NB, Arrington JA, Yu HM, Etame AB, Vogelbaum MA, Soliman H, Czerniecki BJ, Forsyth PA, Han HS, Ahmed KA. Management of brain metastases in breast cancer: a review of current practices and emerging treatments. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2020 Apr.180(2):279-300. Pubmedid: 32030570.
• Figura NB, Rizk VT, Armaghani AJ, Arrington JA, Etame AB, Han HS, Czerniecki BJ, Forsyth PA, Ahmed KA. Breast leptomeningeal disease: a review of current practices and updates on management. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Sep.177(2):277-294. Pubmedid: 31209686.
• Holtzman AL, Bryant CM, Mendenhall NP, Mendenhall WM, Nichols RC, Henderson RH, Figura N, Morris CG, Williams CR, Li Z, Hoppe BS. Patient-Reported Sexual Survivorship Following High-Dose Image-Guided Proton Therapy for Prostate Cancer. Radiother Oncol. 2019 May.134:204-210. Pubmedid: 31005217.
• Figura NB, Rizk VT, Mohammadi H, Evernden B, Mokhtari S, Yu HM, Robinson TJ, Etame AB, Tran ND, Liu J, Washington I, Diaz R, Czerniecki BJ, Soliman H, Han HS, Sahebjam S, Forsyth PA, Ahmed KA. Clinical outcomes of breast leptomeningeal disease treated with intrathecal trastuzumab, intrathecal chemotherapy, or whole brain radiation therapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 Jun.175(3):781-788. Pubmedid: 30859348.
• Sim AJ, Jain MD, Figura N, Chavez JC, Shah BD, Khimani F, Lazarayan A, Krivenko G, Davila ML, Liu HD, Falchook AD, Dahiya S, Rapoport AP, Kim SU, Locke FL, Robinson TJ. Radiation Therapy as a Bridging Strategy for CAR T Cell Therapy With Axicabtagene Ciloleucel in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2019 Dec.105(5):1012-1021. Pubmedid: 31175906. Pmcid: PMC6872916.
• Ahmed KA, Liveringhouse CL, Mills MN, Figura NB, Grass GD, Washington IR, Harris EE, Czerniecki BJ, Blumencranz PW, Eschrich SA, Scott JG, Diaz R, Torres-Roca JF. Utilizing the genomically adjusted radiation dose (GARD) to personalize adjuvant radiotherapy in triple negative breast cancer management. EBioMedicine. 2019 Aug.47:163-169. Pubmedid: 31416721. Pmcid: PMC6796536.
• Figura NB, Potluri TK, Mohammadi H, Oliver DE, Arrington JA, Robinson TJ, Etame AB, Tran ND, Liu JK, Soliman H, Forsyth PA, Sahebjam S, Yu HM, Han HS, Ahmed KA. CDK 4/6 inhibitors and stereotactic radiation in the management of hormone receptor positive breast cancer brain metastases. J Neurooncol. 2019 Aug.144(3):583-589. Pubmedid: 31399935.
• Oliver DE, Mohammadi H, Figura N, Frakes JM, Yamoah K, Perez BA, Wuthrick EJ, Naghavi AO, Caudell JJ, Harrison LB, Torres-Roca JF, Ahmed KA. Novel Genomic-Based Strategies to Personalize Lymph Node Radiation Therapy. Semin Radiat Oncol. 2019 Apr.29(2):111-125. Pubmedid: 30827449.
• Figura N, Smith J, Yu HM. Mechanisms of, and Adjuvants for, Bone Pain. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2018 Jun.32(3):447-458. Pubmedid: 29729780.
• B Figura N, Long W, Yu M, Robinson TJ, Mokhtari S, Etame AB, Tran ND, Diaz R, Soliman H, S Han H, Sahebjam S, Forsyth PA, Ahmed KA. Intrathecal trastuzumab in the management of HER2+ breast leptomeningeal disease: a single institution experience. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018 Jun.169(2):391-396. Pubmedid: 29392582.
• Figura N, Flampouri S, Mendenhall NP, Morris CG, McCook B, Ozdemir S, Slayton W, Sandler E, Hoppe BS. Importance of baseline PET/CT imaging on radiation field design and relapse rates in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. Adv Radiat Oncol. 2017 Jan.2(2):197-203. Pubmedid: 28740932. Pmcid: PMC5514251.
• Strom TJ, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Shrinath K, Nethers K, Mellon EA, Fernandez DC, Saini AS, Hunt DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. Health-related quality-of-life changes due to high-dose-rate brachytherapy, low-dose-rate brachytherapy, or intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Brachytherapy. 2016 Jul.14(6):818-825. Pubmedid: 26452602.
• Chuong MD, Frakes JM, Figura N, Hoffe SE, Shridhar R, Mellon EA, Hodul PJ, Malafa MP, Springett GM, Centeno BA. Histopathologic tumor response after induction chemotherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2016 Apr.7(2):221-227. Pubmedid: 27034789. Pmcid: PMC4783738.
• Frakes JM, Figura ND, Ahmed KA, Juan TH, Patel N, Latifi K, Sarangkasiri S, Strom TJ, Chinnaiyan P, Rao NG, Etame AB. Potential role for LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of 5 or more radioresistant melanoma brain metastases. J Neurosurg. 2015 Nov.123(5):1261-1267. Pubmedid: 26140482.
• Ahmed KA, Freilich JM, Sloot S, Figura N, Gibney GT, Weber JS, Sarangkasiri S, Chinnaiyan P, Forsyth PA, Etame AB, Rao NG. LINAC-based stereotactic radiosurgery to the brain with concurrent vemurafenib for melanoma metastases. J Neurooncol. 2015 Mar.122(1):121-126. Pubmedid: 25519302.
• Naghavi AO, Strom TJ, Nethers K, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Shrinath K, Yue B, Kim J, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. Clinical implications of a prostate-specific antigen bounce after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Int J Clin Oncol. 2015 Jun.20(3):598-604. Pubmedid: 25193155.
• Ahmed KA, Freilich JM, Abuodeh Y, Figura N, Patel N, Sarangkasiri S, Chinnaiyan P, Yu HH, Etame AB, Rao NG. Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy to the post-operative cavity for radioresistant and radiosensitive brain metastases. J Neurooncol. 2014 May.118(1):179-186. Pubmedid: 24604750.
• Strom TJ, Hutchinson SZ, Shrinath K, Cruz AA, Figura NB, Nethers K, Biagioli MC, Fernandez DC, Heysek RV, Wilder RB. External beam radiation therapy and a low-dose-rate brachytherapy boost without or with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Int Braz J Urol. 2014 Jul.40(4):474-483. Pubmedid: 25251952.
• Figura N, Hoppe BS, Flampouri S, Su Z, Osian O, Monroe A, Nichols RC. Postoperative proton therapy in the management of stage III thymoma. J Thorac Oncol. 2013 May.8(5):e38-e40. Pubmedid: 23584300.
• Figura NB, Flampouri S, Hopper K, Marcus RB, Mendenhall NP, Hoppe BS. Consolidative Proton Therapy Following High-dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in an Adolescent with Relapsed Hodgkin Lymphoma. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2011 Jun.1(2):103-106. Pubmedid: 26812632.