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Wendla K. Citron, MD

Academic Title:

Clinical Assistant Professor

Primary Appointment:

Radiation Oncology

Administrative Title:

Medical Director for Tate Cancer Center

Email:

wcitron@umm.edu

Location:

Tate Cancer Center, Baltimore Washington Medical Center, 305 Hospital Drive, Glen Burnie, MD

Phone (Primary):

410-553-8100

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Education and Training

Education

 

1992 – 1996                            Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

                                                Bachelor of Science in Biology conferred on June 7, 1996.

 

1997 – 2001                            Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC

                                                Doctor of Medicine conferred on May, 21 2001.

 

 

Post Graduate Education and Training

 

2001 – 2002                            WakeForest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC

                                                Internship in Internal Medicine.

 

2002 – 2006                            University of Chicago, Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, Chicago IL

                                                Residency in Radiation Oncology.

 

2005                                        Institute Curie, Paris, France

                                                One month externship in Radiation Oncology under direct supervision of Dr. Alain Fourquet for additional training in breast cancer treatment, brachytherapy techniques, and proton beam therapy. 

 

2005                                        Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Holland

                                                One month externship in Radiation Oncology under direct supervision of Dr. Harry Bartelink for additional training in breast cancer treatment and cone beam CT.

 

Biosketch

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from MIT, Dr. Citron went to medical school at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C.  She went on to complete an internship in internal medicine, and then completed her residency at The University of Chicago, Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, where she served as chief resident.  As part of her residency, Dr. Citron completed externships at the Institut Curie in Paris and the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. Here, she completed additional training in breast cancer treatment, brachytherapy techniques, cone beam CT and proton beam therapy.

After working for two years at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Dr. Citron joined the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine as Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology.  She currently serves as Radiation Oncology Residency Program Co-Director and Medical Director of the Tate Cancer Center at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

Research/Clinical Keywords

CNS malignancies, Head and neck cancer, Lung cancer, Breast cancer, Gastrointestinal cancer, Genitourinary cancer, Gynecologic cancer, Lymphoma, Sarcoma 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, Image Guided Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Proton Therapy

Highlighted Publications

Royak-Schaler R, Pelser C, Langerberg P, Hayes J, Gardner L, Nesbitt K, Citron W, Dwyer D.  Characteristics associated with the initiation of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery among African American and white women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in Maryland, 2000-2006.  Ann Epidemiol.  2012 Jan;22(1)28-36.  PMID: 22037379

 

S. F. Grabowski, M. Earl, H. Chung, W. Citron, M. Oh, Y. Kwok, A. Hanlon, R. Cohen.  Androgen Deprivation Therapy Is Associated With a Significant Change in Prostate Volume Throughout Definitive Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer.  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics
Volume 87, Issue 2, Supplement, Page S395, 1 October 2013.

 

R. Cohen, L. Li, U. Mahmood, A. Hanlon, W. Citron, M. Oh, C. Drogula, S. Cheston, N. Sharma, S. J. Feigenberg.  Adjuvant Radiation Improves Breast Cancer Specific Survival in the Eldest Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients.  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * PhysicsVolume 87, Issue 2, Supplement, Page S232, 1 October 2013.

 

A. Chaudhry, A. Hanlon, S. B. Kesmodel, E. C. Bellavance, K. H. Tzaczuk, C. L. Drugula, W. K. Citron, R. J. Cohen, W. F. Regine, S. J. Feigenberg.  A Prospective Trial of Preoperative Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI): Predictors of Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Seroma Formation.  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * PhysicsVolume 87, Issue 2, Supplement, Pages S215-S216, 1 October 2013.

 

S. J. Feigenberg, R. Buras, C. Drogula, W. Citron, et al.  Preliminary Results of a Prospective Feasibility Study Testing Preoperative Accelerated Partial Breast Radiotherapy (APBI) using 3 Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy (3D CRT).  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics.  Vol 81, Issue 2, Supplement, Page S264, October 2011.

 

R. J. Cohen, L. Li, W. Citron, M. Oh, et al.  Improved Survival with Adjuvant Radiation in Elderly Women with Early-stage Breast Cancer.  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics.  Vol 84, Issue 3, Supplement, Pages S33-S34, October 2012.  

 

S. J. Feigenberg, P. Staats, W. Citron, C. Drogula et al.  Near 25% Complete Pathologic Response Following Preoperative Accelerated Partial Breast Radiation Therapy (APBI) using 3 Dimensional Conformal Radiotherapy (3D CRT).  International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics.  Vol 84, Issue 3, Supplement, Page S240, October 2012.

In the News

One woman's story: perseverance paid off

http://www.trbimg.com/img-57f6be67/turbine/bs-cgt-ac-cn-breast-cancer-bwmc-1007-et-how-guill-20161006/750/750x422
Pasadena resident Sandra Massey and Dr. , a radiation oncologist at UMD Baltimore Washington Medical Center's Tate Cancer Center, discuss Massey's clean bill of health 17 months after being diagnosed with a Stage 1 cancerous lump in her breast.
Pasadena resident Sandra Massey and Dr. Wendla Citron, a radiation oncologist at UMD Baltimore Washington Medical Center's Tate Cancer Center, discuss Massey's clean bill of health 17 months after being diagnosed with a Stage 1 cancerous lump in her breast. (Wendi Winters / Capital Gazette)
By: Wendi Winters
Riviera Beach resident Sandra Massey dropped off another one of her tasty casseroles just before lunchtime at the radiation oncology department of the Tate Cancer Center at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie.
While there, the 61-year old celebrated a personal landmark with the staff: it had been slightly more than a year since her last radiation treatment on Sept. 17, 2015.
Despite her cancer and subsequent treatments in 2015, Massey kept up her busy schedule. Mother of three grown children, two sons and a daughter ages 33 to 25, she is the office manager for Academy Pest Control, owned by her husband Kevin Massey, and is also a domestic travel agent. Plus, she's a terrific cook.
Massey's family has a history of cancer. Her mother died at age 52 from breast cancer. Earlier, her father passed away at age 47 from kidney cancer. Her maternal grandmother was also felled by cancer at an early age.
In April 2015, Massey noticed a lump in her left breast. Two doctors said it felt benign and that it was too early to have a mammogram.
"You could feel the lump more than see it," Massey said.
Undeterred, Massey got a third opinion when she scheduled an appointment at BWMC's Advanced Radiology department at BWMC in mid-May. For four days, she waited nervously for the results.
They were positive. A lumpectomy was recommended.
Her next stop was the office of Dr. Cynthia L. Drogula, medical director of the Aiello Breast Center at BWMC and a breast surgeon.
"Dr. Drogula made me feel comfortable about the situation. The surgery was scheduled for June 15," said Massey.
Pre-surgery tests revealed a Stage I tumor that had not begun to spread. The Oncotype DX test, a genomic test that analyzes the activity of a group of 21 genes that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment, was administered. The test also helped determine the degree of her chances of getting cancer in the future.
If the tests determined a low percentage of risk, she would have been treated with hormonal therapy instead of chemotherapy. A high risk meant she would have been advised to undergo chemotherapy.
Lady Luck was with her: Massey was given a low risk rating. Post-surgery, she was treated with hormonal therapy along with six and one-half weeks of radiation therapy.
"I had the therapy here – and I love everyone on the staff," she said.
Overseeing her therapy and recovery was Dr. Wendla (sic) K. Citron, a radiation oncologist. The doctor now sees Massey every six months, alternating with another team every three months. She expects Massey will be back to normal in a few more weeks.
The Aiello Breast Center is affiliated with the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center in Baltimore. Patients at the Aiello Breast Center may be eligible for participation in the Greenebaum Center's clinical trials.
"These people became my family and emotional crutch," said Massey. "During post-treatment appointments, I'll bring in lasagna and other treats."
"I appreciate every day," she said. "Sometimes, I think 'Thank God I'm breathing the air.' I'm grateful. The first six months, I was in the shadows of fear. But, coming here was therapeutic. I can't say enough about the treatment here."
Thanks to the genetic tests, Massey learned she tested negative for BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations.
"Do self-exams of your breasts," Massey advised. "If you find something, get it checked out until YOU are satisfied."
Citron suggested by the time a woman is 50 years of age, she should be having annual physical exams. "A lot of screenings start at 50, including colonoscopies and mammograms. Your primary care physician is in the best position to determine what screenings are appropriate – for both men and women - and when to start."
She noted Massey was able to avoid having a mastectomy with radiation, and, instead, had breast conservation therapy: a lumpectomy with radiation.
"Technical advances in radiation therapy have allowed us to treat patients properly, but with fewer side effects and less inconvenience in many cases," said Citron. "With radiation, patients are able to do normal activities during their treatment."
 
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