Rebecca DeBoer, MD, MA

HS Assistant Clinical Prof

Rebecca (Becky) DeBoer, MD, MA is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at UCSF and an attending medical oncologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco Hospital (SFGH). She has an academic background in bioethics and global health, and prior clinical experience working as an oncology clinician at Butaro Hospital in rural Rwanda with the NGO Partners In Health. Her research uses implementation science to improve the delivery of high quality, equitable cancer care to patients in diverse settings including in Rwanda, Tanzania, and the public safety net health system in San Francisco. Her current projects focus on patient-clinician communication, resource allocation, and clinical practice evaluation and improvement in cancer care. She also teaches global health ethics at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and medical ethics at the UCSF School of Medicine. Clinically, she has a general oncology clinic and a breast oncology clinic at SFGH.

Education
2019 - Medical Oncology Fellowship, University of California San Francisco
2016 - Internal Medicine Residency, University of Chicago
2016 - Clinical Medical Ethics Fellowship, University of Chicago MacLean Center
MA, 2014 - Medical Humanities and Bioethics, Northwestern University
MD, 2011 - , Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
BA, 2005 - Human Biology, Stanford University
Websites
Publications

  1. Buckle GC, DeBoer R, Xu MJ, Mrema A, Rubagumya F, Velloza J, Falade AS, Van Loon K. Using context-specific evidence to inform resource-stratified cancer guidelines: A call for a new approach. Cancer 2024. PMID: 39306723


  2. Tolani MA, Agbo CA, Paciorek A, Umar SS, Ojewola RW, Mohammed F, Kaninjing E, Ahmed M, DeBoer R. Detection and management of localized prostate cancer in Nigeria: barriers and facilitators according to patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. BMC health services research 2024. PMID: 39135037


  3. Ngabonziza E, Ghebre R, DeBoer RJ, Ntasumbumuyange D, Magriples U, George J, Grover S, Bazzett-Matabele L. Outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical hysterectomy for locally advanced cervical cancer at Kigali University Teaching Hospital, Rwanda: a retrospective descriptive study. BMC women's health 2024. PMID: 38555423


  4. Van Loon K, Breithaupt L, Ng D, DeBoer RJ, Buckle GC, Bialous S, Hiatt RA, Volberding P, Hermiston ML, Ashworth A. A Roadmap to Establishing Global Oncology as a Priority Initiative within a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2023. PMID: 38060289


  5. DeBoer RJ, Ho A, Mutoniwase E, Nguyen C, Umutesi G, Bigirimana JB, Nsabimana N, Van Loon K, Shulman LN, Triedman SA, Cubaka VK, Shyirambere C. Ethical dilemmas in prioritizing patients for scarce radiotherapy resources. BMC medical ethics 2024. PMID: 38297294


  6. Sakafu LL, Philipo GS, Malichewe CV, Fundikira LS, Lwakatare FA, Van Loon K, Mushi BP, DeBoer RJ, Bialous SA, Lee AY. Delayed diagnostic evaluation of symptomatic breast cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative study of Tanzanian women. PloS one 2022. PMID: 36201503


  7. Morgan J, DeBoer RJ, Bigirimana JB, Nguyen C, Ruhangaza D, Paciorek A, Mugabo F, Villaverde C, Nsabimana N, Bihizimana P, Umwizerwa A, Lehmann LE, Shulman LN, Shyirambere C. A Ten-Year Experience of Treating Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Rural Rwanda: Outcomes and Insights for a Changing Landscape. JCO global oncology 2022. PMID: 35839427


  8. Tsang M, DeBoer RJ, Garrett SB, Dohan D. Decision-making about clinical trial options among older patients with metastatic cancer who have exhausted standard therapies. Journal of geriatric oncology 2022. PMID: 35125334


  9. DeBoer RJ, Rugo HS, Shulman LN. Reconceptualizing Risk-Benefit Assessment of Novel Cancer Therapies to Expand Global Access and Reduce Worldwide Mortality. 2021. PMID: 34882172


  10. DeBoer RJ, Umutoni V, Bazzett-Matabele L, Katznelson E, Nguyen C, Umwizerwa A, Bigirimana JB, Paciorek A, Nsabimana N, Ruhangaza D, Ntasumbumuyange D, Shulman LN, Triedman SA, Shyirambere C. Cervical cancer treatment in Rwanda: Resource-driven adaptations, quality indicators, and patient outcomes. Gynecologic oncology 2021. PMID: 34916066


  11. DeBoer RJ, Nguyen C, Mutoniwase E, Ho A, Umutesi G, Bigirimana JB, Triedman SA, Shyirambere C. Procedural fairness for radiotherapy priority setting in a low resource context. Bioethics 2021. PMID: 34415636


  12. Nyagabona SK, Luhar R, Ndumbalo J, Mvungi N, Ngoma M, Meena S, Siu S, Said M, Mwaiselage J, Tarimo E, Buckle G, Selekwa M, Mushi B, Mmbaga EJ, Van Loon K, DeBoer RJ. Views from Multidisciplinary Oncology Clinicians on Strengthening Cancer Care Delivery Systems in Tanzania. The oncologist 2021. PMID: 34041817


  13. DeBoer RJ, Mutoniwase E, Nguyen C, Ho A, Umutesi G, Nkusi E, Sebahungu F, Van Loon K, Shulman LN, Shyirambere C. Moral Distress and Resilience Associated with Cancer Care Priority Setting in a Resource-Limited Context. The oncologist 2021. PMID: 33969927


  14. Blanchard C, Lubuzo B, Asirwa FC, Dlamini X, Msadabwe-Chikuni SC, Mwachiro M, Shyirambere C, Ruhangaza D, Milner DA, Van Loon K, DeBoer R, Mtshali P, Dugan U, Baker E, Shulman LN. Multisector Collaborations and Global Oncology: The Only Way Forward. JCO global oncology 2021. PMID: 33493021


  15. DeBoer RJ, Fadelu TA, Shulman LN, Van Loon K. Applying Lessions Learned From Low-Resource Settings to Prioritize Cancer Care in a Pandemic. JAMA oncology 2020. PMID: 32761149


  16. DeBoer RJ, Shyirambere C, Driscoll CD, Butera Y, Paciorek A, Ruhangaza D, Fadelu TA, Umwizerwa A, Bigirimana JB, Muhayimana C, Nguyen C, Park PH, Mpunga T, Lehmann L, Shulman LN. Treatment of Hodgkin Lymphoma With ABVD Chemotherapy in Rural Rwanda: A Model for Cancer Care Delivery Implementation. Volume 6. JCO global oncology 2020. PMID: 32678711


  17. Mutebi M, Anderson BO, Duggan C, Adebamowo C, Agarwal G, Ali Z, Bird P, Bourque JM, DeBoer R, Gebrim LH, Masetti R, Masood S, Menon M, Nakigudde G, Ng'ang'a A, Niyonzima N, Rositch AF, Unger-Saldaña K, Villarreal-Garza C, Dvaladze A, El Saghir NS, Gralow JR, Eniu A. Breast cancer treatment: A phased approach to implementation. Volume 126 Suppl 10. Cancer 2020. PMID: 32348571


  18. Rositch AF, Unger-Saldaña K, DeBoer RJ, Ng'ang'a A, Weiner BJ. The role of dissemination and implementation science in global breast cancer control programs: Frameworks, methods, and examples. Volume 126 Suppl 10. Cancer 2020. PMID: 32348574


  19. DeBoer RJ, Ndumbalo J, Meena S, Ngoma MT, Mvungi N, Siu S, Selekwa M, Nyagabona SK, Luhar R, Buckle G, Lin TK, Breithaupt L, Kennell-Heiling S, Mushi B, Philipo GS, Mmbaga EJ, Mwaiselage J, Van Loon K. Development of a theory-driven implementation strategy for cancer management guidelines in sub-Saharan Africa. Implementation science communications 2020. PMID: 32885183


  20. Xu MJ, Su D, Deboer R, Garcia M, Tahir P, Anderson W, Kinderman A, Braunstein S, Sherertz T. Palliative Oncologic Care Curricula for Providers in Resource-Limited and Underserved Communities: a Systematic Review. Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education 2017. PMID: 29264703


  21. Rubagumya F, Greenberg L, Manirakiza A, DeBoer R, Park PH, Mpunga T, Shulman LN. Increasing global access to cancer care: models of care with non-oncologists as primary providers. Volume 18 of Issue 8. The Lancet. Oncology 2017. PMID: 28759361


  22. Daly B, Hantel A, Wroblewski K, Balachandran JS, Chow S, DeBoer R, Fleming GF, Hahn OM, Kline J, Liu H, Patel BK, Verma A, Witt LJ, Fukui M, Kumar A, Howell MD, Polite BN. No Exit: Identifying Avoidable Terminal Oncology Intensive Care Unit Hospitalizations. Volume 12 of Issue 10. Journal of oncology practice 2016. PMID: 27601514


  23. DeBoer R, Koval G, Mulkey F, Wetzler M, Devine S, Marcucci G, Stone RM, Larson RA, Bloomfield CD, Geyer S, Mullighan CG, Stock W. Clinical impact of ABL1 kinase domain mutations and IKZF1 deletion in adults under age 60 with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): molecular analysis of CALGB (Alliance) 10001 and 9665. Volume 57 of Issue 10. Leukemia & lymphoma 2016. PMID: 26892479


  24. Keck MK, Zuo Z, Khattri A, Stricker TP, Brown CD, Imanguli M, Rieke D, Endhardt K, Fang P, Brägelmann J, DeBoer R, El-Dinali M, Aktolga S, Lei Z, Tan P, Rozen SG, Salgia R, Weichselbaum RR, Lingen MW, Story MD, Ang KK, Cohen EE, White KP, Vokes EE, Seiwert TY. Integrative analysis of head and neck cancer identifies two biologically distinct HPV and three non-HPV subtypes. Volume 21 of Issue 4. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 2014. PMID: 25492084


  25. Raizer JJ, Fitzner KA, Jacobs DI, Bennett CL, Liebling DB, Luu TH, Trifilio SM, Grimm SA, Fisher MJ, Haleem MS, Ray PS, McKoy JM, DeBoer R, Tulas KM, Deeb M, McKoy JM. Economics of Malignant Gliomas: A Critical Review. Volume 11 of Issue 1. Journal of oncology practice 2014. PMID: 25466707


  26. Seiwert TY, Zuo Z, Keck MK, Khattri A, Pedamallu CS, Stricker T, Brown C, Pugh TJ, Stojanov P, Cho J, Lawrence MS, Getz G, Brägelmann J, DeBoer R, Weichselbaum RR, Langerman A, Portugal L, Blair E, Stenson K, Lingen MW, Cohen EE, Vokes EE, White KP, Hammerman PS. Integrative and comparative genomic analysis of HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Volume 21 of Issue 3. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 2014. PMID: 25056374


  27. Parvataneni R, Polley MY, Freeman T, Lamborn K, Prados M, Butowski N, Liu R, Clarke J, Page M, Rabbitt J, Fedoroff A, Clow E, Hsieh E, Kivett V, Deboer R, Chang S. Identifying the needs of brain tumor patients and their caregivers. Volume 104 of Issue 3. Journal of neuro-oncology 2011. PMID: 21311950


  28. DeBoer R, Batjer H, Marymont M, Goldman S, Walker M, Gottardi-Littell N, Raizer J. Response of an adult patient with pineoblastoma to vorinostat and retinoic acid. Volume 95 of Issue 2. Journal of neuro-oncology 2009. PMID: 19506816


  29. Prados MD, Chang SM, Butowski N, DeBoer R, Parvataneni R, Carliner H, Kabuubi P, Ayers-Ringler J, Rabbitt J, Page M, Fedoroff A, Sneed PK, Berger MS, McDermott MW, Parsa AT, Vandenberg S, James CD, Lamborn KR, Stokoe D, Haas-Kogan DA. Phase II study of erlotinib plus temozolomide during and after radiation therapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme or gliosarcoma. Volume 27 of Issue 4. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2008. PMID: 19075262