{"id":26246,"date":"2024-11-20T16:21:51","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T21:21:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?page_id=26246"},"modified":"2025-07-04T11:16:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T15:16:01","slug":"dr-david-c-rice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/doctors\/dr-david-c-rice\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. David C. Rice"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>About Dr. David Rice<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. David C. Rice is a distinguished thoracic surgeon and professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he has worked since 2001.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Rice treats patients with <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/\">mesothelioma<\/a> and other thoracic malignancies (cancers of the chest and lungs).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI operate on patients who have cancers that involve the lungs, the esophagus, and the organs of the chest.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Dr. David C. Rice, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Dr. Rice can perform several types of surgeries to remove cancer tumors and help improve patients\u2019 life expectancies. He also works with other MD Anderson Cancer Center doctors to create the most effective treatment plans for his patients.<\/p>\n<p>Patients under Dr. Rice\u2019s care have noted that he is compassionate, respectful, and has their best interests at heart. By working with him, mesothelioma patients can get the expert care they need.<\/p>\n<h2>What Conditions Does Dr. David C. Rice Treat?<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. David Rice specializes in treating cancers and other health problems that affect the lungs and chest.<\/p>\n<p>Notably, he can perform surgery on patients with <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/pleural\/\">pleural mesothelioma<\/a>. Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of this cancer and forms in the lining of the lungs (pleura) about 10-50 years after asbestos exposure.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dr. Rice can also treat:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cardiovascular issues<\/li>\n<li>Esophageal cancer<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/cancer\/lung-cancer\/\">Lung cancer<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dr. Rice uses surgeries geared to a patient\u2019s specific health issue to give them the best quality of life possible.<\/p>\n<p>Use our <strong>Free Doctor Match<\/strong> for help connecting with Dr. Rice or other leading mesothelioma specialists near you.<\/p>\n<div id=\"25223\" class=\"one-off-25223 widget widget_oscar-vque one-off\" data-vqueid=\"25223\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"one-off\">.one-off-25223{margin:60px auto}.one-off-25223 a{box-shadow:0 4px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.25);display:block;background:#e4f4f6;padding:20px 25px 200px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;position:relative;overflow:hidden;max-width:360px;margin:0 auto}.one-off-25223 a::before{background:#0FAEBF;border-radius:50% 50% 0 0;content:'';position:absolute;bottom:0;height:19%;width:135%;left:-60px;z-index:0}.one-off-25223 .vque-content,.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{z-index:1;position:relative}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{width:100%;position:absolute;left:-10px;bottom:-15px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;max-width:unset;left:0}.one-off-25223 .heading{font-size:27px;line-height:33px;text-align:center;display:block;max-width:340px;margin:5px auto 25px}.one-off-25223 ul{list-style:none;margin:-10px auto 22px;text-align:left;font-size:16px;line-height:26px}.one-off-25223 ul li{margin:0 0 15px;position:relative;padding-left:35px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{font-family:\"mesohope\"!important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;content:\"\\e904\";background:#0FAEBF;width:21px;height:21px;display:block;position:absolute;left:0;top:4px;border-radius:50%;color:#fff;font-size:11px;text-align:center;line-height:21px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:center}.one-off-25223 .button{padding:12px 16px;display:block}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.one-off-25223 a{max-width:620px;padding:30px 30px 35px;border-radius:0 0 4px 4px}.one-off-25223 a::before{border-radius:50%;height:155%;width:150%;right:-550px;left:unset;bottom:-295px}.one-off-25223 .heading{text-align:left;margin:2px 0 25px;max-width:unset;font-size:24px}.one-off-25223 ul{margin:-7px 0 30px;max-width:365px;line-height:23px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{top:1px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{max-width:unset;position:absolute;right:-25px;bottom:-35px;margin:0 0 -2px;left:unset;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:relative;bottom:0;left:0;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .button{display:inline-block;padding:14px 25px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:left}}@media screen and (min-width:1150px){.one-off-25223 a{padding:30px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/get-matched\/\" title=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor Ad\"><div>\r\n    <div class=\"vque-content\">\r\n        <strong class=\"heading\">Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor<\/strong>\r\n        <ul>\r\n            <li>Find top specialists near you<\/li>\r\n            <li>Seek compensation for travel & care<\/li>\r\n            <li>Get medical guidance<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n        <p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get Matched Now\">Get Matched Now<\/strong><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Doctors-ad.png\" alt=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"lazyload\" ><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Dr. David C. Rice\u2019s Mesothelioma Treatment Approach<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. David C. Rice can treat pleural mesothelioma using different surgical techniques.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"\/treatment\/surgery\/\">Mesothelioma surgeries<\/a> he can perform include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/treatment\/surgery\/extrapleural-pneumonectomy\/\">Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP)<\/a>:<\/strong> Doctors remove all visible cancer tumors from the lung lining (pleura), along with the pleura and the lung closest to the cancer.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/treatment\/surgery\/pleurectomy-decortication\/\">Pleurectomy with decortication (P\/D)<\/a>:<\/strong> This extracts the mesothelioma tumors and pleura, but leaves the lung intact.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/biopsy\/thoracoscopy\/\">Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)<\/a>:<\/strong> This minimally invasive surgery can help remove a biopsy sample, which is the only way to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dr. Rice works closely with other doctors on staff who specialize in other treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy. Many patients have better health outcomes when multiple mesothelioma treatments are combined.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI always try to imagine, if I were in the patient\u2019s shoes, what I would want. The whole attitude of the institution is also very patient-centered, so you can really concentrate on doing what is best for the patient. And that\u2019s everyone\u2019s goal at this institution.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2014 Dr. David C. Rice, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Dr. Rice also continues to explore new <a href=\"\/treatment\/\">mesothelioma treatment options<\/a> through clinical trials, which may hold promise in improving patient survival times.<\/p>\n<h2>Dr. David C. Rice\u2019s Medical Background<\/h2>\n<p>Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Rice received his medical degree from the University of Dublin Trinity College School of Medicine in 1991.<\/p>\n<p>He moved to the United States in 1992 to start a general surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic, which he finished in 1999. He investigated a key cancer treatment known as <a href=\"\/treatment\/immunotherapy\/\">immunotherapy<\/a> while studying surgery during this time.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cI was always interested, even from medical school, in malignancy. I knew I wanted to do something related to cancer.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2014 Dr. David C. Rice, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>He then studied cardiothoracic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center from 1999 to 2001. He was hired by MD Anderson Cancer Center after finishing his training.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Rice is board-certified by leading organizations like the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the \u200cAmerican Medical Association, and the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.<\/p>\n<h3>Dr. David Rice\u2019s Work Experience<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Rice has practiced thoracic surgery at <a href=\"\/cancer-centers\/md-anderson-cancer-center\/\">MD Anderson Cancer Center<\/a> for nearly 25 years.<\/p>\n<p>He is the associate director of the Minimally Invasive New Technology in Oncologic Surgery (MINTOS). This division helps patients get essential surgeries with a lower risk of complications and shorter recovery times.<\/p>\n<p>He also serves as a professor of surgery at the University of Texas, helping to teach medical students about surgical procedures and researching new treatment options.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.callout-shortcode{background:#EDF8F9;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 24px;margin:40px 0;max-width:860px;position:relative}.callout-shortcode:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #EDF8F9 100%)}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{color:#100134;font-size:22px;display:block;margin:0 0 15px}.callout-shortcode:first-child{margin-top:0}.callout-shortcode:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:20px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding-top:17px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:74px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{left:22px;position:absolute;top:20px;width:59px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background:#fff url(\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mh-icon-65.png);background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:70%;border-radius:30px;bottom:-10px;content:\"\";display:block;height:30px;position:absolute;right:-10px;width:30px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.callout-shortcode{padding:25px 25px 25px 34px}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{font-size:24px}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode.has-img{min-height:170px;padding-left:175px}.callout-shortcode.has-img .img-wrap{position:absolute;left:29px;top:25px;width:119px}.callout-shortcode.hope.has-img{padding-left:170px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding:0}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{width:109px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background-size:66%;bottom:-15px;height:42px;width:42px}}<\/style><div class=\"content\"><p>Call <strong><a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a><\/strong> to get help connecting with leading mesothelioma specialists like Dr. Rice.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2>Highlights of Dr. David C. Rice\u2019s Medical Career<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. David Rice has received many awards and honors throughout the course of his medical career.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable accolades include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>5-star patient rating from <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em><\/li>\n<li>Castle Connolly top doctor status since 2009<\/li>\n<li>Featured in <em>Modern Luxury Houston<\/em><\/li>\n<li>University of Texas Surgery Chief Resident Teaching Award<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Outside of these honors, Dr. Rice\u2019s patients have consistently given him praise. He has a rating of <strong>4.9 out of 5<\/strong> based on almost 160 patient reviews featured on his MD Anderson website profile.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cDr. Rice was excellent, explained everything, spent a lot of time with me about my different options and my scans. And I really appreciate him and the rest of the staff at MD Anderson. Everyone has been excellent.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2014 Patient of Dr. David C. Rice<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Dr. David C. Rice\u2019s Mesothelioma Research<\/h2>\n<p>Dr. David C. Rice studies new treatments that could help patients with mesothelioma, lung cancer, and other diseases through a wide range of <a href=\"\/treatment\/clinical-trials\/\">clinical trials<\/a> and peer-reviewed studies.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Some of his recently published studies include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cThe International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Mesothelioma Staging Project: Proposals for Revisions of the \u201cT\u201d Descriptors in the Forthcoming Ninth Edition of the TNM Classification for Pleural Mesothelioma.\u201d Published in <em>Journal of Thoracic Oncology<\/em>, September 2024.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cTumor thickness in mesothelioma predicts differential response to neoadjuvant therapy and survival.\u201d Published in <em>The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery<\/em>, August 2023.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cExtrapleural Pneumonectomy Versus Pleurectomy\/Decortication for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.\u201d Published in <em>The Annals of Thoracic Surgery<\/em>, January 2022.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cEvolution of Genomic and T-cell Repertoire Heterogeneity of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Under Dasatinib Treatment.\u201d Published in <em>Clinical Cancer Research<\/em>, October 2020.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While there are never any guarantees, Dr. Rice and the MD Anderson Cancer Center hope to find more effective ways of diagnosing and treating mesothelioma through clinical trials.<\/p>\n<p>Pleural mesothelioma patients being treated by Dr. Rice could potentially qualify to join an ongoing trial.<\/p>\n<p>Download our <strong>Free Questions to Ask Your Doctor Checklist<\/strong> and get the answers you need about top mesothelioma treatments and clinical trials.<\/p>\n<div data-vqueid=\"18575\" class=\"widget widget_oscar-vque outline image-left has-img\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"outline\">.widget_oscar-vque.outline{margin:60px auto;max-width:315px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline:first-child{margin-top:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a{border:1px solid #E6E7EC;padding:20px;box-shadow:0 20px 20px rgba(34,34,34,0.03);border-radius:10px;color:#383441;display:block;text-decoration:none}.widget_oscar-vque.outline img{margin:0 auto 20px;max-width:180px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline .vque-content{color:#383441;font-size:16px;text-align:center}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.subheading{color:#100134;display:block;line-height:1;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:5px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.heading{color:#100134;font-size:20px;display:block;margin:0 0 20px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul{font-size:16px;text-align:left;list-style:none;max-width:265px;margin:15px auto 25px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li{padding-left:28px;margin-bottom:10px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul li:before{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;font-display:swap;speak:none;color:#fff;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e904\";border:none;position:absolute;left:0;top:3px;background:#0FAEBF;width:20px;height:20px;border-radius:20px;line-height:20px;text-align:center;font-size:12px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.button.arrow{width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a{position:relative;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #fff 100%)}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.widget_oscar-vque.outline{max-width:620px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline img{max-width:100%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a{padding:0}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a>div{display:block;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:flex-end;flex-direction:row-reverse}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a>div>div{width:41%}.widget_oscar-vque.outline>a .vque-content{width:59%;padding:30px;text-align:left}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.subheading{font-size:16px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.heading{font-size:24px;margin:0 0 13px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline ul{max-width:none}.widget_oscar-vque.outline strong.button.arrow{width:auto}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div{display:block;position:relative;overflow:hidden}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div{float:left}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div:first-child{width:27%;padding:30px}.widget_oscar-vque.outline.image-left>a>div>div.vque-content{width:73%;padding-left:0;color:#383441}}<\/style><a href=\"\/doctor-questions\/\" title=\"Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor Ad\" data-desktop-image=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/questions-to-ask-doctor-ipad.png\"><div><div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"95\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/questions-to-ask-doctor-ipad.png\" class=\"attachment-Medium size-Medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"14 Questions to Ask Your Doctor packet\" \/><\/div><div class=\"vque-content\"><strong class=\"heading\">Free Download: 14 Questions to Ask\u00a0Your Doctor<\/strong><ul>\n<li>Preparing for treatment<\/li>\n<li>Finding clinical trials<\/li>\n<li>Getting a second opinion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong class=\"button yellow arrow\" title=\"Get Your Free Download\">Get Your Free Download<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Connect With Dr. David C. Rice<\/h2>\n<p>If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a specialist like Dr. David C. Rice can provide the expert care you need during this challenging time.<\/p>\n<p>With decades of experience helping patients, Dr. Rice can recommend the best mesothelioma treatments in your case and will do everything possible to improve your health outlook and quality of life.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cHelping one single patient live longer \u2014 or hopefully even be cured of their cancer \u2014 is a tremendous privilege. That\u2019s how we\u2019re making cancer history, really: by treating one patient at a time.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2014 Dr. David C. Rice, pleural mesothelioma specialist<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Mesothelioma Hope is proud to help cancer patients connect with specialists like Dr. Rice. Call <strong><a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a><\/strong> now or use our <a href=\"\/get-matched\/\"><strong>Free Doctor Match<\/strong><\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>About Dr. David Rice Dr. David C. Rice is a distinguished thoracic surgeon and professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he has worked since 2001. Dr. Rice treats patients with mesothelioma and other thoracic malignancies (cancers of the chest and lungs). \u201cI operate on patients who have cancers that involve the lungs, the esophagus,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":26247,"parent":49,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/template-doctor.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-26246","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26246\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/49"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}