Meet Dr. Pugh
We are excited to welcome Dr. Thomas Pugh to Anova Cancer Care. He is a Radiation Oncologist who specializes in the use of radiation therapy for cancer patients at Anova Cancer Care.
Dr. Pugh grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He went to college at the University of Kansas on a basketball scholarship for the Jayhawks. While there, he received several awards for both his academic and athletic achievements. He went on to attend medical school at the University of Colorado and completed an internship in Internal Medicine, followed by an additional four-year residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident. Dr. Pugh continued his specialized training in Prostate Cancer with a fellowship at the Seattle Prostate Institute in Seattle, WA.
When he completed his training, he worked as an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX. Specializing in the management of prostate cancer, he helped develop advanced radiation technologies such as SBRT (Cyberknife), proton beam therapy, and advanced imaging integration. He rapidly established himself as a nationally recognized cancer expert. Subsequently, the University of Colorado Hospital recruited him to return to Colorado as a leader of their Prostate Cancer Program. He served as the Vice-Chair for Clinical Affairs and was an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology during his time there.
After ten years in academic medicine, Dr. Pugh elected to pursue a role in private practice to focus on patient care. He worked in a Denver community based practice for four more years, before joining Anova Cancer Care in February 2024. He is excited to work with Cyberknife technology at Anova Cancer Care because the technology has evolved so rapidly and Cyberknife allows for enhanced targeting precision, therefore reducing or eliminating the side effects of contemporary radiation therapy.
Dr. Pugh likes to spend time connecting with patients so that he can learn about their hopes, dreams, and lifestyles. This allows him to help each patient navigate the best treatment option for them. He believes that cancer treatments should be both evidence based and personalized for each patient to develop a treatment plan that fits their lifestyle, goals, and values. His patient philosophy is centered around his belief that being kind to people and forming partnerships with his patients leads to optimized outcomes.
With a strong background in research and academic medicine, Dr Pugh continues to dedicate time to staying up-to-date on continually evolving cancer treatments. He is an internationally recognized expert in Genitourinary Cancers and has served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guideline Panel for Prostate Cancer Treatment. He is widely recognized nationally as an authority on prostate cancer management and has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and book chapters.