U.S. doctors online nowAsk doctors free

Dr. David Rizzieri

Hematology and Oncology
Ararat, VA
32 years experience male

Locations

Office

My office hours

Thursday: 8:00am - 1:00am
Show more

Practice website

About

Bio

I was trained at the University of Rochester and Duke University. My practice focuses on translational research in hematologic malignancies and bone marrow transplantation.

Specialties
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.

Hematology and Oncology

Languages spoken

English

Doctor Q&A

54 Answers
16 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Many things: There are many reasons for this, all of which deserve a good conversation with your treating team. The disease may make the patient feel poorly, the t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Multiple reasons: While the cll illness and the therapies can sometimes cause fluid retention, that is not typical, unless they are affecting the kidney function. It i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
No clear data: Good question, however we don't know the impact of these things on this form of cancer. There are a few international consortiums following family co... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Keep informed: New therapies are available for this disease. When to use these depends on your specific risk features (you will learn terms such as genetic risks for... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
No: But it can be common depending on the chemo.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Patience.......: Depending on his illness, to help his quality of life and hopefully lead to a long life there may not be another way other than taking some medicines.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Assemble a good team: What type of leukemia you have will guide your therapy. In adults the chronic, slow growing lymphoid or myeloid leukemias are common, as are the very ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Yes- if indicated: If your team feels it is indicated they can usually do a biopsy unless you have another bleeding disorder.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 44-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Usually many yrs: Many pts survive many years with this diagnosis./ your doctor likely discussed the genetic tests and blood work that can help define the rate of progr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 19-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Possibly: Many things can cause this. You should discuss with your primary care doctor if these are new, progressing symptoms.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
No: There are varying forms of sickling diseases, however it is a recessive trait and so the parents may appear fine but carry the trait and yet have a ch... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Try to get details..: Specifically, bone cancer is a type of sarcoma. It is more common in children/ young adults and usually one hopes to detect it early enough that surge... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Not usually: Depending on the circumstance we sometimes test for both, however we typically do not test for both at the same time in the same patient.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Only sometimes...: I agree cll is not curable for most patients. For some patients who are robust, a consultation at a marrow /stem cell transplant center is warranted ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
With targeted agents: It is rare in children, however in adults we have a new group of oral pills that can control this disease for most patients for many, many years. It ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
In remission is best: The 'time' is not absolute. If transplant is considered appropriate for a patient, we'd prefer the patient to be in remission or with only a minimal ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
And a few more: The leukemia and lymphoma society is outstanding (lls.Org) as is the american society of hematology (hematology.Org); for new studies, most worth cons... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
About 4-6 weeks: There are 2 steps- the first is to collect your stem cells which usually is a 5-15 day process. Then the next step is the transplant phase which usual... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Yes: For initial diagnosis, they are nearly useless. While one may be able to tell a blood cancer versus another type, there are about 150 different types... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Not quite: It is very prevalent and typically type 16 and 18 are the culprits, however it probably isn't accurate to say 'all' are caused by it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Low: While there are a number of genetic syndromes that involve colon cancers, they typically involve 2 or more family members before there is meaningful c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Depends.....: I have great respect for their philosophy. By 'asian' healers you likely mean traditional therapy and not western pills, and we should remember that s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
It is noted in men: Causes may vary for the loss of the blood factory's ability to function well. While some may be related to gender issues, there are many diagnoses tha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
It's a good thing!: Blasts are immature blood cells. They normally grow and mature in the marrow and then the more adult cells are extruded into the blood stream to perf... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Yes: May occur, but is not absolute.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Older...: For all, children rarely get leukemia but this is the type they usually get. For adults, AML is the most common acute type and its incidence increases... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Not likely: The agent has been used safely at varying doses for decades. Typically a very very well tolerated agent, though rarely some patients have ulcerating ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Try to get details..: Specifically, bone cancer is a type of sarcoma. It is more common in children/ young adults and usually one hopes to detect it early enough that surge... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Both: An old axiom is everyones phenotype (how they appear- their illnesses etc) is due to their genes plus the environment plus the interaction of the 2...... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Depends,....: The specific leukemia, remission status at transplant, chemo/radiation used to do the transplant etc all must be considered to provide more informatio... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Dont jump conclusion: See you primary care doctor or midlevel provided for the bruising and weight loss issue. There are many possible reasons, though leukemia is very unc... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Not specifically: There are many reasons for anemia. While leukemia is one of them it is very uncommon.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 29-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Probably not: For most uses, habing had this illness and the required therpies would then make you ineligible to donate. However, of it ha been many yrs and the nee... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Yes: This is one of many common recipes for a variety of cancers.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
It varies: The specific subtype of leukemia, remission status at start of transplant, type of donor, type of chemotherapy or radiation used for the transplant ar... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
How high is high?: Platelets can be increased in response to many insults, including iron loss (though you note no anemia), immune disorders, or other less common causes... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Yes: It often is, though it is not specific.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 53-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
A sign vs a disease: Anemia refers to a low red blood cell count and diminished capacity to carry oxygen. This has many causes. Leukemia is a cancer- a type of white bloo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 51-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Maybe: This most often comes up as an issue in cll. Be careful there... It is not the observation of the disease that causes the progression to leukemia. In... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Maybe but uncommon: There are many reasons for low red blood cell counts (anemia). The most common are blood loss (i.e. From the gut or colon or menses). Thus, while an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Usually sporadic: CML is associated with a known genetic abnormality (t(9;22) - otherwise known as the philadelphia chromosome). It is not known what in the environment... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Sure...: Aplastic anemia can be life threatening -so tell your hematologist all the supplements you try... Aa is considered in part a problem with the immune s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Specifics matter...: Specifically, bone cancer is a type of sarcoma. It is more common in children/ young adults and usually one hopes to detect it early enough that surge... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Different cell type: Leukemias typically originate when one of the white blood cell types starts multiplying out of control and preventing the normal cells from doing thei... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
not usually: While immune disorders can be associated with a number of other systemic issues, this is not a typical combination of problems.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Not really...: Both uncommon diseases and few reports of the same patient having both illnesses.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Blood cancer or tx: Immature white blood cells can be normal if they are located in the blood factory ( bone marrow ) and lead to further blood development. If the blood ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Your primary Doc 1st: There are many reasons for anemia. Your physician team likely will evaluate for blood loss (typically in the stool), or blood breakdown (meaning you a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
No: It is not inherited and not 'genetic' in the sense that you pass it on between generations. There is a specific genetic abnormality that develops that... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Rizzieri
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Pcr-FISH-karyotype: There are 3 main types of genetic tests. The old standard is to take a blood sample from the hip (marrow) and grow cells to look at all the chromosom... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Testimonials
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.

2
Recommendations
156
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Rizzieri is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Rizzieri is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer or tip was very helpful!
HealthTap member
Thank you, your quick reply made me feel good!
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful!

Education & Training

Medical/Graduate school

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
Graduated 1991MD

Residency

Strong Memeorial, Internal Medcine
Completed 1994

Affiliations

Duke University
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions, provide medical advice, write prescriptions, and more.
Answer emailed
in 24 hours or less