Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavez
Medical Oncology
Sebastopol, CA
21 years experience male
Locations
Office
Sebastopol, CA
About
Bio
Dr. Lopez-Chavez has over 10 years o medical experience. He formerly practiced at the National Cancer Institute and the National Naval Medical System where he received the “Top Medical Oncology Provider for Exceptional Customer Service” award, based on patient satisfaction surveys. In addition, Dr. Lopez-Chavez was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University where he led the Lung Cancer and Thoracic Oncology program. He was also an Associate Professor of medicine at the University of Miami where he was the director of the lung cancer clinic and leader of the lung and thoracic malignancies research program at the Sylvester Cancer Institute. He is currently a Medical Director at Genentech / Roche under the Cancer Immunotherapy Franchise.
Dr. Lopez-Chavez has ample experience in the field of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies and specializes in the use of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer, in particular in the use of immunotherapy and other targeted therapies to combat cancer.
SpecialtiesDoctors 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.
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.
Medical Oncology
Licenses
United States: California, Florida, Oregon
Doctor Q&A
74 Answers
71 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
It all depends: It all depends on where the cancer is now , the symptoms of the patient and in how many different places it is. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery co... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Physical exam: You need to have a physical exam by a doctor to make sure everything is ok. According to your age, this is probably nothing serious but you should st... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Need to see doc: You need to go back to your doctor and have her or him take another look. You also need to ask about the results of the previous biopsy. Any lump in t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Stage 4 NSCLC: Tarceva (erlotinib) is approved in the united sates for the treatment of patients with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer after they have failed chemo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Symptoms?: Doctors don't typically check for thyroid cancer unless there is a specific suspicion, such as when there is a mass or a lump or other concerning symp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See doctor: Having blood in the stools is never normal. You need to be seen by your doctor to help you figure out what's wrong. You will likely need to see a gast... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 47-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Physical exam: Throat dryness is a common symptom that can be caused by many different things. The only way to tell you why you are having this is to look at your th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
The : The treatment of lung cancer depends on the type of lung cancer (small cell lung cancer vs non-small cell lung cancer) and the stage of the cancer (i,... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
The : The treatment and prognosis of any tumor or cancer in the lungs depends on the exact type of tumor and the stage. With the information provided here i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 59-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Dr. Ravi Salgia: I personally know dr. Ravi salgia at the university of chicago. He specializes in lung cancers including small cell lung cancer. The university of chi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
More info needed: Please provide more information. I am unable to provide an opinion based on this.
Best wishes,
ariel.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Very common: It is very common to have little mucus in your throat or dryness. This is a side effect from the radiation and it takes a very long time to get better... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Unlikely but: Unlikely to be cancer but have your primary care physician examine you to make sure everything is ok. Your symptoms sound like acid reflux but, once a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
They could but...: The symptoms you are describing are very common. They can be associated with colon cancer but there many more causes that are probably more common in ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See doctor ASAP: Having extreme pain after a biopsy that was done 1 1/2 months ago is absolutely not normal. Even if a chest tube was there, the pain should have been ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Ignore: Palliative care has been shown to improve people's quality of life and survival in cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Get a physical: The best approach here is to see your doctor for a physical exam and go from there. Not sure what you mean by a swollen lymph node in the right upper ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 55-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See your doctor: These symptoms definitely need to be evaluated by a doctor. Many things can cause these symptoms and i really cannot be more specific but please don't... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Stop smoking: First of all, you should take this opportunity to just stop smoking all together. Even 1 cigarette will predispose you to get not only lung cancer but... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
The: The feeling good handbook by David Burns will teach you the principles of feeling good with CBT.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Make: Make sure to sleep at least 7 solid hours every night. This is the minimum recommended for adults.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Ignore: Try to learn to meditate or mindfulness. It will help you with your mental health.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
929 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Unlikely but..: Unlikely to be stomach cancer but you definitely need to be seen by a doctor to figure out what is causing the pain. Maybe acid reflux, an ulcer, or m... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Most: Most of the sodium comes from commercial products like canned foods so try to eat more at home.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Do: Do eat more whole foods that do not require elaborate preparation and extra ingredients.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 24-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See doctor: Rashes are very hard to diagnose without a physical exam, so i advice that you see your primary care physician to take a look and tell you what it is.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Make: Make sure to check the labels of all food you buy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Please: Please get into the habit of using sunscreen and avoid tanning. Super important to start when young.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
929 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 57-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
More information: Dear patalbre34:
Are you referring to a thyroid ultrasound? If so, most likely, the FNA and Thyroseq were not enought to make an accurate diagnosis. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 58-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Your PCP is enough: Dear Emmy:
Given that you have been NED for 12 years, your follow up would be more appropriately done by a regular primary care physicians. As oncolog... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Transfer factor?: Not sure what you mean by transfer factor? Perhaps you mean growth factors such as Filgrastim (filgrastin) or pegfilgrastim? If that is the case then ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Unknown: The side effects of these herbal remedies have not been formally studied in combination with carboplatin. For this reason, i tell my patients not to t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Check EGFR and ALK: Very important to check for egfr mutations and alk re-arrangements, since there are medications that are very effective to treat cancers that are posi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Don't: Don't sun bathe or use tanning beds. Always use sunscreen SPF 30 or higher and water resistant.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 33-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Biopsy: Only a biopsy can make the diagnosis of stomach cancer. If a stomach ulcer needs to be biopsied, a doctor needs to do an endoscopy (inserting a tube w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 58-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
This : This is certainly a difficult situation. One of the most important thing to do when giving chemotherapy to a patient is safety. If you have heart and ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 18-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Call your doctor: You should ask your doctor to take a look. Sometimes the cleaning stuff they use to clean the sigmoidoscope can end up causing a lot of irritation but... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Urologist has answer: Many things could have happened. Maybe another stone, maybe an infection, etc. However, regardless of the possible cause, you need to go back straight... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Seek care now: It is best to be seen soon in situations like this. This could be an infection that requires antibiotics and it is best to get it diagnosed soon. Your... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Infection: Dear YRana:
What you are describing sounds like an infection. I advice that you see a physician about this to make a proper diagnosis and give you tre... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Nobody knows : Bottom line is that nobody knows for sure. No serious studies have correlated multiple myeloma and stress, so this would be an unlikely cause. Genetic... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 55-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Unlikely, however...: A true typical lung carcinoid stage i that was fully taken out by surgery has very low chances of spreading. However, it is still possible for it to s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
I don't think so: Do you mean fec (fluorouracil (5fu), epirubicin and cyclophosphamide)? If so, i think that the side effects with docetaxel are better compared to fec.... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See medical oncology: You should take him to see a medical oncologist. She / he can help you figure out if the fluid needs to be taken out and how. She / he can also help f... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
See an ENT: You definetely need to see an ENT specialist to examine the tumour in your throat.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Only if prescribed: Steroids such as Dexamethasone are commonly used to prevent allergic reactions or nausea from chemotherapy. So, as long as your doctor has prescribed ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
One...: Cigarettes are not safe at all and there is no safe number of cigarettes. Even people that have only been exposed to second hand smoking could potenti... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Unlikely but: Given that you are a non-smoker it is unlikely that your pain is due to lung cancer. However, we definitely see lung cancer in never smokers. I advice... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Do not stop...: I would not recommend stopping any of your medications unless specifically told by your doctor. The Dulera (formoterol and mometasone) is particularly... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ariel Lopez-chavezanswered
Medical Oncology 21 years experience
Ignore: Don't just ignore it, do seek medical advice. This is something that requires discussion with doctor.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
1.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
16
Recommendations
116
Thank you notes
Dr. Mithran Sukumar
Nov 27, 2012
I endorse this doctor.Excellent oncologist
Dr. Shiuh-wen Luoh
Nov 27, 2012
Nov 27, 2012
HealthTap member
I had exam by doc yesterday and he said its vascular,something to do with to much blood flow to the nipples,still a bit worried but am ok x
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Docs aren't taking me seriously but I will go to walk in centre. Many
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! thanku i have quit smoking yesterday...thank u very much
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
National Autonomous University of Mexico
Graduated 2005MD
Medical/Graduate school
Autonomous University of Queretaro College of Medicine
Graduated 2002MD
Residency
UPMC Presbyterian
Awards
#1 Medical Oncology Provider for Exceptional Customer Service, National Naval Medical Center
Best Internal Medicine Teacher, University of Pittsburgh
Outstanding Service to Underserved Populations, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Affiliations
American Association for Cancer Research
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Medical Association
Publications
Phase II study of belinostat in patients with recurrent or refractory advanced thymic epithelial tumors.
Impacting tumor cell-fate by targeting the inhibitor of apoptosis protein survivin.
Evaluation of KRAS mutations, angiogenic biomarkers, and DCE-MRI in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving sorafenib.
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