Oncologist Spotlight: Dr. Paul Adedoyin

When asked what sets him apart from other radiation oncologists, Dr. Paul Adedoyin said it has everything to do with relationship building.

“I take pride in my ability to develop a good rapport quickly with my patients - not just on a personal level, but on a clinical level because I always strive to empathize with each person and their unique case. Building positive relationships with my patients comes naturally to me.”

Since September 2021, Paul Adedoyin, M.D., has built strong relationships as a Marshall Health radiation oncologist at Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC) and an assistant professor in the Department of Oncology at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Dr. Adedoyin said when he first arrived at the ECCC, he was impressed.

“It’s incredible to see the level of care and infrastructure available to cancer patients right here in Huntington, West Virginia,” Dr. Adedoyin said. “I decided to come here because I like how the ECCC is connected to the community with a lot of potential to grow our services.”

This potential has proved to be true as Dr. Adedoyin has received much support from the ECCC leadership team for his ideas to improve patient care.

“As radiation oncologists, we spend four years training in all different fields of cancer care. One field I particularly am excited about is spine SRS and being able to offer patients more effective treatment modality of spinal metastases, which are lesions in the spine that have spread from a cancer originating elsewhere in the body. The department has championed a lot of these advancements and the incorporation of technologies to make them available to our patient population.”

During his residency, Dr. Adedoyin had the opportunity to rotate through five different hospitals in New York City, which allowed for exposure to a variety of cancer pathology. This resulted in what he calls, “a training of a unique type.”

“It’s unique in the sense I had the opportunity to be exposed to different environments, different skillsets and different infrastructures. It helped me to appreciate the things ECCC has developed for the community,” Dr. Adedoyin said. “In terms of training, I had the opportunity to get exposed to SRS, SBRT and palliative spine cases. I was also fortunate to learn from one of leading experts in this field at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). I was able to learn more about radioisotope treatment for metastatic prostate as well as prostate brachytherapy cases.”

Although he’s often drawn in different directions, Dr. Adedoyin said he’s always been interested in prostate cancer. He said prostate cancer, and the biology of it, can be vastly different either based on genetic factors, hereditary factors, environmental, socio-economic factors, or ethnicity even. Studies have shown at least more aggressive pathology in African American men, but some of that has shown to be multifactorial.

“I have always wanted to get involved in institutional treatment outcomes by studying patients who have gone through certain treatments and by looking at different modalities and treatment options. This is a vast field with much ongoing research. We want to use the research facilities we have here to look into how we are doing compared to other hospital systems.”

Research is an integral aspect of any comprehensive cancer center, and being a skilled physician and researcher goes hand in hand, according to Dr. Adedoyin.

“It’s hard to be a good physician without an inquisitive mind. Maybe I want to champion this new study, or build upon an existing one. Through research, I can learn the best answer to see if I can develop something better than what is out there."

As he looks ahead to the future, Dr. Adedoyin said his goal is to continue developing relationships with colleagues and patients while continuing to strengthen his expertise in radiation oncology.

“Our department is going through a lot of exciting changes with new equipment and technology at the forefront. Our leadership team is committed to growing our services and specialty offerings, and it feels good to be a part of this growth.”

Dr. Adedoyin obtained his M.D. degree from University of Central Florida, and completed his radiation oncology residency at State University of New York (SUNY). Born in Nigeria, he immigrated to the U.S. at age 17 along with his three siblings and parent. Dr. Adedoyin now resides in Huntington, West Virginia. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, working out, hiking and playing soccer.