Dr. John W. Nelson
Overview
I graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1983 and served as a nuclear-trained officer on board two submarines before shifting to the Navy Medical Corps. Following medical school, I completed Diving Medical Officer training and served as head of diving research at the Naval Medical Research Center. After completing specialty training, I completed my 30+ year Navy career as Head, Radiation Oncology at Naval Medical Portsmouth Virginia. After returning to Duke, I served two years as Medical Director, Danville Center for Radiation Oncology, where I helped introduce technological advances into the clinical setting designed to improve treatment precision while minimizing treatment-related side effects. I joined Duke’s Wake County Radiation Oncology team in June 2017, and see patients in Raleigh and Cary. My clinical focus is on multi-disciplinary treatment of gynecologic, genitourinary, and lower gastrointestinal malignancies, with a focus on quality-of-life through minimizing treatment-related side effects.
Dr. Nelson is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). His top areas of expertise are Prostate Cancer, Familial Prostate Cancer, Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, and Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.
His clinical research consists of co-authoring 3 peer reviewed articles and participating in 2 clinical trials. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years.
Insurance
Accepted insurance can change. Please verify directly with the provider.
Accepted insurance plans:
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE SNP
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- PPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- OTHER COMMERCIAL
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- PPO
- HMO
- INDEMNITY
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- POS
- PPO
- OTHER MANAGED MEDICAID
- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- HMO
- POS
- OTHER COMMERCIAL
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
300 Ashville Ave, Cary, NC 27518
Additional Areas of Focus
Dr. Nelson has provided the following conditions as areas of focus. Please note that we may not have enough data to validate their experience in some of these conditions.
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
2 Clinical Trials
Duke Cancer Center
I specialize in gynecological radiation oncology but also treat patients with cancer of the breast, brain and central nervous system among others. I also have a special clinical interest in brachytherapy, when radiation is delivered directly to the target internally. Duke is a world leader in treating gynecological cancers with all forms of treatment. I have the privilege of collaborating with many other specialists in gynecologic surgery, chemotherapy and pathology. We have built a state of the art gynecologic cancer program in radiation therapy with a dedicated brachytherapy suite with built-in anesthesia monitoring, imaging to allow for the most complex and pinpoint treatments to treat tumors, while sparing all normal tissue. My mother was a radiation oncologist. Growing up, her dedication to her patients inspired me. She developed truly, caring relationships and touched the lives of so many people over the decades of her practice. My wife, my two children and I currently live in Durham and have been happy members of the Duke community since 2005. Outside of medicine, I spend as much time with them as I can. Dr. Chino is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). His top areas of expertise are Cervical Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Vulvar Cancer, and Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Cervix.
Duke Cancer Center Radiation Oncology
I’m a radiation oncologist who primarily treat patients with gastrointestinal cancers and breast cancer. I also do clinical research trials. I’m specifically researching how exercise impacts a patient’s cancer growth and side effects of cancer. I’ve always liked helping people and in college I volunteered in the oncology ward and knew then I had found my passion. Interacting with patients is my favorite part of my job. I like to explain to them how radiation works and how it can benefit them. My hope is to provide my patients with an explanation that gives them less anxiety and less fear about the treatment. Dr. Palta is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). Her top areas of expertise are Pancreatic Cancer, Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer), Ampullary Cancer, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Distinguished
- Familial Prostate CancerDr. Nelson isDistinguished. Learn about Familial Prostate Cancer.
- Prostate CancerDr. Nelson isDistinguished. Learn about Prostate Cancer.
- Advanced
- Breast CancerDr. Nelson isAdvanced. Learn about Breast Cancer.
- Muscle Invasive Bladder CancerDr. Nelson isAdvanced. Learn about Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.
- Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
- Experienced
- Adenoid Cystic CarcinomaDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.
- Adult Soft Tissue SarcomaDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma.
- ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung CancerDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about ALK-Positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
- Anal CancerDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Anal Cancer.
- AngiosarcomaDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Angiosarcoma.
- Bone TumorDr. Nelson isExperienced. Learn about Bone Tumor.