John Nicholas Lukens, MD
Radiation Oncology
Accepting new patients
Sees patients age 18 and up
Penn Radiation Oncology Perelman - 2nd Floor
Make an appointmentCall 800-789-7366
Penn Medicine Provider

About me

  • Chief, Head & Neck Service, Radiation Oncology
  • Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology in Dermatology

I am an Assistant Professor and Site Chief of Head and Neck Cancer in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. I treat head and neck and skin cancer patients. I work in a multi-disciplinary setting collaborating with head and neck surgeons, Mohs surgeons, and medical oncologists to care for a complex patient population.  

My research interests include de-intensification trials for favorable risk HPV+ oropharyngeal SCC patients, and in this capacity I served as the Principal Investigator of a clinical trial enrolling 150 HPV+ OPSCC patients decreasing both radiation dose and volumes, and correlating outcomes with circulating HPV DNA. 

Another research interest is the integration of immunotherapy into the treatment of metastatic melanoma patients, investigating the use of high dose radiation to salvage responses to melanoma patients not responding to immunotherapy, and correlating with expansion of the T cell receptor repertoire. I now serve as a co-project-leader of a randomized clinical trial investigating dual checkpoint therapy (Ipi/Nivo) +/- hypofractionated RT for patient with metastatic melanoma. 

Education and training

  • Medical School: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
  • Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
  • Fellowship: Mount Sinai Medical Center

What my patients think about me

Average Rating

395 reviews

Comments are submitted by patients and reflect their views and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of Penn Medicine.

November 2025
he's a great doctor.
October 2025
super smart listens well and provides most professional, well thought out medical advise
September 2025
dr lukens is patient, knowledgeable, caring. explains things in understandable ways. talks over all options!
September 2025
the provider is very knowledgeable and very helpful

Insurance accepted

My Locations

Penn Medicine hospital privileges

  • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Pennsylvania Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
  • Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Dr. Lukens is a Penn Medicine physician.

Qualifications and experience

Treatments and Conditions

My research

Trifoi MD, Morales KV, Frankel D, Lin SK, Deitermann AM, Haynes D, Lubeck M, Etzkorn JR, Sobanko JF, Giordano CN, Walker JL, Zhang J, Lewis DJ, Higgins HW 2nd, Miura JT, Karakousis GC, Rajasekaran K, Cannady SB, Brody RM, Mitchell TC, Amaravadi RK, Lukens JN, Miller CJ. Compliance with guidelines and timeliness of sentinel lymph node biopsy for Merkel cell carcinoma treated with Mohs micrographic surgery versus conventional excision at a tertiary academic center. , J Am Acad Dermatol.: 2025

Deng J, Murphy BA, Andersen LP, McMenamin E, Lukens JN, Cohn JC, Rajasekaran K, Quinn RJ, Spinelli BA, Lin A. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a lymphedema and fibrosis self-management program for head and neck cancer survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial. , Oral Oncol.: 2025

Ghanian A, DiBona J, Duda L, Xu X, Lukens JN, Pearce T, Ehrhardt M, Rook A, Durham A, Maity A, Flesner B. Preliminary evaluation of the safety and feasibility of toll-like receptor ligand CB101 combined with hypofractionated radiation therapy in canine head and neck cancer: a pilot study. , Vet Oncol., 2(1): 2025

Sannigrahi MK, Raghav L, Rich DJ, Schrank TP, Califano JA, Lukens JN, Sun L, Morgan IM, Cohen RB, Lin A, Liu X, Brown EJ, You J, Mirabello L, Mishra SK, Shimunov D, Brody RM, Pearson AT, Gimotty PA, Diab A, Jalaly JB, Basu D Tumor-intrinsic and immune-related features associated with treatment failure in human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer. , J Natl Cancer Inst, 117(7): 2025,1366-1376

Bordeaux J, Blitzblau R, Aasi SZ, Alam M, Amini A, Bibee K, Bolotin D, Chen PL, Contreras CM, DiMaio D, Donigan JM, Farma JM, Ghosh K, Harms K, LeBoeuf N, Lukens JN, Manber S, Mark L, Medina T, Nehal KS, Nghiem P, Olino K, Paragh G, Park S, Patel T, Rich J, Shaha AR, Sharma B, Sokumbi Y, Srivastava D, Thomas V, Tomblinson C, Venkat P, Xu YG, Yu S, Yusuf M, McCullough B, Espinosa S. Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans, Version 1.2025, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines In Oncology. , J Natl Compr Canc Netw.: 2025

Sannigrahi MK, Raghav L, Rich DJ, Schrank TP, Califano JA, Lukens JN, Sun L, Morgan IM, Cohen RB, Lin A, Liu X, Brown EJ, You J, Mirabello L, Mishra SK, Shimunov D, Brody RM, Pearson AT, Gimotty PA, Diab A, Jalaly JB, Basu D Association of oropharyngeal cancer recurrence with tumor-intrinsic and immune-mediated sequelae of reduced genomic instability , bioRxiv, 4: 2024,2024.10.31.621311

Hanna GJ, Jabalee J, Lukens JN, Sun L, Rettig EM, Ferrandino R 2nd, Posner MR, Misiukiewicz KJ, Routman DM, Van Abel KM, Del Vecchio Fitz C, Roof SA Circulating Tumor Tissue Modified Viral (TTMV)-HPV DNA in Recurrent, Metastatic HPV-driven Oropharyngeal Cancer Oral Oncology , Oral Oncology, 158: 2024,107002

Pepin A, Kiess A, Lukens JN, Mulugeta P, Taunk NK. Management of Dry Mouth Toxicity Following 177Lu-PSMA-617 Radioligand Therapy. , Pract Radiat Oncol., S1879-8500(24): 2024,00299-6

Su W, Anstadt EJ, Gupta N, Groover M, Forrester V, Wang X, Krausz A, Schoenfeld J, Koyfman S, Vidimos A, Stevenson M, Carucci J, Ruiz ES, Lukens JN Definitive Radiotherapy is a Viable Treatment for Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma Otherwise Requiring Radical or Disfiguring Resection , International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, S0360-3016(24): 2024,03408-4

Patel AM, Haleem A, Maxwell R, Lukens JN, Lin A, Brody RM, Brant JA, Carey RM Choice of Adjuvant Radiotherapy Facility in Major Salivary Gland Cancer , Laryngoscope, 134(8): 2024,3620-3632