- Melanoma skin cancer
- Merkel cell skin cancer
Shanthi Sivendran, MD, MSCR, MBA
Medical Oncology, Hematology
Sees patients age 18 and up
LG Health Physicians Hematology and Medical Oncology
Penn Medicine Provider
About me
- Melanoma Team Leader, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health
- Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology)
I am a hematology/oncology physician who specializes in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. I serve as the lead of the melanoma/non-melanoma skin cancer disease team. I was instrumental in in the development and integration of a comprehensive skin cancer program here in Lancaster that works closely with our Penn Medicine colleagues in Philadelphia. Our goal is to provide cutting edge skin cancer care closer to home.
Additionally, I serve as the Senior Vice President of Cancer Care Support for the American Cancer Society. In this role, I am able to advocate, innovate, and educate on behalf of all cancer patients globally, nationally, and close to home.
I feel passionately that it is important for patients to have a good understanding of their illness, transparency from their treatment team, and be an active participant in making decisions about their care. My team and I strive to provide this level of care for everyone of our patients and their families. My research interests mirror this passion and mainly involves how to improve illness understanding, communication, and ways to integrate Palliative and supportive care early in the care of patients with cancer. I have started a non-profit organization, Oncologist in my Pocket, that educates other healthcare professionals on palliative oncology.
I remain active in oncology at the national level through the American Society of Clinical Oncology. I serve on several of their committees including the Quality Care Symposium planning committee, the Question Writing educational committee, and the Editorial Board for Cancer.net.
My education and training
- University College of DublinMedical School
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterResidency
- Mount Sinai Medical CenterFellowship
Spoken languages
English
English
Reviews
Insurance accepted
Please contact the practice and/or the member services department of your insurance company for specific details before receiving services. Providers may participate in some, but not all, products offered by a health plan; providers may also accept plans at some practice locations but not others.
- Aetna Advantra Cares D-SNP
- Aetna Advantra Credit Value
- Aetna Advantra Eagle HMO
- Aetna Advantra Eagle POS
- Aetna Advantra Premier Plus PPO
- Aetna Advantra Value
- Aetna Advantra Value Plus
- Aetna APCN Plus (Multi-Tier)
- Aetna Better Health Kids (CHIP) - DH Only
- Aetna Flexible Five
- Aetna Freedom Core
- Aetna Gold
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Philly Prime
- Aetna POS
- Aetna PPO APCN
- Aetna Premier
- Aetna Premier Plus
- Aetna Savings Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- Aetna Student Health Plan PPO
- Aetna Upfront Advantage
- First Health HMO
- First Health POS
- First Health PPO
- Meritain - Aramark (Other)
- Meritain - Aramark (Pennsylvania Premier Medical Plan)
- Americhealth Caritas of PA VIP - LGH Only
- Amerihealth Caritas (Transplant patients only)
- Amerihealth Caritas of PA - LGH Only
- Capital Blue Cross/Capital Advantage Insurance Company
- Cigna Healthcare EPO
- Cigna Healthcare HMO
- Cigna Healthcare POS
- Cigna Healthcare PPO
- Claim Watcher (Homestead/ INDECs) Open Access
- Devoted Health Choice Giveback Pennsylvania (PPO)
- Devoted Health Choice Pennsylvania (PPO)
- Devoted Health Choice Plus Pennsylvania (PPO)
- Devoted Health Core Pennsylvania (HMO)
- Devoted Health Dual Plus Pennsylvania (HMO D-SNP)
- Devoted Health Giveback Pennsylvania (HMO)
Locations
Penn Medicine hospital privileges
- Lancaster General Hospital: Has privileges to treat patients in the hospital.
Dr. Sivendran is a Penn Medicine provider.
Qualifications and experience
- Hematology, 2014
- Medical Oncology, 2012
- American Cancer Society, National
- American Society of Clinical Oncology-Evidence-based Guidelines committee, National
- American Society of Clinical Oncology-Supportive Care Guidelines Advisory Group, National
- Biller Family Foundation/Together for Supportive Care Coalition, National
- Commission on Cancer (COC), National
- Cutaneous Malignancies Leadership Committee, Penn Medicine, Local
- Genentech, National
- Member, Internal Advisory Committee, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania's SPORE in Melanoma, Local
- National Academies (NASEM) Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness., National
- Melanoma and skin cancer care
All conditions and treatments
Research
Publications
Profile Piece Manheim Township Based Oncologist has global reach through work with American Cancer Society https://lancasteronline.com/news/health/manheim-township-based-oncologist-has-global-reach-through-work-with-american-cancer-society/article_577f7dec-37d8-4d8a-b221-bf03f72100a4.html , LNP: 2026
Quoted in NYT article What to Know about Melanoma https://www.nytimes.com/article/melanoma-skin-cancer-symptoms-risk.html , New York Times: 2026
Shanthi Sivendran The alarming rise of cancer in young adults and steps that could lower risk https://www.pbs.org/newshour/video/horizons/2026/04/the-alarming-rise-of-cancer-in-young-adults-and-steps-that-could-lower-the-risk , PBS Newshour: 2026
Shanthi Sivendran What you need to know about breast cancer. https://abcnews.com/video/136936343/ , ABC News: 2026
Shanthi Sivendran 40 Years of Breast Cancer Awareness - Good Morning America https://abcnews.com/video/126262222/ , ABC News: 2025
Sivendran S, McNaughton C, Briguglio A, Webb JA, LeBlanc TW, Lattanzio-Hale A, Horst M, Wilson W, Newport K. Implementation of a Novel Pathway to Integrate Palliative and Oncology Care for Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in a Community Hospital , JCO Oncol Pract: 2025
Dizon DS, Pal SK, Symington BE, Kurzrock R, Kamal AH, Annunziata CM, Sivendran S, Jemal A, Dahut WL. CA turns 75: Looking at the future but never forgetting the roots , CA Cancer J Clin: 2025
Parikh RB, Sedhom R, Ferrell WJ, Villarin K, Berwanger K, Scarborough B, Oyer R, Kumar P, Ganta N, Sivendran S, Chen J, Volpp KG, Bekelman JE. Behavioural economic interventions to embed palliative care in community oncology (BE-EPIC): study protocol for the BE-EPIC randomised controlled trial , BMJ Open, 13: 2023,e069468
Sivendran S, Lynch S, McNaughton C, Wong R, Svetec S, Moore JH, Holliday R, Oyer RA, Newport K. Anticancer Therapy at the End of Life: Lessons From a Community Cancer Institute. , J Palliat Care., 36(2): 2021,87-92
Sivendran S, Wilfong L, Horenkamp E, Rocque GB. Implementation of the Institute of Medicine Treatment Plan in Oncology Practice , Am J Med Qual: 2021