Biography

Dr.  Rui Yang an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Dr. Yang is a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant tumors in the musculoskeletal system, including primary tumor and metastatic bone disease.

Dr. Yang earned his medical degree at Beijing Medical University in China followed by an orthopedic residency at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing, China. Following his training in China, he came to the United States where he earned a master’s degree in biological sciences from Hunter College at the City University of New York. Dr. Yang completed a second orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center, followed by a fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He previously practiced at the Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York for 10 years.

Dr. Yang has a strong interest in the research of musculoskeletal tumors. He has been studying the tumor genesis of osteosarcoma and the genetic profile of the tumors as compared to normal counterpart tissues. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and many book chapters. He is widely recognized for his pioneer work on minimally invasive surgery in the treatments of pelvis / acetabulum metastatic disease.

Education

Medical Degree
Bachelor of Medicine, Beijing Medical University, (Peking University Health Science Center), Beijing, China
Masters Degree
Master of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY
Residency
Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Fellowship
Orthopaedic Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

Clinical Interests

  • Pediatric and adult musculoskeletal tumors
  • Sarcoma of the extremities or pelvis
  • Metastatic disease of the extremities or pelvis
  • Periacetabular tumors
  • Limb salvage surgery
  • Endoprosthetic reconstruction
  • Allograft reconstruction

Publications

Visit the PubMed profile page

Original Communications in Reviewed Journals

1) Yang, R., Sowers, R., Mazza, B., Healey, J.H., Huvos, A., Grier, H., Bernstein, M., Beardsley, G.P., Krailo, M.D., Devidas, M., Bertino, J.R., Meyers, P.A. and Gorlick, R. Sequence alterations in the reduced folate carrier are observed in osteosarcoma tumor samples. Clin Cancer Res 2003;9:837-44. PMID: 12576457

2) Hoang, B.H., Kubo, T., Healey, J.H., Sowers, R., Mazza, B., Yang, R., Huvos, A.G., Meyers, P.A. and Gorlick, R. Expression of LDL receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) as a novel marker for disease progression in high-grade osteosarcoma. Int J Cancer 2004;109:106-11. PMID: 14735475

3) Hoang, B.H., Kubo, T., Healey, J.H., Yang, R., Nathan, S.S., Kolb, E.A., Mazza, B., Meyers, P.A. and Gorlick, R. Dickkopf 3 inhibits invasion and motility of Saos-2 osteosarcoma cells by modulating the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway. Cancer Res 2004;64:2734-9. PMID: 15087387

4) Flintoff, W.F., Sadlish, H., Gorlick, R., Yang, R., Williams, F.M. Functional analysis of altered reduced folate carrier sequence changes identified in osteosarcomas. Biochim Biophys Acta 2004;1690:110-7. PMID: 15469899

5) Nathan, S.S., DiResta, G.R., Casas-Ganem, J.E., Hoang, B.H., Sowers, R., Yang, R., Huvos, A.G., Gorlick, R. Elevated physiologic tumor pressure promotes proliferation and chemosensitivity in human osteosarcoma. Clin Cancer Res 2005;11:2389-97. PMID: 15788690

6) Laverdiere, C., Hoang, B.H., Yang, R., Sowers, R., Qin, J., Meyers, P.A., Huvos, A.G., Healey, J.H. and Gorlick, R. Messenger RNA expression levels of CXCR4 correlate with metastatic behavior and outcome in patients with osteosarcoma. Clin Cancer Res 2005;11:2561-7. PMID: 15814634

7) Yang, R., Hoang, B.H., Kubo, T., Kawano, H., Chou, A., Sowers, R., Huvos, A.G., Meyers, P.A., Healey, J.H. and Gorlick, R. Over-expression of parathyroid hormone Type 1 receptor confers an aggressive phenotype in osteosarcoma. Int J Cancer 2007;121:943-54. PMID: 17410535

8) Yang, R., Kolb, E.A., Qin, J., Chou, A., Sowers, R., Hoang, B., Healey, J.H., Huvos, A.G., Meyers, P.A. and Gorlick, R. The folate receptor alpha is frequently overexpressed in osteosarcoma samples and plays a role in the uptake of the physiologic substrate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Clin Cancer Res 2007;13:2557-67. PMID: 17473184

9) Yang, R., Li, W.W., Hoang, B.H., Kim, H., Banerjee, D., Kheradpour, A., Healey, J.H., Meyers, P.A., Bertino, J.R., and Gorlick, R. Quantitative correlation between promoter methylation and messenger RNA levels of the reduced folate carrier. BMC Cancer 2008;8:124. PMID: 18452618

10) Nathan, S.S., Huvos, A.G., Casas-Ganem, J.E., Yang, R., Linkov, I., Sowers, R., Diresta, G.R., Gorlick, R., and Healey, J.H. Tumor interstitial fluid pressure may regulate angiogenic factors in osteosarcoma. J Orthop Res 2008;26:1-6. PMID: 18473395

11) Yang, R., Qin, J., Hoang, B.H., Healey, J.H., and Gorlick, R. Polymorphisms and methylation of the reduced folate carrier in osteosarcoma. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2008;466:2046-51. PMID: 18528741

12) Yang, R., Piperdi, S., and Gorlick, R. Activation of the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway mediates apoptosis induced by chelerythrine in osteosarcoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2008;14(20): 6396-404. PMID: 18927278

13) Li, N., Yang, R., Zhang, W., Dorfman, H., Rao, P., and Gorlick, R. Genetically Transforming Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Sarcomas: changes in cellular phenotype and multilineage differentiation potential. Cancer. 2009; 115(20): 4795-806. PMID: 19593798

14) Nathan, S.S., Huvos, A.G., Casas-Ganem, J.E., Yang, R., Linkov, I., Sowers, R., DiResta, G.R., Gorlick, R., Healey, J.H. Tumour interstitial fluid pressure may regulate angiogenic factors in osteosarcoma. Ann Acad Med Singapore. 2009; 38(12):1041-7. PMID: 20052438

15) Yang, R., Piperdi, S., Zhang, Y., Neophytou, N., Zhu, W., Hoang, B.H., Mason, G., Geller, D., Dorfman, H,, Healey, J.H., Phinney, D.G., and Gorlick, R. Transcriptional Profiling Identifies the Signaling Axes of the Insulin Growth Factor and the Transforming Growth Factor-beta as involved in the Pathogenesis of Osteosarcoma. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2016; 474(1):178-89. PMID: 26463566

16) Gill J, Connolly P, Roth M, Chung SH, Zhang W, Piperdi S, Hoang B, Yang R, Guzik H, Morris J, Gorlick R, Geller DS. The effect of bone morphogenetic protein-2 on osteosarcoma metastasis. PLoS One. 2017 Mar 6;12(3):e0173322. PMID: 28264040

17) Geller DS, Morris J, Revskaya E, Kahn M, Zhang W, Piperdi S, Park A, Koirala P, Guzik H, Hall C, Hoang B, Yang R, Roth M, Gill J, Gorlick R, Dadachova E. Targeted therapy of osteosarcoma with radiolabeled monoclonal antibody to an insulin-like growth factor-2 receptor (IGF2R). Nucl Med Biol. 2016 Dec;43(12):812-817. PMID: 27744117

18) Morris J, Yang R, Roth M, Gill J, Gorlick R, Lo Y, Hoang BH, Garfein E, Geller DS. Mechanical analysis of the vascularized fibular graft prosthetic composite (VFGPC) for internal hemipelvectomy reconstruction. J Surg Oncol. 2017, 115(7):864-869. PMID: 28543392

19) Peterson HM, Hoang BH, Geller D, Yang R, Gorlick R, Berger J, Tingling J, Roth M, Gill J, Roblyer D. In vivo, noninvasive functional measurements of bone sarcoma using diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging. J Biomed Opt. 2017 Dec;22(12):1-9. PubMed PMID: 29264893.

20) Shaul E, Roth M, Lo Y, Geller DS, Hoang B, Yang R, Malkin D, Gorlick R, Gill J. Pediatric oncologist willingness to offer germline TP53 testing in osteosarcoma. Cancer. 2018 Mar 15;124(6):1242-1250. PMID: 29313943

21) Zhang Y, Zvi Y, Batko B, Zaphiros N, O’Donnell E, Wang J, Sato K, Yang R, Geller D, Koirala P, Zhang W, Du X, Piperdi S, Liu Y, Zheng D, Roth M, Gill J, Zhang J, Ren T, Gorlick R, Zi X, Hoang B. Down-regulation of Skp2 expression inhibits invasion and lung metastasis in osteosarcoma. Sci Rep. 2018; 8: 1429. PMID: 6155331.

22) Levine NL, Zhang Y, Hoang BH, Yang R, Jurkowski ZH, Roth ME, Gill JB, Lo Y, Eisenberg RE, Bekarev M, Gorlick R, Geller DS. LigaSure Use Decreases Intraoperative Blood Loss Volume and Blood Transfusion Volume in Sarcoma Surgery. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2019 Mar 12. PMID: 30889038

23) Karkare S, Allen KJH, Jiao R, Malo ME, Dawicki W, Helal M, Godson DL, Dickinson R, MacDonald-Dickinson V, Yang R, Hoang B, Gorlick R, Geller DS, Dadachova. E. Detection and targeting insulin growth factor receptor type 2 (IGF2R) in osteosarcoma PDX in mouse models and in canine osteosarcoma tumors. Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 7;9(1):11476. PMID: 31391495

24) Miller BJ, Yang R, Geller DS, Hoang BH. Epidemiology, Therapeutic Strategies, Outcomes, and Complications of Pathologic Fractures. Instr Course Lect. 2019;68:567-576. PMID: 32032057

25) Yang R, Goch A, Murphy D, Wang J, Charubhumi V, Fox J, Sen M, Hoang B, Geller D. A Novel Tripod Percutaneous Reconstruction Technique in Periacetabular Lesions Caused by Metastatic Cancer. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2020 Apr 1;102(7):592-599. PMID: 32079881

26) Zhang Y, Zvi YS, Batko B, Zaphiros N, O’Donnell EF, Wang J, Sato K, Yang R, Geller DS, Koirala P, Zhang W, Du X, Piperdi S, Liu Y, Zheng D, Roth M, Gill J, Zhang J, Ren T, Gorlick R, Zi X, Hoang BH. Down-regulation of Skp2 expression inhibits invasion and lung metastasis in osteosarcoma. Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 24;8(1):14294

27) Wang J, Sato K, O’Donnell E, Singla A, Yaguare S, Aldahamsheh O, Batko B, Borjihan H, Tingling J, Zhang J, Weiser DA, Loeb DM, Gorlick R, Schwartz EL, Yang R, Zi X, Zhao H, Geller DS, Hoang BH. Skp2 depletion reduces tumor-initiating properties and promotes apoptosis in synovial sarcoma. Transl Oncol. 2020 Oct;13(10):100809. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100809

28) Singla A, Wang J, Yang R, Geller DS, Loeb DM, Hoang BH. Wnt Signaling in Osteosarcoma..Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020;1258:125-139.

29) Geller DS, Levine NL, Hoang BH, Yang R, Weiser D, Morris J, Gorlick R, Gill JB, Roth ME, Tingling J, Brohl AS Genomic Analysis Does Not Support Malignant Transformation of Osteoblastoma to Osteosarcoma. JCO Precis Oncol. 2019 Sep 9;3.

30) Peterson HM, Tank A, Geller DS, Yang R, Gorlick R, Hoang BH, Roblyer D. Characterization of bony anatomic regions in pediatric and adult healthy volunteers using diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging. PJ Biomed Opt. 2020 Aug;25(8):1-17.

31) Tal AL, Doshi H, Parkar F, Abraham T, Love C, Ye K, Yang R, Hoang B, Loeb D, Chou A, Geller D, Moadel R.J The Utility of 18FDG PET/CT Versus Bone Scan for Identification of Bone Metastases in a Pediatric Sarcoma Population and a Review of the Literature. Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2020 Aug 18. doi: 10.1097 PMID: 32815877

32) Yang R, Wang J, Mizera M, Tarpada S, Seetharaman M, Sen M, Hoang BH, and Geller DS. A Graphic Guide to the Percutaneous Tripod Acetabular Reconstruction for Metastatic Cancer. J Surg Oncology. J Surg Oncol. 2021 Apr;123(5):1316-1327. PMID: 33523514

33) Wang J, Aldahamsheh O, Ferrena A, Borjihan H, Singla A, Yaguare S, Singh S, Viscarret V, Tingling J, Zi X, Lo Y, Gorlick R, Zheng D, Schwartz EL, Zhao H, Yang R, Geller DS, Hoang BH. The interaction of SKP2 with p27 enhances the progression and stemness of osteosarcoma. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2021 Feb 16. doi: 10.1111/nyas.14578. Online ahead of print. PMID: 33594717

34) Zvi Y, Ugur E, Batko B, Gill J, Roth M, Gorlick R, Hall D, Tingling J, Barkauskas DA, Zhang J, Yang R, Hoang BH, Geller DS. Prognostic and Therapeutic Utility of Variably Expressed Cell Surface Receptors in Osteosarcoma. Sarcoma. 2021 Feb 2;2021:8324348. doi: 10.1155/2021/8324348.PMID: 3360356

35) Ugur E, Volaski H, Yang R, Hoang B, Levine N, Singh S, Wang J, Geller D. Variability in the reported surgical techniques and methods for intercalary reconstruction following tumor resection. Surg Oncol. 2021 May 29;38:101610. doi: 10.1016/j.suronc.2021.101610. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34091268

36) Du W, Wang J, Xu J, Zhao Z, Liu S, Yang L, Yang R, Wang S, Guo W. Comparison and modification of survival predicting system for breast cancer patients with bone metastases. Ann Joint 2021;6:28.

37) Ugur E, Doshi H, Wilson S, Levine NL, Tingling J, Yang RY, Hoang BH, Geller DS, and Yang R. Can the Katagiri scoring system predict prognosis for surgically-managed patients with metastatic bone disease? Ann Joint 2021;6:29.

38) Yang R, Singh S, Falk A, Wang J, Thornhill B, Fox J, Sen M, Hoang BH, and Geller DS. Percutaneous Screw Stabilization of Non-Periacetabular Pelvic Lesions Caused by Metastatic Cancer. JBJS 2022 April; (7): 577-585. PMID: 35139049104

39) Yang R, Falk A, Hoang BH, Geller DS. Fluoroscopic Percutaneous Fixation of Periacetabular Metastatic Cancer: The Tripod Technique. Instr Course Lect. 2022;71:221-230. PMID: 35254785

40) Mackey C, Wake N, Aldahamsheh O, Yang R, Hoang B, Geller DS. A Case Report Describing Pre-operative Contouring of an Orthopedic Implant using a 3D-Printed Patient-specific Model. J Orthop Case Rep. 2021 Jun;11(6):27-31. PMID: 35437484

41) Ferrena A, Wang J, Zhang R, Karadal-Ferrena B, Al-Hardan W, Singh S, Borjihan H, Schwartz E, Zhao H, Yang R, Geller D, Hoang B, Zheng D. SKP2 knockout in Rb1/p53 deficient mouse models of osteosarcoma induces immune infiltration and drives a transcriptional program with a favorable prognosis. Mol Cancer Ther. 2024 Feb 1;23(2):223-234. PMID: 37871911

42) Mani K, Kleinbart E, Schlumprecht A, Golding R, Akioyamen N, Song H, De La Garza Ramos R, Eleswarapu A, Yang R, Geller D, Hoang B, Fourman MS. Association of Socioeconomic Status With Worse Overall Survival in Patients With Bone and Joint Cancer. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024 Apr 1;32(7):e346-e355. PMID: 38354415

43) Wang J, Ferrena A, Zhang R, Singh S, Viscarret V, Al-Harden W, Aldahamsheh O, Borjihan H, Singla A, Yaguare S, Tingling J, Zi X, Lo Y, Gorlick R, Schwartz EL, Zhao H, Yang R, Geller DS, Zheng D, Hoang BH. Targeted inhibition of SCFSKP2 confers anti-tumor activities resulting in a survival benefit in osteosarcoma. Oncogene. 2024 Mar;43(13):962-975. PMID: 38355807

44) Wang J, Zhao Z, Liang H, Zhang R, Liu X, Zhang J, Singh S, Guo W, Yan T, Hoang BH, Geller DS, Tang X, Yang R. Artificial intelligence assisted preoperative planning and 3D-printing guiding frame for percutaneous screw reconstruction in periacetabular metastatic cancer patients. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024 Jul 29;12:1404937. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1404937.PMID: 39135949

45) Zhao Z, Niu J, Wang J, Zhang R, Liang H, Ma Y, Ferrena A, Wang W, Yang R, Geller DS, Guo W, Ren T, Hoang BH, Tang X, Yan T. Novel candidate metastasis-associated genes for synovial sarcoma..J Cell Mol Med. 2024 Jul;28(14):e18541. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.18541.PMID: 39046429.

46) Ferrena A, Zhang R, Wang J, Zheng XY, Göker B, Borjihan H, Chae SS, Lo Y, Zhao H, Schwartz E, Loeb D, Yang R, Geller D, Zheng D, Hoang B. Comprehensive single cell transcriptomics analysis of murine osteosarcoma uncovers Skp2 function in metastasis, genomic instability and immune activation and reveals additional target pathways. BioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jun 6:2024.06.04.597347. doi: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597347.PMID: 38895216

47) Mani K, Kleinbart E, Schlumprecht A, Golding R, Akioyamen N, Song H, De La Garza Ramos R, Eleswarapu A, Yang R, Geller D, Hoang B, Yassari R, Fourman MS. Area Socioeconomic Status is Associated with Refusal of Recommended Surgery in Patients with Metastatic Bone and Joint Disease.Ann Surg Oncol. 2024 Aug;31(8):4882-4893. doi: 10.1245/s10434-024-15299-5. Epub 2024 Jun 11.PMID: 38861205

48) Wang J, Ferrena A, Zhang R, Singh S, Viscarret V, Al-Harden W, Aldahamsheh O, Borjihan H, Singla A, Yaguare S, Tingling J, Zi X, Lo Y, Gorlick R, Schwartz EL, Zhao H, Yang R, Geller DS, Zheng D, Hoang BH. Targeted inhibition of SCFSKP2 confers anti-tumor activities resulting in a survival benefit in osteosarcoma..Oncogene. 2024 Mar;43(13):962-975. doi: 10.1038/s41388-024-02942-4. Epub 2024 Feb 14.PMID: 38355807

49) Imanishi J, Yang R, Kawano H, Lee FY. Recent Advances in Minimally Invasive Local Cancer Control and Skeletal Stabilization of Periacetabular Osteolytic Metastases Under C-Arm Imaging Guidance. JAAOS 2024. DOI: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-24-00077

50) Lian J, Yang R, Ge D, Akioyamen N, Wang J, Sen M, Hoang BH, Geller DS. Percutaneous Screw Stabilization to Pelvic Lesions Caused by Metastatic Cancer. JBJS Essential Surgical Techniques. Accepted. 2024

51) Goker B, Wang J, Marsh D, Zhang R, Fox J, Thunhill B, Sen M, Hoang BH, Geller DS, Yang, R. A comprehensive analysis of percutaneous screw fixation for metastatic lesion of the pelvis: Outcomes of 107 Cases. JBJS 2024. In press.