Physician Spotlight: Rajesh Ramanathan, MD

3/27/2026

Dr. Rajesh Ramanathan is a surgical oncologist and specialist in gastrointestinal and abdominal surgery at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. We sat down with him to learn more about his work, how philanthropic investment advances care, and more.

Q. What made you want to go into gastrointestinal cancers, specifically?

A. My inspiration to serve in medicine came from a desire to help society. Giving shape to that desire has been somewhat circuitous, with dalliances in pediatrics, psychiatry and finally, surgery. When I was a medical student at Dartmouth, we treated an older woman who was newly diagnosed with colon cancer. It hit her completely out of the blue. As I witnessed her journey over the subsequent months through surgery and chemotherapy, the unique sacredness of the physician-patient relationship in cancer patients moved me. Especially for those with serious cancers, having a relationship that emphasizes shared values, attends to the spirit and soul, and cares for the caregivers is just as important as performing surgery or administering chemotherapy. Cancer patients are some of the strongest people I have ever met, and I am privileged to share in their journeys.

Q. How has philanthropic support impacted your work as an oncologist and the lives of your patients?

A. Our health care system does its best to integrate data into decision-making about what to pay for, how much to pay, and when to pay. However, cancer patients specifically require many other services which are not so easily quantifiable, and so many of those services are not paid for by the usual sources, like commercial insurance. This is where philanthropy comes in. One such service is clinical navigators who help guide cancer patients through the complex maze of multiple doctors, lab visits, imaging, tests, and clinic visits. Another example is providing social services such as housing assistance, nutritional assistance, and travel assistance that enable patients to access the care they require. Lastly, philanthropy plays a massive role in help with emerging cancer therapies including new drugs, trials, and techniques.

Q. What would you like members of our community to know about Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center?

A. As an integrated cancer center, putting the cancer patient in the middle of everything we do is in our DNA. We strive to get better every day in ensuring that we bring the latest technologies, care, and services to provide the most cutting-edge treatment possible. We do this through our research initiatives and our extensive clinical trial portfolio, through our navigators and our multiple locations that make accessing care easier, and through our community outreach efforts to educate our communities on healthy living, disease prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.

Q. What is the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

A. If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life! That's truly how I feel.