Dr. Rajat Thawani is a medical oncologist at OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. He cares for adult patients with a variety of conditions, including:

• Lung cancer
• Thymic cancers and thymoma
• Phase 1 clinical trials
• Head and neck cancers
• Translational oncology

In addition to treating cancers, he leads and designs clinical trials, which means he can offer patients access to new, promising treatments not widely available elsewhere. He is especially interested in understanding resistance to cancer treatment, how targeted therapies interact with the immune system, and how they can be used to improve outcomes through clinical trials. His research has been published in leading journals like CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Annals of Oncology, and Journal of Thoracic Oncology. He has also presented his research at many national and international conferences. Currently, he is involved in developing many innovative clinical trials with multiple collaborators across the globe.

Dr. Thawani is a lung cancer expert who treats non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC), thymic cancers and tumors, and mesothelioma. In addition, he also treats head and neck cancers. He is especially interested in lung cancer in non-smokers, sinonasal tumors, and designing biomarker-driven clinical trials to help patients receive newer, more effective treatments with fewer side effects. After two years at the University of Chicago, he is back in Portland, at the Knight Cancer Institute, offering patients the most advanced therapies with specialized and personalized care. At the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, he can work with a team of experts and supportive services to help patients through every step of their cancer journey, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery.

His approach to patient care is deeply patient-centered. He works hard to understand each patient’s story, goals, and priorities to build the right treatment plan. Whether that involves chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies, he always aims to provide the most effective and compassionate care possible. Dr. Thawani actively participates in public education and advocacy. He is also an active member of organizations like the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). 

When not at work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking around the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and baking.