Deborah Lehrich

Deborah Lehrich, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist with a passion for delivering exceptional patient care and advancing the field of oncology.

Combining persistence, a love for learning, and a patient-centered approach, Dr. Lehrich’s dedication to her patients and her field is evident in her extensive experience, academic contributions, and commitment to staying at the forefront of medical advancements.

Dr. Lehrich earned a B.S. from Ithica College and was recognized on the Dean’s List and inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon and Theta Epsilon Honor Societies. After exploring a career in accounting in New York City, her interest in cancer biology was sparked by personal experiences and volunteer work with a hospice program. She pursued premedical studies at Columbia University, followed by her medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Her postgraduate training included an Internal Medicine residency and later a Hematology and Oncology fellowship at Louisiana State University Health Sciences in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Her professional experience spans diverse settings, from academic institutions to community hospitals. Dr. Lehrich recently served as a Hematologist/Oncologist position with the University of North Carolina and Duke University at Gibson Cancer Center in Lumberton, North Carolina where she provides direct patient care for all different forms of blood and cancer disorders

Previously, she served as Medical Director at Evicore (Cigna) from 2017 to 2024, conducting medical oncology case reviews and audits for commercial insurers, Medicare, and Medicaid. From 2008 to 2016, she worked as a Hematologist/Oncologist and Internist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where she treated a wide range of hematology and oncology disorders, taught residents and fellows, and was recognized in 2013 as the "Civilian Teaching Attending of the Year" for her exceptional contributions.

Dr. Lehrich’s special interests include breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), and sarcomas. Her persistence and dedication to patient care ensure that she addresses every case with curative intent, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive management from prevention to post-hospitalization care.

Her contributions to medical research are notable. Dr. Lehrich received the ASCO Young Investigator Award in 2003 for her work in genitourinary oncology and developed an IRB-approved protocol studying cytogenetic abnormalities in multiple myeloma during her fellowship. Her publications include an ASCO Proceedings abstract on breast cancer and insulin growth factors (2001), a study on sun exposure in young children (Pediatric Dermatology, 1994), and case studies on rare cancers, such as ACTH-secreting neuroendocrine cancer of the bladder and gamma-delta T cell splenic lymphoma. She also served as an expert consultant linking Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune, influencing veteran care policy.

Dr. Lehrich is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Medical Oncology. She holds active medical licenses in multiple states, including Florida, New Mexico, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, and North Carolina.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Lehrich is deeply committed to service. She has volunteered with Trustbridge Hospice in Palm Beach County, participated in medical and dental missionary programs in Nicaragua, and lectured at The Wellness Community in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and an investigator for the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG).