Dr. Mario R. Velasco Jr., medical oncologist, joined Cancer Care Specialists of Central Illinois, S.C., in February 2001. Dr. Velasco primarily sees patients at our main office at the Cancer Care Center of Decatur, but also sees patients at Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Velasco received his M.D. degree from the University of Santo Tomas Medical School, Manila, Philippines, in 1992. He completed a clinical internship at Medical Center Manila, Philippines, where he received "Outstanding Intern" awards in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Velasco completed his residency in Categorical Internal Medicine with the Seton Hall University Program at St. Elizabeth Hospital, New Jersey, in 1998, and went on to complete a fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas.

Dr. Velasco is board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. He has special interest in gastrointestinal malignancy, renal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. In addition, Dr. Velasco has been very active in cancer research. He published a book chapter on "Primary Gastrointestinal Lymphoma" and also had several abstracts presented at national meetings.