General Info

Derek Helton, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and medical director of cancer services at our Encinitas and Vista locations. He specializes in the treatment of a broad range of solid tumor malignancies and benign and malignant blood disorders. He has a special interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, bile duct and anal cancers.Dr. Heltons current research involves in clinical trials in gastrointestinal oncology. He has presented research on a variety of subjects, including sarcomas, myelodysplastic syndromes and leukemia.Dr. Helton is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. During his medical training, he completed a hematology and medical oncology fellowship at UC Los Angeles and Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he received recognition as the Most Outstanding Medical Subspecialty Fellow two years in a row. He completed his internship and served as chief resident during his residency at UC San Diego. He earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University. Dr. Helton is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Medical Association.UC San Diego Health LinksFor more information on cancer treatment at UC San Diego, see https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/cancer/Pages/default.aspx.