University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
Professor of Medicine; Chief, Division of Medical Oncology; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky
NANETS is honored to present Lowell B. Anthony, MD, FACP, with the medical society’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Anthony’s four-decade career has been defined by scientific curiosity, groundbreaking research, and an unwavering commitment to mentorship and collaboration. His pioneering work has helped transform neuroendocrine tumor (NET) care from a field with limited treatment options into one rich with therapeutic innovation and multidisciplinary integration.
Currently Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, Dr. Anthony has played an instrumental role in building one of the nation’s most respected NET programs. Under his leadership, Markey achieved NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation, a milestone reflecting his dedication to advancing translational science and patient-centered care.
Dr. Anthony’s career began at Vanderbilt University, where he trained in internal medicine, medical oncology, and clinical pharmacology under Dr. John Oates, one of the pioneers who introduced octreotide into clinical study. His early research at Vanderbilt helped lay the foundation for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in the United States. Later, his collaborations at Louisiana State University and the University of Kentucky continued to expand access to novel therapies for NET patients nationwide.
Over the years, Dr. Anthony has led numerous investigator-initiated trials, contributed to pivotal Phase III studies, published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, and served on NIH and FDA review panels. Yet, his greatest legacy may be his mentorship, cultivating the next generation of NET clinicians and researchers with humility, generosity, and enthusiasm.
In presenting the award, Dr. Aman Chauhan, Director of the NET Program at the University of Miami, reflected:
“Lowell is a visionary physician, scientist, and friend whose generosity of spirit has shaped an entire generation of NET investigators. Many of us are here today because he believed in us before we believed in ourselves.”
Accepting the award to a standing ovation, Dr. Anthony shared his gratitude to NANETS, his colleagues, and his family, saying:
“This honor means a great deal to me, not just personally, but because it reflects the collective efforts of so many who have walked beside me on this journey.”
Reflecting on the evolution of NET medicine, he added:
“What once was a diagnosis with few options is now an area rich with innovation, built on decades of careful, often unglamorous, translational work.”
Dr. Anthony closed with words that captured both his legacy and the enduring mission of NANETS:
“Don’t chase novelty; chase understanding. Science isn’t a relay where you drop the baton, it’s a continuum, and we each hold the baton together for a time. Your task is to carry it forward, not just faster, but further, and with integrity.”
NANETS proudly recognizes Dr. Lowell B. Anthony for his lifetime of leadership, mentorship, and discovery. His career embodies the very spirit of NANETS: collaboration, curiosity, and commitment to improving the lives of patients with neuroendocrine tumors.