En Cheng, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Peking University and doctorate from Yale University.

Dr. Cheng is dedicated to revealing novel biological and biobehavioral pathways to reduce recurrence, mortality, and disparities among cancer patients. Now he is investigating the role of energy balance, health disparities, and molecular biomarkers in cancer survivorship, especially in breast and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Cheng has published multiple papers in high-profile journals such as Journal of Clinical Oncology, JAMA Oncology, and Clinical Nutrition. His works are widely cited to support federal and institutional guidelines (such as US Department of Agriculture, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and American Cancer Society).

* Corresponding Author;

1. Cheng E*, Caan BJ, Chen WY, Prado CM, Cespedes Feliciano EM. A Novel Body Composition Risk Score (B-Score) and Overall Survival Among Patients With Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer. Clin Nutr. 2024 Apr;43(4):981-987. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.03.001. Epub 2024 Mar 6. PMID: 38471402; PMCID: PMC11009043.

2. Cheng E, Caan BJ, Cawthon PM, Evans WJ, Hellerstein MK, Shankaran M, Campbell KL, Binder AM, Sternfeld B, Meyerhardt JA, Schmitz KH, Cespedes Feliciano EM. D3-creatine Dilution, Computed Tomography and Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry for Assessing Myopenia and Physical Function in Colon Cancer: A Cross-sectional Study. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2023 Dec;14(6):2768-2778. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.13353. Epub 2023 Oct 30. PMID: 37899757; PMCID: PMC10751410.

3. Cheng E, Caan BJ, Cawthon PM, Evans WJ, Hellerstein MK, Shankaran M, Nyangau E, Campbell KL, Lee C, Binder AM, Meyerhardt JA, Schmitz KH, Cespedes Feliciano EM. Body Composition, Relative Dose Intensity, and Adverse Events Among Patients with Colon Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Oct 2;32(10):1373-1381. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-23-0227. PMID: 37450841; PMCID: PMC10592319.

4. Cheng E, Shi Q, Shields AF, Nixon AB, Shergill AP, Ma C, Guthrie KA, Couture F, Kuebler P, Kumar P, Tan B, Krishnamurthi SS, Ng K, O'Reilly EM, Brown JC, Philip PA, Caan BJ, Cespedes Feliciano EM, Meyerhardt JA. Association of Inflammatory Biomarkers With Survival Among Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2023 Mar 1;9(3):404 413. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.6911. PMID: 36701146; PMCID: PMC9880869.

5. Cheng E, Caan BJ, Chen WY, Irwin ML, Prado CM, Cespedes Feliciano EM. Adipose Tissue Radiodensity and Mortality Among Patients with Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer. Clin Nutr. 2022 Dec;41(12):2607 2613. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.09.016. Epub 2022 Oct 4. PMID: 36306565; PMCID: PMC9722634.

6. Cheng E, Kirley J, Cespedes Feliciano EM, Caan BJ. Adiposity and Cancer Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancer Causes Control. 2022 Oct;33(10):1219-1246. doi: 10.1007/s10552-022-01613-7. Epub 2022 Aug 15. PMID: 35971021; PMCID: PMC10101770.

7. Cheng E, Lee DH, Tamimi RM, Hankinson SE, Willett WC, Giovannucci EL, Eliassen AH, Stampfer MJ, Mucci LA, Fuchs CS, Spiegelman D. Long-Term Survival and Causes of Death After Diagnoses of Common Cancers in 3 Cohorts of US Health Professionals. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2022 Mar 2;6(2):pkac021. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkac021. PMID: 35603853; PMCID: PMC8973409.

• Selected as Editor’s Choice.

8. Cheng E, Ou FS, Ma C, Spiegelman D, Zhang S, Zhou X, Bainter TM, Saltz LB, Niedzwiecki D, Mayer RJ, Whittom R, Hantel A, Benson A, Atienza D, Messino M, Kindler H, Giovannucci EL, Van Blarigan EL, Brown JC, Ng K, Gross CP, Meyerhardt JA, Fuchs CS. Diet and Lifestyle Based Prediction Models to Estimate Cancer Recurrence and Death in Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer (CALGB 89803/Alliance). J Clin Oncol. 2022 Mar 1;40(7):740 751. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01784. Epub 2022 Jan 7. PMID: 34995084; PMCID: PMC8887946.

9. Cheng E, Soulos PR, Irwin ML, Cespedes Feliciano EM, Presley CJ, Fuchs CS, Meyerhardt JA, Gross CP. Neighborhood and Individual Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Survival Among Patients with Nonmetastatic Common Cancers. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 1;4(12):e2139593. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.39593. PMID: 34919133; PMCID: PMC8683967.

10. Cheng E, Blackburn HN, Ng K, Spiegelman D, Irwin ML, Ma X, Gross CP, Tabung FK, Giovannucci EL, Kunz PL, Llor X, Billingsley K, Meyerhardt JA, Ahuja N, Fuchs CS. Analysis of Survival Among Adults with Early Onset Colorectal Cancer in the National Cancer Database. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jun 1;4(6):e2112539. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.12539. PMID: 34132794; PMCID: PMC8209612.

11. Cheng E, Zhang S, Ou FS, Mullen B, Ng K, Saltz LB, Niedzwiecki D, Mayer RJ, Mowat RB, Whittom R, Hantel A, Benson A, Atienza D, Messino M, Kindler H, Giovannucci EL, Van Blarigan EL, Meyerhardt JA, Fuchs CS. The Diet of Higher Insulinemic Potential Is Not Associated With Worse Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer (Alliance). Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2020 Aug;29(8):1692-1695. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-1454. Epub 2020 Jun 4. PMID: 32499312; PMCID: PMC7415738.

12. Cheng E*, Huang P, Wang SY. Geographic Variations of Potentially Curative Treatments for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the United States: A SEER-Medicare Study. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2020 Jun;18(6):729-736. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2020.7529. PMID: 32502978.

13. Cheng E, Um C, Prizment A, Lazovich D, Bostick RM. Associations of Evolutionary-Concordance Diet, Mediterranean Diet and Evolutionary-Concordance Lifestyle Pattern Scores With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. Br J Nutr. 2018 Dec 18:1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0007114518003483. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 30560736; PMCID: PMC6581641.

14. Cheng E, Um C, Prizment A, Lazovich D, Bostick RM. Evolutionary Concordance Lifestyle and Diet and Mediterranean Diet Pattern Scores and Risk of Incident Colorectal Cancer in Iowa Women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2018 Oct;27(10):1195 1202. doi: 10.1158/1055 9965.EPI 17 1184. Epub 2018 Aug 14. PMID: 30108096; PMCID: PMC6170696.