A Conversation With Dr. Alex Menter

You recently joined Shaw Cancer Center. What drew you to Vail Health?

I’ve always been drawn to spending more time in the mountains, and with our youngest daughter now in college, it felt like the right time to make that change. Among oncology programs in the Mountain West, Shaw Cancer Center stands out for delivering high-quality, comprehensive care—something that’s rare in smaller programs. I also value that Shaw is a community-based, non-profit center that has remained independent rather than becoming part of a large national system. That independence allows Shaw to stay true to what makes oncology unique: deeply personal, patient-centered care. Finally, Shaw’s strong clinical research program was a big draw. Many cancers still lack truly effective treatments, and a robust trial program is essential to moving the field forward.

Give us a snapshot of your training and background.

I grew up in south metro Denver and attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota before completing my internal medicine and hematology/oncology training at the University of Colorado. Afterward, I joined the oncology team at Kaiser Permanente in Denver, where I spent nearly 20 years caring for patients with blood disorders and cancer. During that time, I helped build the clinical trials program and later served as department chief and chair of the Excellence in Cancer Care Council, coordinating cancer care across specialties.

What drives your passion for hematology and oncology after more than two decades in the field? Why is this work meaningful to you?

For many people with cancer, their oncologist becomes the person who helps guide them through one of the most serious challenges of their lives. That level of trust is an incredible privilege—and one that continues to inspire me. Oncology can be emotionally demanding, but it’s also one of the most rapidly evolving fields in medicine. New research, diagnostics, and therapies are constantly improving care, and that lifelong learning keeps the work deeply meaningful.

How will your research background shape your approach to patient care at Shaw?

There’s always room to do better in cancer care, and research is how we make real, evidence-based progress. Every treatment we use today exists because of the studies that came before, and every patient represents an opportunity to learn more. While not every person will participate in a clinical trial, I always think about what current evidence tells us—and where the gaps remain—so my patients understand both what we know and what we’re still trying to discover.

What’s it like reuniting with Dr. Alexander Urquhart at Shaw Cancer Center?

It’s been fantastic. We’ve stayed in touch for years, usually catching up at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, but it’s a lot more fun to collaborate in person every day. Plus, he’s been generous in sharing insider tips on local hikes and restaurants—an important part of settling into mountain life!