Robert Cantu, MA, MD, FACS, FACSM
Medical Director and Director of Clinical Research at the Cantu Concussion Center at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts.
Phone: 978-287-8250
Fax: 978.287.0047
Location: Emerson Hospital, 310 Baker Avenue, Concord, MA 01742
Background
In 1960, he received his B.A. degree from the University of California Berkley where he pitched on the varsity baseball team. Jointly, in medical school and graduate school, he received his M.A. degree in endocrinology in 1962, and in 1963, his M.D. from the University of California Medical School in San Francisco. Following a surgical internship at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City in 1963-1964, he began a neurosurgery residency at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and simultaneous position of research fellow in physiology at Harvard Medical School. Upon completion of his residency in 1968, he joined the neurosurgery staff at MGH, where his practice and laboratory were located, while assuming the position of acting assistant director of neurosurgery and director of pediatric neurosurgery at Boston City Hospital. After five yeas of academic neurosurgery with Harvard hospitals, Dr. Cantu entered private neurosurgery practice at the suburban Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts, where he currently serves as Medical Director and Director of Clinical Research at the Cantu Concussion Center.
Currently Dr. Cantu’s professional responsibilities include those of Clinical Professor Department of Neurosurgery at the Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA; Founding member and Chairman Medical Advisory Board Concussion Legacy Foundation, Boston, MA; Adjunct Professor Exercise and Sport Science and Medical Director National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; Co-Director, Neurologic Sports Injury Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Medical Director and Director of Clinical Research at the Cantu Concussion Center at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts, Neurosurgical Consultant Boston Eagles football team, and Neurosurgical Consultant Boston Cannons professional soccer team. Dr. Cantu also consults with numerous NFL, NHL and NBA teams.
He has authored over 357 scientific publications, including 28 books on neurology and sports medicine, in addition to numerous book chapters, peer-reviewed papers, abstracts and free communications, and educational videos. He has served as associate editor of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and Exercise and Sports Science Review, and on the editorial board of The Physician and Sports Medicine, Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, and Journal of Athletic Training. In 2003 Dr. Cantu became the section head for the Sports Medicine Section of Neurosurgery.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Dr. Cantu is medical director of the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, an ongoing registry instituted in 1982 for data collection and analysis of spine and head injuries. From this data important contributions have been made in sport safety and accident reduction; most notably football rule changes concerning tackling and blocking with the head, the establishment of football helmet standards, improved on-the-field medical care, and coaching techniques. He also serves on the Board of Trustees as Vice President of NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment). Dr. Cantu also is Co-Director of the Neurological Sports Injury Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.
For many years, Dr. Cantu has been actively involved with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the oldest and largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world, and served as President of this organization from 1992 to 1993 and served as treasurer from 1996 to 1999. Dr. Cantu was the recipient of their Citation Award in 1996. In 2007 Dr. Cantu gave the organization’s prestigious J.B. Dill Lecture on the History of Concussions at ACSM’s annual meeting in New Orleans.
Dr. Cantu’s 2009 media appearances include, among others, testimony before Congress on the NFL and Concussions, CNN with Lou Dobbs on the NFL Congressional Hearings, CNN Saturday Morning Live’s Head Injuries in Football, and 60 Minutes’ Concussions and Head Injuries in Football.
Dr. Cantu has participated in nationally televised sports programs speaking on diverse sports issues, appearing on Larry King Live and ESPN Outside the Lines to discuss the Chris Benoit case, NFL Today to discuss the effect of artificial turf on cervical spine injuries, and CNBC’s The Real Story to discuss football injuries. He has been interviewed for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, Dan Rather, and NBC Evening News with Brian Williams regarding gender and concussion incidence. He has been a spokesperson for ACSM on NASCAR deaths and safety issues surrounding NASCAR. Dr. Cantu also appeared on ABC World News Tonight with Bob Jamison, WGBH Boston, NPR, WEEI Boston, and ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” regarding the Korey Stringer case and the issue of heat stroke. He has discussed concussion in professional sports, health issues of football players and sports related injuries in cheerleading on HBO’s Inside the NFL. Dr. Cantu was the key speaker on designer steroids for Comcast Cable Network. As co-chairman for the NASCAR Safety Task Force with ACSM. Dr. Cantu has done safety presentations for drivers and teams of CART as well as NASCAR. Dr. Cantu has been interviewed by ESPN Outside the Lines’ Tom Friend regarding Baby Joe Mesi and his return to boxing after a controversial subdural hematoma, and continues to be an outspoken advocate for the sport of boxing and the safety of the sport and its participants. Recently Dr. Cantu conducted several interviews on Concussion in the NFL with ESPN, HBO and the Boston area news channels. Dr. Cantu was involved with the NFL meeting in NYC regarding concussions and guidelines for concussions with Roger Goodell.
As an author of numerous books and articles, Dr. Cantu is frequently invited to participate in symposiums addressing a wide range of sports medicine topics including anabolic steroid use, eating disorders in female athletes, acute and chronic brain injury in boxing, and on-the-field evaluation, medical management, and return to play guidelines following head and spine sports injuries.
Dr. Cantu has served as a consultant to many scholastic and professional athletes on the return to collision sports after a head or spine injury, and speaks on a variety of health-related interests, including the overall benefits of moderate regular exercise, special health and exercise concerns of senior citizens, and sports safety issues for high school athletic trainers, coaches, students and parents. He currently serves as the neurosurgical consultant to the Boston College Eagles football team, as well as neurosurgical consultant to the Boston Cannons professional soccer team. He recently was asked by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to present at the 2009 NFL concussion meeting in Chicago.
Practicing what he preaches, Dr. Cantu has enjoyed long-distance running since 1967. An official entrant in multiple Boston Marathons, he has also enjoyed the “long runs” in Newport and New York City. Besides running, Dr. Cantu is an avid tennis player, ranked for many years in the men’s senior singles in New England (NELTA) region. Dr. Cantu has two children, Rob and Elizabeth and lives with his wife Tina in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
Publications
Chin LS, Toshkezi G, Cantu RC, Traumatic Encephalopathy Related to Sports Injury, US Neurology, 2011;7(1):33-6.
Daneshvar DH, Baugh CM, Nowinski CJ, McKee AC, Stern RA, Cantu RC: Helmets and Mouth Guards: The role of personal equipment in preventing sport-related concussions. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2011;30:145-163
Chin LS, Jayarao M, Cantu RC: Inside Sports-Related Head Injury: Tau Inclusion Bodies and Proteins in a Tangle. Neurosurgeon, 2011;20(1):4-7.
Thomas M, Haas, TS, Doerer, JJ, Hodges JS, Aicher BO, Garberich RF, Mueller FO, Cantu RC, Maron BJ: Epidemiology of Sudden Death in Young, Competitive Athletes Due to Blunt Trauma. Pediatrics July 2011
Cantu RC: Is Helmet Design the Answer to Concussion in Sports. Active Voice Bulletin ACSM, September 2010.
Cantu RC: World Cup Soccer; A Major League Soccer Superstar’s Career-Ending Injury, Concussion; and World Neurosurgery: A Common Thread. World Neurosurgery August/September 2010;74(2/3):224-225.
Jayarao M, Chin L, Cantu R. Boxing-Related Head Injuries. The Physician and Sportsmedicine. October 2010;(3):0091-3847.
Cantu RC, Guskiewicz K, Register-Mhialik JK. A Retrospective Clinical Analysis of Moderate to Severe Athletic Concussions. PM&R. December 2010;(2)12:1088-1093.
Mihalik JP, Blackburn JT, Greenwald RM, Cantu RC, Marshall SW, Guskiewicz KM. Collision type and player anticipation affect head impact severity among youth ice hockey players. Pediatrics. June 2010;125(6):e1394-401.
McKee AC, Gavett BE, Stern RA, Nowinski CJ, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Perl DP, Hedley-Whyte ET, Price B, Sullivan C, Morin P, Kubilus CA, Daneshvar DH, Wulff M, Budson AE. TDP-43 proteinopathy and motor neuron disease in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. September 2010;60(9):918-29.
Jayarao M, Chin L, Cantu R. Boxing-Related Head Injuries. The Physician and Sportsmedicine. October 2010;(3):0091-3847.
Echlin PS, Tator CH, Cusimano MD, Cantu RC, Taunton JE, Upshur RE, Czarnota M, Hall CR, Johnson AM, Forwell LA, Driediger M, Skopelja EN. Return to play after an initial or recurrence concussion in a prospective study of physician-observed junior ice hockey concussions: implications for return to play after a concussion. Neurosurg Focus 2010;29(5):E5.
Echlin PS, Johnson AM, Riverin S, Tator CH, Cantu RC, Cusimano MD, Taunton JE, Upshur RE, Hall CR, Forwell LA, Skopelja EN. A prospective study of concussion education in 2 junior ice hockey teams: implications for sports concussion education. Neurosurg Focus 2010;29(5):E6.
Echlin PS, Tator CH, Cusimaon MD, Cantu RC, Taunton JE, Upshur RE, Hall CR, Johnson AM, Forwell LA, Skopelja EN. A prospective study of physician-observed concussions during junior ice hockey: implications for incidence rates. Neurosurg Focus 2010;29(5):E4.
Cantu, R: Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport – The 3rd International Conference on Concussion, Zurich, November 2008. Neurosurgery 64(5):786-787, 2009.
Cantu RC, Gean A. Second Impact Syndrome and a Thin Subdural Hematoma: An Uncommon Catastrophic Result of Repetitive Head Injury With a Characteristic Imaging Appearance. J Neurotrauma 2010;27:1-8.
Cantu RC: Commentary When to Disqualify an Athlete After a Concussion, Current Sports Medicine Reports 8:6-7,2009.
Gavett BE, Stern RA, Cantu RC, Nowinski CJ, McKee AC. Mild traumatic brain injury: a risk factor for
Neurodegeneration. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy 2010,2:18.
Mihalik JP, Greenwalk RM, Blackburn JT, Cantu RC, Marshall SW, Guskiewicz KM. The effect of infraction type on head impact severity in youth ice hockey. Med Sci Sports Exer. 2010;42:1431-1438
Cantu RC, Mueller FO. The prevention of catastrophic head and spine injuries in high school and college sports. Br J Sports Med. 2009;43:981-986.
McKee AC, Cantu RC, Nowinski CJ: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in Athletes: Progressive Tauopathy After Repetitive Head Injury. J Neuropath Exp Neurol 2009;68:709-735.
McCrory JP, Meeuwisse W, Johnston K, Dvorak J, Aubry M, Mallow M, Cantu R. Consensus statement on concussion in sports – the Third International Conference on Concussion in Sport held in Zurich, November 2008, Phy Sportsmed. 2009;37:141-159.
Cantu RC: Commentary When to Disqualify an Athlete After a Concussion, Current Sports Medicine Reports 8:6-7,2009.
Cantu, R: Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport – The 3rd International Conference on Concussion, Zurich, November 2008. Neurosurgery 64(5):786-787, 2009.
Terrell, T, Bostick, R, Abramson, Xie, D, R, Barfield, W, Cantu, R, Stanek, M, Ewing, T. APOE, APOE Promoter, and Tau Genotypes and Risk for Concussion in College Athletes. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 18:10-17, 2008.
Davis G, Ugokwe K. Roger EP, Benzel EC, Cantu RC, Rogers M, Dvorak J, McCrory P: Br J Sports Med June 2008
Cantu RC, Detection of postconcussion abnormalities after injury in young athletes. Clin J Sport Med 2007;17(5):435-436.
Standaert CJ, Herring SA, Cantu RC: Expert Opinion and Controversies in Sports and Musculoskeletal Medicine: Concussion in the Young Athlete. Arch Phys Med Rehabil; 2007;88:1077-1079.
Cantu RC, Herring SA, Putukian M: Concussion: Letter to the Editor. NEJM 2007;356(17):1787.
Guskiewicz KM, Marshall SW, Bailes J, McCrea M, Harding HP JR, Matthews A, Mihalik JR, Cantu RC: Recurrent concussion and risk of depression in retired professional football players. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2007;39(6):903-909.
Cantu RC: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in the National Football League. Neurosurgery 2007;61(2):223-225.
Cantu RC: Athletic Concussions: Current Understanding as of 2007. Neurosurgery 2007;60(6):963-964.
Boden B, Tacchetti R, Cantu R, Knowles S, Mueller F: Catastrophic Head Injuries in High School and College Football Players. AJSM 2007;35:1-7.
Miele VJ, Bailes JE, Cantu RC, Rabb CH: Subdural hematomas in boxing: the spectrum of consequences. Neurosurgical Focus 2006;21(4):1-8.
Cantu RC: An Overview of Concussion Consensus Statements Since 2000. Neurosurgical Focus 2006;(21):1-5.
Boden B, Tacchetti R, Cantu R, Knowles S, Mueller F: Catastrophic Cervical Injuries in High School and College Football Players AJSM 2006;34(8):1223-1232.
McCrea M, Barr W, Guskiewicz K, Randolph C, Marshall S, Cantu R, Onate J, Kelly J: Standard regression-based methods for measuring recovery after sport-related concussion. Applied Neuropsychology 2005:58-69.
Herring, S, Cantu R, et al: ACSM Team Physician Concussion Consensus Statement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006; 38(2):395-399.
Guskiewicz Guskiewicz KM, Marshall SW, Bailes J, McCrea M. Cantu RC, Randolph C, Jordan BD: Association between recurrent concussion, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease in retired professional football players. Neurosurgery 2005;57(4):719-724.
McCrory P, Johnston K, et al: Summary and Agreement Statement of the Second International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Clin Sports Med 2005:15(2);48-56.
McCrory P, Johnston K, et al: Summary and Agreement Statement of the Second International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Br J Sports Med 2005:39(4);196-205.
McCrory P, Johnston K, et al: Summary and Agreement Statement of the Second International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Prague 2004. Phy and Sports Med 2005:33(4);29-44
K, Bruce S, Cantu R, Ferrara M, Kelly J, McCrea M, Putukian M, McLeod T: National Athletic Trainer’s Association Position Statement: Management of Sport-Related Concussion . Journal Athletic Training 2004;39(3):280-295.
Guskiewicz K, Bruce S, Cantu R, Ferrara M, Kelly J, McCrea M, Putukian M, Valovich T: Recommendations on Management of Sport-related Concussion: Summary of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Position Statement. Neurosurgery 2004;55(4):891-896.