St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care Welcomes Region’s First Orthopedic Oncologist

Justin Miller, DO, Treats Cancers of the Bones and Musculoskeletal System

After finishing four years of medical school and a five-year orthopedic surgery residency, Justin Miller, DO accepted one more challenge. He completed a two-year fellowship in orthopedic oncology because he wanted to help patients through their cancer journey.

The only orthopedic oncologist in the Lehigh Valley, and one of approximately 200 in the United States, Dr. Miller joined St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care to bring this highly specialized level of care to patients in our region.

“A patient may have a devastating cancer diagnosis, but as an orthopedic oncologist, you can help them through every moment and step of the way,” he said. “You create a bond with your patient and their families. Hopefully, you’re able to save their life or limb.”

As an orthopedic oncologist, Dr. Miller treats patients with cancer of the musculoskeletal system, which consists of bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons and nerves. He treats both cancers that began in the musculoskeletal system, and those that spread there from another part of the body (metastasize).

In addition to seeing patients with musculoskeletal cancer, Dr. Miller sees patients for conditions, injuries and illnesses of the musculoskeletal system. He treats strains and sprains, broken bones, torn or broken ligaments and tendons, torn muscles, and spine or hip fractures. He helps patients manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, osteoporosis and joint pain. Dr. Miller sees patients at St. Luke’s Orthopedic Care offices in Allentown and Tamaqua.

Dr. Miller joined St. Luke’s after completing a two-year fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Morristown Medical Center, working with experts in the subspecialty. He completed an internal medicine and orthopedics residency at Jersey City Medical Center and earned his medical degree at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Miller chose St. Luke’s because several physicians he knew who worked for the Network described the culture as team-oriented and patient-focused. Also, he wanted a position where he could work in the countryside because he enjoyed a rural medicine rotation during his training. 

“I’m here to treat the community and help people in pain or discomfort so they can live their best life,” he said. “It makes me happy to take my patients’ pain away and help them return to normal activities.” While he performs surgery as needed, he first treats patients with non-surgical means. He also guides patients through their entire orthopedic healing and rehabilitation process.

During his fellowship, he treated a 15-year-old patient with a tumor in her thigh bone, just above the knee. He removed the tumor and restored the function of her leg. 

“We still connect to make sure her recovery is going well,” he said. “She made me a nice bracelet with a little bone on it that I still wear it to this day. I was able to save her life and save her limb from needing an amputation with a large reconstruction procedure.”