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Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD

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Specializes in: Medical Oncology and Adult Oncology

Harvard Medical School (1998)

Professional interests include: cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and more.

1665 Aurora Court 3rd Floor
Aurora, CO 80045

1-855-824-7262

Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD is a medical oncologist in Highlands Ranch, CO specializing in medical oncology and adult oncology. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1998 and has 26 years of experience. Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD is affiliated with UCHealth, University of Colorado Medicine, UNIVERSITY PHYSICIANS INCORPORATED and UCHealth Cancer Care - Anschutz Medical Campus - University of Colorado Cancer Center.

Office Locations

Address:

1500 Park Central Drive Suite 101
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Address:

12605 E. 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045

Address:

1665 Aurora Court 3rd Floor
Aurora, CO 80045

Address:

9548 Park Meadows Drive
Lone Tree, CO 80124

Some issues Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD can help you with:

Gastrointestinal Problems (Digestive Disorders)

The gastrointestinal system, or GI tract, is the name given to a collection of organs that work together to digest food. These organs fit together in a long tube, running from the mouth to the anus, and include the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, among others. With so many parts working together, complicated by today's busy lifestyles and diets, digestive problems are common. As many as 1 in 3 Americans have a digestive or GI disorder. There are a huge variety of digestive problems, but the most common are IBS, constipation, GERD, hemorrhoids, and ulcers.

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, happens when the muscles surrounding the colon contract too easily or frequently. The result is abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea or constipation, gas and bloating. IBS attacks can often be brought on by specific triggers, so a key part of treatment is learning which foods trigger IBS attacks and avoiding them. Treatment also includes exercise, avoiding stress, and medications if needed.

Constipation, or large, hard, or infrequent stools, happens to everyone at some point. It can be caused by a disruption in routine or food, or by eating a diet without many fresh fruits and vegetables. Although it is uncomfortable, constipation is common and usually not serious, but it can sometimes become chronic. Adding fiber to the diet, exercising, and taking medications may help.

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a severe form of chronic heartburn where stomach acid spills back up into the esophagus. Left untreated, the acid may even eat away at the esophagus and cause serious damage. Treatment includes changing the diet to avoid trigger foods, losing weight if needed, medications, or even surgery.

Hemorrhoids are blood vessels around the rectum that become irritated, swollen or torn while straining during a bowel movement. They are most often caused by constipation, but can also be caused by pregnancy, diarrhea, or simply a genetic predisposition towards hemorrhoids. Treatment involves first treating any constipation issues, then keeping the area clean and soothed until it has healed. If these measures are ineffective, surgery is sometimes used.

Peptic ulcers are sores or spots of inflammation in the lining of the stomach or close to the stomach in the small intestine. Usually this area is coated with a protective lining that shields the tissue from the strong stomach acid, but a break in the lining can let acid in, causing the sores. It used to be thought that stress caused ulcers, but now it is known that is not the case. Most often, they are caused by an infection by H. pylori bacteria, but ulcers can also be caused by alcohol abuse or overuse of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other NSAIDS. The symptoms of an ulcer are pain, hunger, nausea, and fatigue.

Gastrointestinal problems, perhaps more than any other area, are markedly affected by lifestyle. Many disorders can be prevented or treated at least in part by eating a healthy diet high in fiber, exercising regularly, drinking enough water, and limiting alcohol intake. Still, the frequency of digestive disorders means that even the healthiest person can be affected by them. Anyone who notices blood in their stool, experiences abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, or any significant change in bowel movements should see a doctor.

In The News (see more mentions in the news)

“Many doctors on the panel, including the University of Colorado oncologist Wells Messersmith, have said they have never witnessed a 5-FU death.”—"Overdosing on chemo: A common gene test could save hundreds of lives each year", The San Diego Union-Tribune, April 2024

“Many doctors on the panel, including the University of Colorado oncologist Dr. Wells Messersmith, have said they have never witnessed a 5-FU death.”—"A quick, cheap test could protect against fatal chemo overdose. Why do few cancer doctors use it?", NBC News, March 2024

“He changed oncologists to Dr. Wells Messersmith at CU Cancer Center.”—"In Treatment For The Rest Of His Life", CBS Minesota, November 2017

doctor visit	255

**Gender**
Male	47
Female	45

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	68
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	47
From 75 to 84	0
85 and over	0
Less than 65	22

Hypertension	62
High Cholesterol	35
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	34
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	14
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	14
Diabetes	27
Dementia	0
Cancer	46

doctor visit	267

**Gender**
Male	48
Female	45

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	77
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	51
From 75 to 84	25
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	66
High Cholesterol	40
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	29
Depression	25
Chronic Kidney Disease	32
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	0
Diabetes	32
Dementia	0
Cancer	47

doctor visit	277

**Gender**
Male	104
Female	104

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	176
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	126
From 75 to 84	46
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	53
High Cholesterol	39
Stroke	12
Ischemic Heart Disease	27
Depression	26
Chronic Kidney Disease	31
Asthma	0
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	12
Heart Failure	0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	13
Diabetes	31
Dementia	0
Cancer	43

doctor visit	372

**Gender**
Male	74
Female	62

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	118
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	80
From 75 to 84	28
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	60
High Cholesterol	35
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	51
Depression	24
Chronic Kidney Disease	39
Asthma	15
Osteoperosis	10
Atrial Fibrilation	10
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	18
Diabetes	26
Dementia	0
Cancer	47

doctor visit	361

**Gender**
Male	80
Female	79

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	134
Black	0
Hispanic	11
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	95
From 75 to 84	39
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	61
High Cholesterol	27
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	48
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	38
Asthma	11
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	8
Heart Failure	11
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	31
Dementia	0
Cancer	43

doctor visit	311

**Gender**
Male	86
Female	64

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	129
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	96
From 75 to 84	35
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	59
High Cholesterol	37
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	40
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	39
Asthma	13
Osteoperosis	0
Atrial Fibrilation	7
Heart Failure	9
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15
Diabetes	26
Dementia	0
Cancer	46

doctor visit	247

**Gender**
Male	70
Female	62

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	102
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	73
From 75 to 84	38
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	57
High Cholesterol	35
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	45
Depression	28
Chronic Kidney Disease	42
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	13
Atrial Fibrilation	0
Heart Failure	17
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	11
Diabetes	30
Dementia	0
Cancer	47

doctor visit	282

**Gender**
Male	69
Female	60

**Ethnicity**
Non-Hispanic White	110
Black	0
Hispanic	0
Asian	0
Other	0
Native American	0

**Age**
From 65 to 74	72
From 75 to 84	36
85 and over	0
Less than 65	0

Hypertension	58
High Cholesterol	42
Stroke	0
Ischemic Heart Disease	50
Depression	27
Chronic Kidney Disease	45
Asthma	9
Osteoperosis	9
Atrial Fibrilation	9
Heart Failure	18
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	16
Diabetes	34
Dementia	10
Cancer	40

doctor visit	646

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2013 - 2021

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD for Medicare patients.

doctor visit	335

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2013 - 2021

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD.

**Gender**
Male	57
Female	52

**Ethnicity**
Black / African American	0
Asian / Pacific Islander	0
Non-Hispanic White	91
Native American / Alaskan Native	0
Hispanic	1
Other	0

**Age**
75 to 84	24
85 and over	0
Less than 65	2
65 to 74	64

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD From 2013 - 2021

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD treated were hypertension, cancer, ischemic heart disease and chronic kidney disease.

Hypertension	47
High Cholesterol	29
Stroke	1
Ischemic Heart Disease	31
Depression	21
Chronic Kidney Disease	30
Asthma	5
Osteoporosis	5
Heart Failure	6
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	9
Diabetes	23
Atrial Fibrillation	4
Cancer	35
Dementia	1

Education & Training

Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1998. He completed residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has a state license in Colorado.

Medical School: Harvard Medical School (1998)

Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital (2001)

Licensed In: Colorado

Affiliations & Hospitals

Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:

UCHealth

University of Colorado Medicine

UNIVERSITY PHYSICIANS INCORPORATED

UCHealth Cancer Care - Anschutz Medical Campus - University of Colorado Cancer Center

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General Payments

These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.

**Payments by Company**
Pfizer Inc.	$8,237 NonCovered Product $6,400	$1,837
Amgen Inc.	$6,600 $6,600
Gilead Sciences Inc	$4,500 $4,500
PFIZER INTERNATIONAL LLC	$3,859 $3,859
Taiho Oncology, Inc.	$2,644 TAS-102 $2,644
Other	$1,239 IMFINZI $50	$1,189

**Types of Payments**
Consulting Fee	$19,720
Compensation for services other than consulting, including serving as faculty or as a speaker at a venue other than a continuing education program	$6,564
Food and Beverage	$426
Travel and Lodging	$369

Research Payments

Dr. Wells Messersmith, MD has received 486 research payments totaling $7,787,951.

Biography

Dr. Wells Messersmith is a specialist in adult oncology and medical oncology. He works in Aurora, CO, Lone Tree, CO, and Highlands Ranch, CO. He has a special interest in anal cancer, internal medicine, and pancreatic cancer. He attended medical school at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Messersmith's training includes a residency program at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Messersmith's hospital/clinic affiliations include UCHealth and the University of Colorado Medicine. He has an open panel in Highlands Ranch, CO according to Doctor.com.