James R. Knister, MD

Originally from the Midwest, I was raised in Southern California and graduated with honors from the University of California, Irvine’s College of Medicine.

I served for two years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service before completing my medical specialty training at the Oregon Health Sciences University. I joined Queen of the Valley Medical Center’s (QVMC) staff as a board-certified Radiation Oncologist in 1988. In addition to my role as a physician, I am currently the medical director of radiation oncology at QVMC and the Cancer Liaison Physician to the American College of Surgeons for the Queen’s cancer program. I am also the President of the Radiology Medical Group of Napa, which has provided Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiology services to QVMC and the Napa community on an uninterrupted basis for over 50 years. In 2008 and 2009, I served as the Queen’s Chief of the Medical Staff and I have been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Queen of the Valley Charitable Foundation since 2001.

The management of cancer is constantly evolving, with exciting new technologies and treatments that have the goal of optimizing a patient’s quality of life and are designed to cure, when possible. I enjoy the medical challenges that each case brings, and I feel fortunate and honored to be part of my patients’ care and their journey. At a time when treatment plans are very complex and can cross many specialties, my goal is to provide honest communication and a clear understanding of the goals and expectations of therapies. I am blessed to be surrounded by the like-minded care providers that make up our Radiation Oncology team.

I am a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the California Medical Association. My wife and I raised our two sons in Napa. We feel privileged to be a continuing part of this wonderful community.