[7] By demonstrating that a combination-chemotherapy regimen could be successful, DeVita established the basis for further combination therapies, which became a mainstay of cancer treatment.

[3][7] In addition, in collaboration with George Canellos, DeVita developed the combination chemotherapy CMF, which still remains a useful therapy for breast cancer.

[11] In 1980, DeVita was appointed Director of the NCI and the National Cancer Program by President Jimmy Carter,[6][12] a position he held until 1988.

[13] From January 1989 to 1993, DeVita was Physician-in-Chief and Attending Physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he was part of the program for Molecular Pharmacology.

[3][17][18][15] He was a participant in Ken Burns' 2015 PBS documentary Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies,[19] which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

[18][20] Ted's situation, and that of David Vetter, inspired the 1976 TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble starring John Travolta.