Avyakta Kallam, M.D.

Akyavta Kallam, M.D., found her calling in medicine following in the footsteps of her mother, who is a gynecologist. Dr. Kallam’s specialty in oncology/hematology gives her the privilege of making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and families. As a physician-scientist, she embraces the chance to be part of leading-edge research and see the benefits firsthand. As an oncologist/hematologist specializing in lymphoma, she has experience and expertise in novel immunotherapies, CAR T cell therapy and stem cell transplantation. Her research is focused on developing and evaluating novel immunotherapies and targeted therapies for the treatment of non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma

When Dr. Kallam became part of City of Hope’s faculty in 2023, she had co-authored 41 peer-reviewed scientific studies, was the principal investigator of four ongoing clinical trials and was a sub-investigator on 22 more. She has published articles about precision medicine and targeted therapies in the journals New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet Oncology and Expert Review of Hematology. She also contributes to care guidelines for blood cancers through her service on panels of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Before City of Hope, she was an assistant professor of hematology/oncology at the University of Nebraska.

Away from the lab and clinic, Dr. Kallam likes to travel, practice yoga, explore new cuisines and spend time with family.

Awards

• 2017, American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement Award
• 2016, Conquer Cancer Foundation Oncology Trainee Award

Memberships

• 2016-present, American Society of Physicians
• 2014-present, American Society of Clinical Oncology
• 2014-present, American Society of Hematology

• Muir K., Kallam A, Koepsell SA, Gundabolu K. 2021. Thrombotic thrombocytopenia after Ad26. COV2. S vaccination. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(20), pp.1964-1965.
• Krishnan M, Bociek RG, Fanale M, Iyer SP, Lechowicz MJ, Bierman PJ, Armitage JO, Lunning M, Kallam A, Vose JM. 2022. Phase 1 trial of carfilzomib in relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Annals of hematology, 101(2), pp.335-340.
• Wang ML, Barrientos JC, Furman RR, Mei M, Barr PM, Choi MY, de Vos S, Kallam A, Patel K, Kipps TJ, Rule S. 2021. Zilovertamab vedotin targeting of ROR1 as therapy for lymphoid cancers. NEJM Evidence. October 2021.
• Smith AL, Eiken AP, Skupa SA, Moore DY, Kallam A, D'Angelo C, Bociek GR, Lunning MA, Vose JM, Powell B, Bollag G. 2021. BET Inhibition As a Targeted Epigenetic Approach to Reverse T Cell Dysfunction in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Blood, 138, p.3715.
• Gundabolu K, Bhatt VR, Smith LM, Shostrom VK, Maness LJ, Al-Kadhimi ZS, Vose JM, Bociek RG, Lunning MA, Kallam A, D'Angelo C. 2021. Thrombosis Prophylaxis with Apixaban in Patients Treated with Asparaginase. Blood, 138, p.1069.
• Elnair R, Ellithi M, Kallam A, Shostrom V, Bociek RG. 2021. Outcomes of Richter’s transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL): an analysis of the SEER database. Annals of Hematology, 100(10), pp.2513-2519.
• Griffiths EA, Alwan LM, Bachiashvili K, Brown A, Cool R, Curtin P, Geyer MB, Gojo I, Kallam A, Kidwai WZ, Kloth DD. Considerations for Use of Hematopoietic Growth Factors in Patients With Cancer Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 2020 Sep 1;1(aop):1-4.
• Kallam A, Hansen N, Bierman P. Central Nervous System Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder: Response to Ibrutinib. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia. 2020 Jul 22. S2152-2650.
• Kallam A, Adusumalli J, Fu K, Armitage JO. Circulating tumor DNA in lymphomas: Era of precision medicine. Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy. 2020 Feb 15;e81.
• Thiel G, Schmit-Pokorny K, Swanson D, Jourdan D, Franco T, Shostrom VK, Armitage JO, Bierman PJ, Bociek RG, Kallam A, Vose JM. Assessment of Time to Insurance Approval and Distance Traveled in Patients Treated with CAR T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2020;1:26(3):S272.
• Kallam A, Adusumalli J, Armitage JO. Surveillance in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2020; 95 (1): 157-163.
• Kallam A, Armitage JO. Contemporary strategies to improve outcomes for peripheral T-cell lymphoma patients following the failure of first-line therapy. Expert Review of Hematology. 2020 Jun 1:1-9.
• Becker PS, Griffiths EA, Alwan LM, Bachiashvili K, Brown A, Cool R, Curtin P, Dinner S, Gojo I, Hicks A, Kallam A, Pulchino L. 2020. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Hematopoietic Growth Factors, Version 1.2020: Featured Updates to the NCCN Guidelines. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 18(1):12-22.
• Ermann DA, Vardell VA, Kallam A, Silberstein PT, Armitage, JO. Academic Centers Compared to Non-Academic Centers in IPI Risk Stratified DLBCL Patients: A Survival Outcomes Analysis. Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia. 2019; 20(4) e174-183.
• Kallam A, Vose JM. SOHO State of the Art Updates and Next Questions: Recent advances in CAR-T cell therapy for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia. 2019; 9(12):751-757.
• Kallam A. Prophylaxis of central nervous system relapse in patients with lymphoma. Clinical advances in hematology & oncology. 2019;17(12), 674.
• Paustian B, Bierman PJ, Bociek RG, Kallam A, Baljevic M, Holstein SA, Lunning MA. Assessment of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation-Specific Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) As a Predictor for Higher Level of Care after Discharge for Patients Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma and Lymphoma. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2019; 25(3), S132-S133.
• Kallam A, Vose JM. Hope After Salvage Therapy Fails: Novel Agents for Relapsed/Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma. Leukemia & Lymphoma. 2019; 33(5).
• Kallam A, Armitage JO. Venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a possible cure? The Lancet Oncology 2018; 19(9): 1143-1144.
• Coutu B, Kallam A, Lunning MA, Bociek RG, Bierman PJ, Vose JM, Armitage JO, Enke CA. Accelerated Fractionated Compared to Conventional Fractionated Salvage Radiation Therapy Improves Outcomes in Salvage Chemotherapy Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. International Journal of Radiation Oncology. 2019;105(1): S249-S250.
• Kallam A, Witzig TE, Roschewski MJ, Lyden E, Lunning MA, Bierman PJ, Bociek RG, Armitage JO, Vose JM. Phase II multi-center study of ruxolitinib phosphate for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019; 37(15): Suppl: e19063-e19063
• Wookey VB, Appiah AK, Kallam A, Ernani V, Smith LM, Ganti AK. HPV status and survival in non-oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Anticancer Research. 2019;39(4):1907-1914.
• Tandra P, Kallam A, Krishnamurthy J. Identification and management of lymphedema in patients with breast cancer. Journal of oncology practice. 2019;15(5):255-262.
• Ermann DA, Noble VV, Kallam A, Armitage JO. Academic Centers Are Associated with Improved Survival Outcomes in High Risk Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients. Blood. 132 (1)(s) 4747-4748.
• Umakanthan JM, Dhakal P, Gundabolu K, Kallam A, Almquist DR, Bhatt VR. Initial management of immune thrombocytopaenia in adults based on risk stratification. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2019;95(1128):558.
• Kommalapati A, Kallam A, Krishnamurthy J, Tella SH, Koppala J, Tandra PK. Upper Limb Phlegmasia Cerulea Dolens Secondary to Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia Leading to Gangrene. Cureus. 2018;10(6).
• Kallam A, Armitage JO. Current and emerging treatment options for a patient with a second relapse of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Expert review of hematology. 2018; 11(4) 293-300.
• Rana S, Holland J, Marquez C, Kallam A, Armitage JO, Sanghvi P. Gray Zone Coping with Knife: Post-operative management of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma. International Journal of Radiation Oncology. 2017; 100; 547-548
• Kallam A, Ganti AK. Bevacizumab in extensive disease small cell lung cancer: the search continues. Transitional Cancer Research. 2017;6(3).
• Wookey V, Appiah A, Kallam A, Ernani V, Smith LM, Ganti AK. Clinical behavior of stage IVC squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Journal of clinical oncology. 2017;e17511-e17511.
• Kallam A, Bierman PJ, Bociek RG. Kikuchi’s Disease Masquerading as Refractory Lymphoma. Journal of Oncology Practice. 2016;12 (1):94-96.
• Tandra P, Kallam A, Guduru M, Bendi VS, Krishnamurthy J, Bierman PJ. Paraneoplastic Manifestations of Lymphoproliferative Neoplasms. Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemias. 2016;6:21.
• Kallam A, Armitage JO, Chen B, Vose JM, Bhatt VR. Center Effect and Socioeconomic Determinants of Overall Survival (OS) of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). Blood. 2016;128(22):5949-5949.
• Umakanthan JM, Maness L, Luo J, Kallam A, Armitage JO, Bierman PJ, Vose JM, Bociek RG, Lunning MA, Gundabolu K, Bhatt VR, Safety and Efficacy of Enoxaparin Prophylaxis in Adults Receiving Peg-Asparaginase Containing Induction Regimens for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Blood. 2016;128(22):5154-5154.
• Kallam A, Alsop B, Sharma P. Limitations of ablation therapy in Barrett’s Esophagus. Expert review of gastroenterology & hepatology. 2015;9(4):487-496.
• Kallam A, Singla A, Silberstein P. Pantoprazole induced thrombocytopenia. Platelets. 2015;26(6):598-601.
• Kallam A, Krishnamurthy J, Shonka N. A case of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Rare tumors. 2015;7(4):130-132.