Ellie Maghami, M.D.

"Best in the field and yet the most humble human being there is.” — Patient

Ellie Maghami, M.D., is chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at City of Hope, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Her team offers patients the latest in evidenced based care, access to modern technologies, supportive care medicine and leading-edge research, with a fierce commitment to outstanding personalized care. She is a diplomat of the Council for Advanced Training in Oncologic Head & Neck Surgery and has broad clinical expertise, with special interest in thyroid, aerodigestive and salivary cancers. She is proficient in minimally invasive surgery techniques utilizing laser and robotic technologies. Her research interests involve robotic technologies, molecular profiling of tumors and complementary targeted and immune therapy approaches to management. She is an active member of the American Head and Neck Society and has served its many committees. Dr. Maghami has the honor and distinction of being The Norman and Sadie Lee Foundation Endowed Professor in Head and Neck Cancer. She is a surgical leader on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Head & Neck Cancers Guideline Committee.

• Vo K, Ladbury C, Tam A, Maghami E, Kang R, Villaflor V, Agulnik M, Gernon T, Glaser S, Amini A. "Implications of Updated Staging System for p16+ Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Is Valuable Prognostic Information Being Omitted?" Head Neck. 2023 Jun 22 doi: 10.1002/hed.27436. Online ahead of print.
• Afkhami M, Maghami E, Gernon TJ, Villaflor V, Bell D. Wolf in sheep's clothing - Oral proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: Progression with longitudinal molecular insights. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2023 Apr;63:152104. doi: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2023.152104. Epub 2023 Jan 6. PMID: 36640643.
• Cao S, Hung YW, Wang YC, Chung Y, Qi Y, Ouyang C, Zhong X, Hu W, Coblentz A, Maghami E, Sun Z, Lin HH, Ann DK. Glutamine is essential for overcoming the immunosuppressive microenvironment in malignant salivary gland tumors. Theranostics. 2022 Aug 8;12(13):6038-6056. doi: 10.7150/thno.73896. PMID: 35966597; PMCID: PMC9373812.
• Ladbury C, Liu J, Nelson R, Amini A, Maghami E, Sampath S. Prognostic Impact of Primary Tumor Extent and Postoperative Radiation Facility Location in Major Salivary Gland Malignancies. Cureus. 2022 Apr 11;14(4):e24038. doi: 10.7759/ Cureus. 2022 Apr 11;14(4):e24038. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24038. PMID: 35547406; PMCID: PMC9090204.
• Pharaon RR, Gernon T, Chang S, Vora N, Villaflor VM, Bell D, Afkhami M, Amini A, Sampath S, Kang R, Maghami EG, Massarelli E. Prolonged response to checkpoint inhibitor therapy in two metastatic mucoepidermoid salivary gland carcinoma cases: a research report. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud. 2022 Apr 28;8(3):a006189. doi: 10.1101/mcs.a006189. Print 2022 Apr. PMID: 35483880
• Caudell JJ, Gillison ML, Maghami E, et al. NCCCN Guidelines Insights: Head and Neck Cancers, version 1.2022. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2022;20:224-234.
• Maghami E, Afkhami M, Villaflor V, Bell D. Heterotopic SMARCB1-deficient high-grade transformed/dedifferentiated acinic cell carcinoma and sine-qua-non radiology-pathology with TNM challenge. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2022 Apr;57:151900. doi: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.151900. Epub 2022 Jan 21.PMID: 35077953
• Ladbury CJ, Liu JR, Nelson R, Maghami E, Amini A, Sampath S. Postoperative Radiation Performed at the Same Surgical Facility Associated With Improved Overall Survival in T4 Major Salivary Gland Cancers, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. 111 (2021) e414–e415. November 01, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobpb.2021.07.1190.
• Shinde A, Jones B, Luu M, Li R, Glaser S, Massarelli E, Freeman M, Gernon T, Maghami E, Kang R, Zumsteg Z, Karam SD, Amini A. Factors predictive of 90-day mortality after surgical resection for oral cavity cancer: Development of a recursive partitioning analysis for risk stratification. Head Neck. 2021 Sep;43(9):2731-2739. doi: 10.1002/hed.26740. Epub 2021 May 19.PMID: 34013577
• Ho AS, Luu M, Barrios L, Balzer BL, Bose S, Fan X, Walgama E, Mallen-St Clair J, Alam U, Shafqat I, Lin DC, Chen Y, Van Eyk JE, Maghami EG, Braunstein GD, Sacks WL, Zumsteg ZS. Prognostic Impact of Histologic Grade for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Mar;28(3):1731-1739. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-09023-2. Epub 2020 Aug 17. PMID: 32808161
• Banapour P, Yuh B, Chenam A, Shen JK, Ruel N, Han ES, Kim JY, Maghami EG, Pigazzi A, Raz DJ, Singh GP, Wakabayashi M, Woo Y, Fong Y, Lau CS. Readmission and Complications after Robotic Surgery – Experience of 10,000 Operations at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Journal of Robotic Surgery. J Robot Surg. 2021 Feb;15(1):37-44. doi: 10.1007/s11701-020-01077-4. Epub 2020 Apr 10.PMID: 32277400
• Moreira D, Sampath S, Won H, White SV, Su YL, Alcantara M, Wang C, Lee P, Maghami E, Massarelli E, Kortylewski M. Myeloid cell-targeted STAT3 inhibition sensitizes head and neck cancers to radiotherapy and T cell-mediated immunity. J Clin Invest. 2021 Jan 19;131(2):e137001. doi: 10.1172/JCI137001. PMID: 33232304
• Pharaon R, Chung S, Amini A, Maghami E, Chowdhury A, Vora N, Chang S, Kang R, Gernon T, Hansen K, Kelly C, Ackerman D, Vora L, Sampath S, Massarelli E. An Analysis and Comparison of Survival and Functional Outcomes in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy within City of Hope Cancer Center Sites. J Clin Med. 2020 Sep 24;9(10):3083. doi: 10.3390/jcm9103083. PMID: 32987866
• Bonjoc KJ, Young H, Warner S, Gernon T, Maghami E, Chaudhry A. Thyroid cancer diagnosis in the era of precision imaging. Journal of Thoracic Disease. J Thorac Dis. 2020 Sep;12(9):5128-5139. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2019.08.37. PMID: 33145090
• Maghami E, Ismaila N, Alvarez A, Chernock R, Duvvuri U, Geiger J, Gross N, Haughey B, Paul D, Rodriguez C, Sher D, Stambuk HE, Waldron J, Witek M, Caudell J. Diagnosis and Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary in the Head and Neck: ASCO Guideline. Journal of Clinical Oncology J Clin Oncol. 2020 Aug 1;38(22):2570-2596. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.00275. Epub 2020 Apr 23. PMID: 32324430
• Pfister DG, Spencer S, Adelstein D, Adkins D, Anzai Y, Brizel DM, Bruce JY, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Eisele DW, Fenton M, Foote RL, Galloway T, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Hicks WL, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Leizman D, Maghami E, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Rocco JW, Rodriguez CP, Shah JP, Weber RS, Weinstein G, Witek M, Worden F, Yom SS, Zhen W, Burns JL, Darlow SD. Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network: JNCCN. 2020 Jul;18(7):873-898. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2020.0031. PMID: 32634781
• Banapour P, Yuh B, Chenam A, Shen JK, Ruel N, Han ES, Kim JY, Maghami EG, Pigazzi A, Raz DJ, Singh GP, Wakabayashi M, Woo Y, Fong Y, Lau CS. Readmission and Complications after Robotic Surgery – Experience of 10,000 Operations at a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Journal of Robotic Surgery. J Robot Surg. 2020 Apr 10. doi: 10.1007/s11701-020-01077-4. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 32277400
• Amini A, Verma V, Li R, Vora N, Kang R, Gernon TJ, Chang S, Karam S, Massarelli E, Maghami EG, Glaser S. Factors predicting for patient refusal of head and neck cancer therapy. Head Neck. 2020 Jan;42(1);33-42. Doi: 10. 1002/hed.25966. Epub 2019 Oct 4. PMID: 31584746
• Güneri P, Maghami E, Boyacıoğlu H, Ho AS, Epstein JB (March 25, 2019) Outcomes of surgical management of dysplastic oral mucosal lesions versus observation: A systematic analysis. Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 4: DOI: 10.15761/OHNS.1000201
• Amini A, Stokes WA, Jones BL, Sampath S, Kang RS, Gernon TJ, Maghami EG, Massarelli E, Bradley CJ, Karam SD. Postoperative radiation performed at the same surgical facility associated with improved overall survival in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma, Head and Neck. Jan (2019). PMID: 30737961
• Salehian B, Liem SY, Mojazi Amiri H, Maghami E. Clinical Trials in Management of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma; Progressions and Set Backs: A Systematic Review. Int J Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jan 13;17(1) doi: 10.5812/ijem.67759. PMID: 30881466
• Sampath S, Won H, Massarelli E, Li M, Frankel P, Vora N, Maghami E, Kortylewski M. Combined modality radiation therapy promotes tolerogenic myeloid cell populations and STAT3-related gene expression in head and neck cancer patients, Oncotarget. 9(2018) 11279-11290. PMID: 29541413
• Radioguided Occult Lesion Localization in Surgery for Recurrent Thyroid Cancer and Review of Literature. Submitted to the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery JOTo-D-17-00115 October 30, 2017
• Adelstein D, Gillison ML, Pfister DG, Spencer S, Adkins D, Brizel DM, Burtness B, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Eisele DW, Fenton M, Foote RL, Gilbert J, Haddad RI, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Leizman D, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Rocco J, Rodriguez CP, Shah JP, Weber RS, Witek M, Worden F, Yom SS, Zhen W, Burns JL, Darlow SD.J Natl Compr Canc Netw. NCCN Guidelines Insights: Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2017. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2017 Jun;15(6):761-770. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2017.0101. PMID: 28596256
• Song J, Maghami E, Wu H, Kim Y, Weisenburger D, Levine A, Nademanee A. Rapid Development of HPV-Mediated Squamous Carcinoma Following Transplantation for Hodgkin Lymphoma. Human Pathology: Case Reports. June 2017
• Lewis AG, Tong T, Maghami E. Diagnosis and Management of Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors of the Parotid Gland. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2016 Apr; 49(2):343-80. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2015.11.001. Review. PMID: 27040585
• Mortimer JE, Popplewell L, Lai LL, Maghami E, Challenges in the Implementation of Survivorship Care Plans in an NCI-Designated Cancer Center. Economou DJ Clin Oncol. 2016 Jan 20;34(3_suppl):68. PMID: 28151213
• Lewis A, Kang R, Levine A, Maghami E. The New Face of Head and Neck Cancer: The HPV Epidemic. Oncology (Williston Park). 2015 Sep; 29(9):616-26. Review. PMID: 26384796
• Pfister DG, Spencer S, Brizel DM, Burtness B, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Foote RL, Gilbert J, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Haughey BH, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, McCaffrey T, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Rodriguez CP, Samant S, Shah JP, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F, Yom SS, McMillian N, Hughes M. Head and Neck Cancers, Version 1.2015. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2015 Jul;13(7):847-55; quiz 856. PMID: 26150579
• Chen BT, Jain AB, Dagis A, Chu P, Vora L, Maghami E, Salehian B. Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided Core Needle Biopsy versus Fine Needle Aspiration for Evaluating Thyroid Nodules. Endocr Pract. 2015 Feb;21(2):128-35. doi: 10.4158/EP14303.OR. PMID: 25297665
• Pfister DG, Spencer S, Brizel DM, Burtness B, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Gilbert J, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Haughey BH, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Martins R, McCaffrey T, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Rodriguez CP, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F, Yom SS, McMillian NR, Hughes M. Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2014. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2014 Oct; 12(10):1454-87. PMID: 25313184
• Dhillon V, Peiguo C, Maghami E, Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma in a Thyroglossal Duct Cyst in an Adult Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature, 2014.
• Pfister DG, Ang KK, Brizel DM, Burtness BA, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Gilbert J, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Haughey BH, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcok YJ, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Matins R, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, PintoHA, Ridge JA, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F, Yom SS, McMillian NR, Hughes M. Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2013. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2013 August 1; 11(8):917-923. PMID: 23946171
• Berano Teh J, Sun C-L, Wilczynski S, Epstein J, Spielberger R, Maghami E, Landier W, Francisco L, Armenian SH, Wong FL, Forman SJ, Bhatia S. “Human Papillomavirus (HPV) - attributable Subsequent Neoplasms (SNs) after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT) – a potentially preventable outcome.” Oral Presentation at the upcoming American Society of Hematology meeting. Blood Journals, November 2012.
• Epstein JB, Thariat J, Bensadoun RJ, Barasch A, Murphy BA, Kolnick L, Popplewell L, Maghami E. CA Cancer J Clin. Oral complications of cancer and cancer therapy: from cancer treatment to survivorship. 2012 Nov-Dec;62(6):400-22. doi: 10.3322/caac.21157. Epub 2012 Sep 12. Review.
• Reinstadler DR, Dadwal S, Maghami E. Case Rep Otolaryngol. 2012; 2012:517415. Cryptococcal tongue lesion in a stem cell transplant patient: first reported case. Doi: 10.1155/2012/517415. Epub 2012 Jul 17.
• Pfister DG, Ang KK, Brizel DM, Burtness B, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Gilbert J, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Haughey BH, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcok YJ, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Martins R, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Samant S, Sanguineti G, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A 3rd, Weber RS, Wolf G, Worden F; Mucosal melanoma of the head and neck. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. J Natl Cmpr Canc Netw.2012 Mar; 10(3):320-38. No abstract available.
• Pfister DG, Ang KK, Brizel DM, Burtness BA, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Gilbert J, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Haughey BH, Hicks WL Jr, Hitchcock YJ, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Martins R, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Samant S, Sanguineti G, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A 3rd, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F; NCCN National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Head and neck cancers. National Comprehensive Concer Network. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2011 Jun 1;9(6):596-650. Review. No abstract available. Erratum in: J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2011 Jul;9(7): xxxiii.
• Barrese JL, Lau S, Chen BT, Maghami E. Nonparotid parapharyngeal oncocytoma: a case report and literature review. Head Neck. 2010 Jun;32(6):800-5.
• Ma QD, Grimm K, Paz BI, Maghami E. Transoral Surgical Approach for Retropharyngeal Node Involvement in I-131-Negative 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography-Positive Recurrent Thyroid Cancer. Skull Base 2009 Nov;19(6):431-6.
• Artinyan A, Guzman E, Maghami E, Al Sayed, M, D’Apuzzo M, Wagman L, Kim J. Multi-modal management of metastatic parathyroid carcinoma to the liver using radiofrequency ablation and transcatheter arterial embolization. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Volume 26, Number 24, August 20, 2008.
• Forastiere AA, Ang KK, Brizel D, Brockstein BE, Burtness BA, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Goepfert H, Hicks WL Jr, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, Martins R, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pfister DG, Pinto HA, Posner MR, Ridge JA, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A 3rd, Weber RS, Wolf GT, Worden F. Head and neck cancers. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2008 Aug;6(7):646-95. No abstract available.
• Roberts M, Maghami E, Kandeel F, Yamauchi D, Ellenhorn HL, Ellenhorn J. The Role of Positron Emission Tomography Scanning in Patients with Radioactive Iodine Scan-Negative, Recurrent Differentiated Thyroid Cancer. The American Surgeon, Volume 73, Number 10, October 2007, pp. 1052-1056(5).
• Maghami EG, Talbot SG, Patel SG, Singh B, Polluri A, Bridger PG, Cantu G, Cheesman AD, Sa GD, Donald P, Dos Santos LR, Fliss D, Gullane P, Janecka I, Kamata SE, Kowalski LP, Kraus DH, Levine PA, Pradhan S, Schramm V, Snyderman C, Wei WI, Shah JP. Craniofacial surgery for nonmelanoma skin malignancy: Report of an international collaborative study. Head Neck. 2007 Aug 31;
• Ganly I, Talbot SG, Carlson D, Viale A, Maghami E, Osman I, Sherman EJ, Pfister D, Chuai S, Shaha AR, Kraus D, Shah JP, Socci ND, Singh B. Identification of Angiogenesis/Metastases Genes Predicting Chemoradiotherapy Response In Patients With Laryngopharyngeal Carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Apr 10;25(11):1369-76
• Sarkaria I, O-Charoenrat P, Talbot SG, Reddy PG, Ngai I, Maghami E, Patel KN, Lee B, Yonekawa Y, Dudas M, Kaufman A, Ryan R, Ghossein R, Rao PH, Stoffel A, Ramanathan Y, Singh B. Squamous Cell Carcinoma Related Oncogene/DCUN1D1 Is Highly Conserved and Activated by Amplification in Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Cancer Res. 2006 Oct 1;66(19):9437-44.
• Patel KN, Maghami E, Wreesmann VB, Shaha AR, Shah JP, Ghossein R, Singh B. MUC1 plays a role in tumor maintenance in aggressive thyroid carcinomas. Surgery. 2005 Dec;138(6):994-1001
• Forastiere AA, Ang K, Brizel D, Brockstein BE, Dunphy F, Eisele DW, Goepfert H, Hicks WL Jr, Kies MS, Lydiatt WM, Maghami E, McCaffrey T, Mittal BB, Pfister, DG, Pinto HA, Posner MR, Ridge JA, Samant S, Schuller DE, Shah JP, Spencer S, Trotti A 3rd, Wheeler RH 3rd, Wolf GT, Worden F, Yueh B; National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Head and neck cancers. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2005 May;3(3):316-91.
• Talbot SG, Estilo C, Maghami E, Sarkaria IS, Pham DK, P Oc, Socci ND, Ngai I, Carlson D, Ghossein R, Viale A, Park BJ, Rusch VW, Singh B. Gene expression profiling allows distinction between primary and metastatic squamous cell carcinomas in the lung. Cancer Res 2005 April 15;65(8):3063-3071.
• Maghami EG, St-John M, Bhuta S, Abemayor E. Postirradiation sarcoma: a case report and current review. Am J Otolaryngol 2005 Jan-Feb;26(1):71-74.
• Maghami E, Kraus DH. Cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2004 June;4(3):411-424.
• Lai A, Maghami E, Borges A, Bonyadilou S, Curran J, Abemayor E, Lufkin R. MRI-guided access to the retropharynx. J Magn Reson Imaging 2003 Mar;17(3):317-322.
• St John MA, Maghami EG, Bhuta S, Lufkin RB, Abemayor E. Radiology quiz case 1. Vascular leiomyoma of the larynx. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002 Nov;128(11):1330, 1332-1333.
• Azizzadeh B, Enayati P, Chhetri D, Maghami E, Larian B, Blackwell KE, Abemayor E, Calcaterra TC. Long-term survival outcome in transhyoid resection of base of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;128:1067-1070.
• Maghami EG, Bonyadlou S, Larian B, Borges A, Abemayor E, Lufkin RB. Magnetic resonance imaging--guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies of retropharyngeal lesions. Laryngoscope 2001;111:2218-2224.
• Maghami EG, Shapiro NL, Nelson S. Quiz case 1. Gastric heterotopia. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;126:676, 680.
• Bohne BA, Maghami EG, Bahadori RS, Harding GW. The role of micro-noise trauma in the etiology of aging-related changes in the inner ear. Hear Res 1998;124:132-145.