Dani Castillo, M.D.
- Hematology-Oncology
- Gastrointestinal Cancers
- Esophageal Cancer
- Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research
Medical oncologist Dani Castillo, M.D., was inspired to become a physician by the experience of a family member diagnosed with cancer. City of Hope®’s patient-centered culture and ample research opportunities drew her to join the staff. In her view, she and each of her patients form a team. Her goal is to understand their values and to enable them to make well-informed decisions about their care. Dr. Castillo sees patients in Duarte, California, and is fluent in English, Mandarin, Spanish and German.
After her medical training, Dr. Castillo conducted stem cell transplantation research as a postdoctoral fellow at University of California, San Diego, and lung cancer investigations as a research associate at University of Southern California. She has been recognized with a Merit Award at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting and an Abstract Achievement Award at the 2012 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition. When she came on board at City of Hope in 2023, she had a dozen peer-reviewed scientific publications to her credit, including studies in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Blood. She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Castillo's clinical interests are primarily centered around clinical trials in esophageal and gastric cancers. "I am fortunate to collaborate with world-class surgeons who specialize in these areas. Together, we emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to provide comprehensive treatment for patients diagnosed with these conditions."
Away from the lab and the clinic, Dr. Castillo enjoys Zumba, traveling and watching NBA games.
Location
Duarte Cancer Center
Duarte, CA 91010
Education & Experience
Degrees
- 2010, M.D., Medizinische Fakultät Heidelberg, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany
Fellowship
- 2020–2023, Hematology/Oncology, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
Residency
- 2017–2020, Internal Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center/Englewood Hackensack, New Jersey
Professional Experience
- 2023–present, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, City of Hope, Duarte, California
Awards & Memberships
Awards
- 2019, Department of Medicine Leadership Award, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
- 2018, NJ Society of Hospital Medicine Poster Competition Award
- 2013–2015, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Research Fellowship
- 2012, American Society of Hematology Abstract Achievement
Memberships
- The American Society of Hematology
- The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, Chief Resident
- The International Society for Stem Cell Research
- Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Core Program Committee
- American Society of Medical Oncology
- International Society for Hematology and Stem Cells
- International Society for Stem Cell Research
- International Journal of Experimental and Clinical Transplantation, Editor
Publications
Liu L, Hadyah S, Park A, Akhtari M, Scott J, Ran-Castillo D, Chong E, Koh H, Oregel K, Khandelwal K, Demisse R. Leukemic infiltration of the optic nerve in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A case report and review of literature. Leuk Res Rep. 2023 Aug 28;20:100391. doi: 10.1016/j.lrr.2023.100391. eCollection 2023. PMID: 37711672
Jeon WJ, Dalal S, Moon JH, Joung B, Nguyen M, Castillo D, Hudson J, Park K, Raghavan R, Akhtari M, Patel A. Leukostasis With Isolated Central Nervous System Involvement in Chronic Phase of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. J Hematol. 2023 Aug;12(4):187-196. doi: 10.14740/jh1150. Epub 2023 Aug 8. PMID: 37692864
Brothers J, Castillo DR, Jeon WJ, Joung B, Linhares Y. Partial response to venetoclax and ruxolitinib combination in a case of refractory T-prolymphocytic leukemia. Hematology. 2023 Dec;28(1):2237342. doi: 10.1080/16078454.2023.2237342. PMID: 37485976
Jeon WJ, Joung B, Moon JH, Hino C, Park D, Pham B, Castillo DR, Chong E, Kaur S, Grismore C, Cao H. An innovative intervention for the prevention of vaso-occlusive episodes in sickle cell disease. Hematology. 2023 Dec;28(1):2215575. doi: 10.1080/16078454.2023.2215575. PubMed PMID: 37227254.
Kulkarni AA, Hennessy C, Wilson G, Ramesh V, Hwang C, Awosika J, Bakouny Z, Khan H, Vilar-Compte D, McKay R, Jani C, Weissmann L, Griffiths E, Batist G, Bouganim N, Mavromatis B, Bashir B, Nguyen RH, Riess JW, Puc M, Kasi A, Berg S, Castillo DR, Hayes-Lattin B, Hosmer W, Flora D, Mishra S, French B, Warner JL, Lopes G, Peters S, Florez N. Brief Report: Impact of Anti-Cancer Treatments on Outcomes of COVID-19 in Patients With Thoracic Cancers: A CCC19 Registry Analysis. Clin Lung Cancer. 2024 Apr 10:S1525-7304(24)00044-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2024.04.003. PMID: 38744613
Jeon WJ, Park D, Al-Manaseer F, Chen YJ, Kim JY, Liu B, Wu S, Castillo D. Survival and Treatment Patterns in Stage II to III Esophageal Cancer. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Oct 1;7(10):e2440568. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40568. PMID: 39432303
Misra S, Szeto W, Centeno L, Castillo D, Rucker A, Rahmanuddin S, Mannan R. SMARCA4 Deficient Gastric Carcinoma With Squamous Differentiation in a Young Patient With Aggressive Clinical Course. Int J Surg Pathol. 2024 Nov 18:10668969241296128. doi: 10.1177/10668969241296128. PMID: 39552455
Chen YH, Joung B, Castillo DR, Brar G. Primary gastric squamous cell carcinoma in a young adult with immunotherapy complications: a case report. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2025 Apr 30;16(2):743-749. doi: 10.21037/jgo-2024-884. Epub 2025 Apr 23. PMID: 40386611
Park D, Pu L, Guo M, Jeon WJ, Chong E, Park K, Liu Y, Brar G, Hsueh CT, Castillo DR. Biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies in advanced gastric cancer: a case series of curative responses. J Gastrointest Oncol. 2025 Apr 30;16(2):750-756. doi: 10.21037/jgo-24-825. Epub 2025 Apr 27. PMID: 40386588
Misra S, Szeto W, Centeno L, Castillo D, Rucker A, Rahmanuddin S, Mannan R. SMARCA4 Deficient Gastric Carcinoma With Squamous Differentiation in a Young Patient With Aggressive Clinical Course. Int J Surg Pathol. 2025 Jun;33(4):1016-1021. doi: 10.1177/10668969241296128. Epub 2024 Nov 18. PMID: 39552455
Tai D, Latif K, Shah P, Park D, Crook C, Guzman S, Brar G, Li D, Castillo D; Multi-analyte liquid biopsy approaches for early detection of esophageal cancer: the expanding role of ctDNA.
Front Oncol. 2025 Aug 14;15:1622984. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1622984. eCollection 2025. PMID: 40896428