Rusha Bhandari, M.D., M.S.

(877) 460-4673
Rusha Bhandari, M.D., M.S.
Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist
Clinical Expertise
  • Pediatric Hematology — Oncology
  • Cancer Survivorship
Academic Appointments
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Population Sciences
  • Medical Director, Childhood and AYA Cancer Survivorship Clinic
Clinical Teams
Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer
Pediatric Cancers
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

Rusha Bhandari, M.D., M.S., is a board-certified pediatric hematologist-oncologist at City of Hope® Cancer Center Duarte. She specializes in childhood cancer survivorship, which enables her to continue providing care and personalized late effects screening for patients long after they complete their cancer treatment.

Dr. Bhandari earned her medical degree at Saint Louis University. She completed her training in pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and her fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. During that time, she earned a Master of Science in Clinical, Biomedical, and Translational Investigations from the University of Southern California. She is widely published on topics related to childhood cancer, and has won a range of awards for her work, including the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research Career Development Award and the American Society of Hematology’s Junior Faculty Scholar Award.

Dr. Bhandari’s research focuses on identifying methods to mitigate toxicities from cancer treatment, with the goal of improving long-term patient outcomes. She is thrilled to be a part of City of Hope's team, which she praises for its compassionate, personalized care and leading-edge research.

Dr. Bhandari is the medical director of the Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship program at City of Hope in the Los Angeles area, providing specialized care to survivors of pediatric and young adult cancer throughout their lives. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology and the Children’s Oncology Group.

In her free time, Dr. Bhandari enjoys baking, traveling, yoga, board games, and spending time with her family.

Location

Education & Experience

Board Certifications

  • 2021, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
  • 2017, American Board of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics

Degrees

  • 2018–2020, Master of Science, Clinical, Biomedical & Translational Investigations, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
  • 2010–2014, Doctor of Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
  • 2006–2010, Bachelor of Science, Psychobiology, Minor in Global Studies, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Fellowship

  • 2017–2020, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Residency

  • 2014–2017, Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Professional Experience

  • 2022–present, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope, Duarte, California
  • 2022–present, Assistant Professor, Department of Population Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, California
  • 2020–2022, Pediatric Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope, Duarte, California

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2025, Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research Career Development Award
  • 2025, Junior Faculty Scholar Award, American Society of Hematology
  • 2023, Trainee, American Society of Hematology Clinical Research Training Institute
  • 2022–present, K12 Scholar, Paul Calabresi Clinical Oncology Career Development Grant
  • 2022, Childhood Cancer Survivor Study Junior Faculty Career Development Award
  • 2021, Fellow, Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer Workshop
  • 2019, The Saban Research Institute Training and Travel Award
  • 2018, University of Southern California Provost Postdoctoral Scholar
  • 2013, ACP Missouri Chapter Meeting, 3rd place winner in medical student clinical vignette poster presentation, Osage Beach, Missouri
  • 2007–2010, Dean’s Honors List, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Memberships

  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • American Society of Hematology
  • American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
  • Children’s Oncology Group

Publications

  • Stapor D, Bhandari R, Jamy O, Parker L, DeBias C, Duvall A, Fung H, Varshavsky A. Adolescent and Young Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Review of Complications & Recommended Survivorship Guidelines. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2026 Oct.
  • Bhandari R, Lukas K, Du X, Echevarria M, Guzman T, Jones LW, Lee K, Lindenfeld L, Mortazavi K, Vuong M, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Body Composition and Physical Activity are Associated with Prediabetes in Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2026 Sep 16. PMID: 42747121
  • Bhandari R, Shan H, Ramos-Perez J, Chen S, Bosworth A, Yang D, Al Malki M, Dale W, Forman SJ, Nakamura R, Wong FL, Armenian SH, Artz A. The Influence of Race/Ethnicity and Social Vulnerability on Non-Relapse Mortality after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant in Older (>60 Years) Adults. Transplant Cell Ther. 2026 May 28. PMID: 42214678.
  • Bhandari R, Rhee J, Chen S, Pillai R, Bosworth A, Oganesyan A, Atencio L, Estrada C, Kassabian M, Lindenfeld L, Goldsmith S, Rosenzweig M, Herrera AF, Mei MG, Nakamura R, Natarajan R, Wong FL, Forman SJ, Armenian SH. Association of Clonal Hematopoiesis and Diabetes with Outcomes After Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2026 Mar;28(3):2469- 2472. PMID: 41457366.
  • Bhandari R, Meng Q, Hageman L, Francisco L, Ross ES, Balas N, Bosworth A, Bhatia R, Landier W, Weisdorf DJ, Wong FL, Bhatia S, Armenian SH. Long-term Health Outcomes in Older Blood or Marrow Transplantation Recipients: A Report from the BMTSS. Blood Adv. 2026 Feb 24. PMID: 41734391.
  • Bhandari R, Jones LW, Liao Y. From survival to longevity: Healthy dietary patterns and risk of premature aging in survivors of childhood cancer. Cancer. 2026 Feb 15;132(4):e70319.
  • Bhandari R, Ogiamien O, Chen S, Al Malki M, Artz AS, Bosworth B, Echevarria M, Rhee J, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Neighborhood Social Vulnerability and Cardiovascular Risk After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. JACC: Advances. 2026 Feb; 5(2):102527. PMID: 41529341.
  • Bhandari R, Lee K, Du X, Albanese S, Echevarria M, Estrada C, Flores A, Iukuridze A, Iukuridze D, Kim J, Lindenfeld L, Rodarte S, Salce N, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Muscle measures from computed tomography, bioelectrical impedance, and ultrasound in hematopoietic cell transplantation patients. Nutr Clin Pract. 2025 Oct;40(5):1187-1193. PMID: 40287814.
  • Bhandari R, Chen Y, Chow EJ, Howell RM, Kenney LB, Krull KR, Leisenring W, Nathan PC, Neglia JP, Ness KK, Oeffinger KC, Snyder C, Turcotte LM, Wong FL, Yasui Y, Armstrong GT, Armenian SH. Health outcomes beyond age 50 in survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). J Clin Oncol. 2025 Sep 20;43(27):2998-3010. PMID: 40789102.
  • Bhandari R, Lukas K, Lee K, Shamunee J, Almeida B, Guzman T, Echevarria M, Lindenfeld L, Nenninger C, Iukuridze A, Albanese S, Rhee J, Chen S, Brenner C, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Feasibility of telehealth exercise and nicotinamide riboside supplementation in survivors of childhood cancer at risk for diabetes: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025 Jan;72(1):e31369. PMID: 39387327.
  • Wu S, Rhee J, Iukuridze A, Bosworth A, Chen S, Atencio L, Manubolu V, Bhandari R, Jamal F, Mei M, Herrera A, Rodriguez F, Forman S, Nakamura R, Wong FL, Budoff M, Armenian SH. Coronary artery calcium and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with lymphoma undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. Cancer. 2024 Jun 15;130(12):2205-2214. PMID: 38358333.
  • Bhandari R, Armenian SH. Risk of frailty in survivors of childhood cancer: the role of socioenvironmental factors. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2023 Aug 1;32(8):997-998. PMID: 37525968.
  • Lee K, Iukuridze A, He T, Bosworth A, Lindenfeld L, Berano Teh J, Echevarria M, Albanese S, Atencio L, Bhandari R, Wong FL, Artz AS, Siddiqi T, Nikolaenko L, Zain J, Mei M, Shouse G, Popplewell LL, Herrera AF, Budde E, Forman SJ, Armenian SH. Association between pre-treatment skeletal muscle and outcomes after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2023 Apr;21(4):373-382.e.1 PMID: 37015335.
  • Bhandari R, Teh JB, He T, Nakamura R, Artz AS, Jankowska MM, Forman SJ, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Social vulnerability is a clinically important risk factor for worse outcomes after allogeneic transplantation. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Nov 14;114(11):1484-1491. PMID: 35980163.
  • Song MK, Armenian SH, Bhandari R, Lee K, Ness K, Putt M, Lindenfeld L, Manoukian S, Wade K, Dedio A, Guzman T, Hampton I, Lin K, Baur J, McCormack S, Mostoufi-Moab S. Exercise training and NR supplementation to improve muscle mass and fitness in adolescent and young adult hematopoietic cell transplant survivors: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2022 Jul 19;22(1):795. PMID: 35854224.
  • Bhandari R, Teh JB, He T, Peng K, Iukuridze A, Atencio L, Nakamura R, Mostoufi-Moab S, McCormack S, Lee K, Wong FL, Armenian SH. Association between body composition and development of glucose intolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2022 Jul 6. PMID: 35797113.
  • Bhandari R, Aguayo-Hiraldo P, Malvar J, Cheng K, Sacapano A, Abdel-Azim H, Chi YY, Wallace G, Asgharzadeh S, Jodele S, Orgel E. Ultra-high dose vitamin D in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A nonrandomized controlled trial. Transplant Cell Ther. 2021 Dec;27(12). PMID: 34500127.
  • Bhandari R, Teh JB, Herrera C, Echevarria M, Lindenfeld L, Wong FL, Wilson K, Armenian SH. Prevalence and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in long-term childhood cancer survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2021 Jul;68(7):e29048. PMID: 33822476.
  • Bhandari R, Scott E, Yeh MY, Wong K, Rushing T, Huh W, Orgel E. Association of body mass index with toxicity and survival in pediatric patients treated with cisplatin-containing regimens. Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2020 Nov 10:1-12. PMID: 33170064.
  • Bhandari R, Malvar J, Sacapano A, Aguayo-Hiraldo P, Jodele S, Orgel E. Association Between Vitamin D and Risk for Early and Late Post-Transplant Complications. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2020 Feb; 26(2):343-350. PMID: 31654787.
  • Bhandari R, Orgel E, Rushing T, Malicse K, Evangelista V, Jodele S, Dandoy CE. Improving the Timeliness of Chemotherapy Administration in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2020 Jan; 26(1):150-156. PMID: 31562961.
  • Bhandari R, Lindley A, Bhatla D, Babic A, Mueckl K, Rao R, Brooks P, Geiler V, Gross G, Al-Hosni M, Shenoy S. Awareness of cord blood collection and the impact on banking. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017 Jul; 64(7). PMID: 28111924.
  • Walling EB, Benzoni N, Dornfeld J, Bhandari R, Sisk BA, Garbutt J, Colditz G. Interventions to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake: A Systematic Review. Pediatrics. 2016 Jul; 138(1):e20153863. PMID: 27296865.
  • Bhandari R, Liao Y, Ma K. The role of body composition in the development of diabetes mellitus among childhood cancer survivors, and novel intervention strategies to mitigate diabetes risk. Cancer. 2025 Jul 15;131(14):e35977. PMID: 40652348.
  • Bhandari R, Armenian SH, McCormack S, Natarajan R, Mostoufi-Moab S. Diabetes in Childhood Cancer Survivors: Emerging concepts in pathophysiology and future directions. Frontiers in Medicine. 2023 Aug 22;10:1206071. PMID: 37675136.
  • Shah UA, Ballinger RH, Bhandari R, Dieli-Conwright CM, Guertin KA, Hibler E, Kalam F, Lohmann AE, Ippolito J. Imaging Modalities for Measuring Body Composition in Patients with Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2023 May 4; 2023(61):56-67. PMID: 37139984.
  • Shah R. The role of nutrition and diet in Alzheimer disease: a systematic review. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013 Jun; 14(6):398-402. PMID: 23419980.