Savita Dandapani, M.D., Ph.D.

(877) 460-4673
Savita Dandapani, M.D., Ph.D.
Radiation Oncologist
Clinical Expertise
  • Genitourinary Cancers
  • Radioimmunotherapy
  • Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors
  • Radionuclide Therapy
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy
  • Image-guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy/TomoTherapy
  • Electronic Brachytherapy
  • Lymphoma
  • Leukemia
  • Theranostics
Research Area
  • Radiation Treatment for Lymphoma, Genitourinary and Brain Cancers
  • Radioimmunotherapy
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Academic Appointments
  • Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
Clinical Teams
Brain Tumors
Cutaneous Lymphoma Program
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Genitourinary Cancers
Lymphoma
Pituitary Disorders and Tumors

Savita Dandapani, M.D., Ph.D., is a radiation oncologist who specializes in improving treatment outcomes and reducing side effects for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. She has been recognized numerous times for her clinical and research work in the topic, including a clinical cancer research award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and a research award from American Association for Cancer Research.

Dr. Dandapani earned her doctoral and medical degrees from Harvard Medical School, respectively, and completed her radiation oncology residency at the University of Southern California.

Location

Education & Experience

Degrees

  • 2008, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
  • 2006, Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
  • 2000, B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Residency

  • 2009–2013, Resident, Radiation Oncology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Internship

  • 2008–2009, Transitional Intern, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA

Professional Experience

  • 2020–present, Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope®, Duarte, CA
  • 2013–2019, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA

Awards & Memberships

Awards

  • 2012, ASTRO/AANS Stereotactic Radiosurgery Course
  • 2011, American Society for Clinical Oncology Award, Clinical Cancer Research, Vail, CO
  • 2011, AACR Research Award, Molecular Biology in Clinical Oncology, Aspen, CO
  • 2007, Massachusetts Medical Society Research Award
  • 2005, Invited Presentation, American Society for Nephrology
  • 1999, National Institutes of Health Summer Research Program
  • 1996, Robert C. Byrd Scholarship

Memberships

  • American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
  • American Association for Cancer Research
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology
  • Radiological Society of North America
  • American College of Radiology
  • Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
  • American College of Radiation Oncology
  • American Brachytherapy Society
  • Lymphoma Radiation Oncology Group
  • American Board of Radiology

Publications

  • Kumar A, Casulo C, Advani RH, Budde E, Barr PM, Batlevi CL, Caron P, Constine LS, Dandapani SV, Drill E, Drullinsky P, Friedberg JW, Grieve C, Hamilton A, Hamlin PA, Hoppe RT, Horwitz SM, Joseph A, Khan N, Laraque L, Matasar MJ, Moskowitz AJ, Noy A, Palomba ML, Schöder H, Straus DJ, Vemuri S, Yang J, Younes A, Zelenetz AD, Yahalom J, Moskowitz CH. Brentuximab Vedotin Combined With Chemotherapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Early-Stage, Unfavorable-Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2021 Jul 10;39(20):2257-2265. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.00108. Epub 2021 Apr 28.PMID: 33909449
  • Tanya Dorff, James Shen, Nora Ruel, Rick Kittles, Yung Lyou, Savita Dandapani, Jeff Wong, Huiqing Wu, Sumanta Pal, Clayton Lau, Bertram Yuh. Prostate Cancer Characteristics and Outcomes after Prostatectomy in Asian-American Men Clin Genitourinary Cancer. 2021 Jul 10;S1558-7673(21)00136-1. doi: 10.1016/j.clgc.2021.07.008. Online ahead of print.
  • Browne AW, Dandapani SV, Jennelle R, Stevanovic M, Lee TC, Murphree AL, Kampp TD, Astrahan MA, Kim JW, Berry JL. Outcomes of medium choroidal melanomas treated with ruthenium brachytherapy guided by three-dimensional pretreatment modeling. Brachytherapy. 2015, 14:718-725.
  • Dandapani SV, Zhang Y, Jennelle R, Lin YG. Radiation-associated toxicities in obese women with endometrial cancer: More than just BMI? Scientific World Journal 2015;483208 epub.
  • Dandapani SV, Fauceglia PM, Palmer S, Senikowich M, Lin YG. Lower extremity pain as initial presentation of cervical cancer. Gynecologic Oncology Case Reports, August 2013, 5:13-15.
  • Berry JL, Dandapani SV, Stevanovic M, Astrahan M, Murphree AL, Kim JW. Outcomes of Medium-sized Choroidal Melanomas Treated with USC Eye Physics Plaques: 20 year review. JAMA Ophthamology. Nov 2013; 131(11):1435-42.
  • Kamo N*, Dandapani SV*, Miksad RA, Houlihan MJ, Kaplan I, Regan M, Greenfield TK, Sanda MG. Evaluation of the SCA instrument for measuring patient satisfaction with cancer care administered via paper or via the Internet. Annals of Oncology, March 2011, 22(3):723-9.
  • Dandapani S, Sugimot Ho, Matthews BD, Kolb RJ, Sinha S, Gerszten RE, Zhou J, Ingber DE, Kalluri R, Pollak MR. Alpha-actinin-4 is required for normal podocyte adhesion. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2007, January 5, 282(1), pp 467-77.
  • Tonna S, Dandapani SV, Uscinski A, Appel GB, Schlondorff JS, Zhang K, Denker BM, Pollak MR. Functional genetic variation in aminopeptidase A (ENPEP): Lack of clear association with focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Gene 2008, February, 410(1), pp 44-52.
  • Henderson JM, Al-Waheeb S, Weins A, Dandapani SV, Pollak MR. Mice with altered alpha-actinin-4 expression have distinct morphologic patterns of glomerular disease. Kidney International 2008, January 9.
  • Humbert PO, Rogers C, Ganiatsas S, Landsberg R, Trimarchi JM, Dandapani S, Brugnara C, Erdman S, Schrenzel M, Bronson RT, Lees JA. E2F4 is essential for normal erythrocyte maturation and neonatal viability. Molecular Cell 2000, August, 6(2), pp 281-291.
  • Humbert PO, Verona R, Trimarchi J, Rogers C, Dandapani S, Lees JA. E2F3 is critical for normal cellular proliferation. Genes & Development 2000, March 15, 14(6), pp 690-703.

Publications (review articles)

  • SV Dandapani, M Eaton, CR Thomas, PG Pagnini. HIV-positive anal cancer: An update for the clinician. Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. August 2010, 1(1):34-44.
  • SV Dandapani and MG Sanda. Measuring health-related quality of life consequences from primary treatment for early stage prostate cancer. Seminars in Radiation Oncology 2008, January 18(1), pp 67-72.
  • SV Dandapani, MR Pollak. The glomerular filter: biologic and genetic complexity. Kidney International 2006, September, 70(6), pp 980-982.

Book Chapters

  • SV Dandapani and J Wong. Chapter 16 Radioimmunotherapy. In Antibody-Drug Conjugates: Fundamentals, Drug Development, and Clinical Outcomes to Target Cancer. Editors: Kenneth Olivier and Sara A Hurvitz. November 2016.
  • SV Dandapani. Chapter Biomarkers and Radiotherapy. In Advances in Radiation Oncology. Editor: Jeffrey Wong. April 2017.
  • JYC Wong, S Hui, SV Dandapani, A Liu. Chapter Biologic and Image Guided Systemic Radiotherapy. In Advances in Radiation Oncology. Editor: Jeffrey Wong. April 2017.

View more publications

Ratings & Reviews

Ratings and reviews below are gathered from the Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG CAHPS) survey. CG CAHPS is a standardized survey that is used to measure a patient's experience in the physician office setting. Ratings are an average of all responses to questions about a provider's care, with five stars being the highest.
5.0
Recommend this provider office
5.0
Provider explain in way you understand
5.0
Provider listen carefully to you
5.0
Show respect for what you say
4.9
Know important info medical history
4.9
Spend enough time with you
4.9
Rate provider 0-10
03/26/26
Dr Dandapani is an excellent doctor who is warm, kind, knowledgeable, patient and address all my concerns and referral to other cares that I need. I am so glad to have her in my care and help me resolve problems from my cancer treatment . Very appreciated Dr Dandapani and her team. Highly recommended!!! - Verified patient
03/19/26
Excellent. Very caring and professional. - Verified patient
03/06/26
I recommend constantly. - Verified patient
03/06/26
Dr Dandapani is an absolute gem. Brilliant, precious. I feel so lucky to have her at the helm of my treatment plan. Absolute confidence in her. - Verified patient
02/20/26
Dr. Dandapani was extremely interested in my problem and spent a lot of time on it. Including calling me twice over the next few days to discuss. A+ - Verified patient