Head & Neck Oncology Session

” Dr. Abhishek Mahajan M.D., Fellowship In Cancer Imaging, MRes (KCL, London), FRCR (UK) Locum Consultant Radiologist The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Liverpool Staff Governor, CCC Associate Editor for Frontiers in Oncology, Frontiers in Nuclear Medicine and Frontiers in Radiology Professor of Radiology (NMC, India) Ex Consultant Radiologist (Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India) “

Dr Anuj Kumar is an Assistant Professor in the Head and Neck Disease Management Group at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. He has a keen interest in nasopharyngeal cancers, skull base tumours, reirradiation and advanced technologies like proton beam therapy. He gained hands-on experience with techniques like DNA Extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms from my time in a Cancer Genetics facility. He has also worked on projects in radiomics and knowledge-based planning. Dr Anuj intends to work on collaborative projects, shortened radiotherapy fractionation regimens and cost-effective treatment strategies, thereby expanding access to cancer care in this part of the world.

Dr. Chintakuntlawar is a certified Medical Oncologist by the American Board of Internal Medicine with expertise in treating head and neck cancers as well as endocrine cancers such as thyroid and adrenal carcinomas. His research interests include translational research and early phase clinical trials in head and neck and endocrine cancers. Dr. Chintakuntlawar is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Thyroid Association (ATA), International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG), and American-Australian-Asian Adrenal Alliance (A5), an international cooperative group dedicated to research related to adrenal diseases.

After completing his graduation in M.B.B.S, Dr. Balaji obtained M.S in General surgery from The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai in 2000. Then he underwent D.N.B in General surgery from Ministry of Health & Welfare, Government of India and F.R.C.S from the Royal college of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He completed his M.Ch in Surgical oncology in 2004. Dr. Balaji has been examiner for European board of Surgery – Surgical Oncology division since 2010. He was conferred honorary diploma in European Board of Surgery. Dr. Balaji has a brilliant post-graduation career, as he submitted numerous papers on Cancer surgery, has involved in laryngeal cancer research works and presented thesis on G.I injury. Beside this he had attended in several International conferences and workshops. Dr. Balaji has a rich experience of 15 years in Cancer surgeries, with his special area of interest being Thyroid, Gastrointestinal and Breast cancer surgeries. Presently, with the rich experience in thyroid surgery, the spectrum has expanded towards Endoscopic thyroidectomies. Tran’s axillary approach for thyroidectomy is no more a dream & has come to reality resulting in NO NECK SCAR after thyroid surgery. This procedure is highly unique, which very few doctor’s in Abu Dhabi could perform

Dr. Carmelo Barbaccia is an Italian board-certified ENT and Otolaryngology surgeon with more than 26 years of experience after completing his specialisation in Otolaryngology in Palermo, Italy in 1994. From 1995 to 2004 he worked in the Head and Neck department of the National Institute of Cancer in Milan and he performed hundreds of head and neck surgeries. He was appointed as Head and Neck Consultant at Medway Maritime Hospital, Kent, UK in 2004. He also worked at Queen Victoria Hospital, West Sussex, UK from 2007 as Head and Neck Consultant. In this period, he was designated a head and neck and thyroid surgeon in East Kent. He has performed more than 1,000 head and neck cancer, thyroid and parathyroid procedures. He has worked in Dubai since 2012

Professor Dan M. Fliss is a specialist in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Maxillofacial Surgery Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and the Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University.

Dr. Devendra Chaukar is a Head & Neck Oncologist in Mumbai, specializing in treating cancerous tumors and disorders in the head and neck region. As a specialist in this niche, he aims to provide the best possible care to his patients and help them achieve a better quality of life. His main services include treating oral cancer, thyroid and parathyroid disorders, parotid surgery, minimally invasive surgery, such as laser and robotic surgery, and conservative laryngeal surgery. Dr. Chaukar’s unique expertise and experience in using advanced technologies and techniques to provide minimally invasive and conservative treatments that are more comfortable and effective for his patients

Asst Prof Dr. Faraz Khan is a Consultant Hematologist and Medical Oncologist with over 15 years experience in treating cancer and various blood diseases. He completed his Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical oncology training from the University of Connecticut, CT, USA and is triple board certified in Internal medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. He worked as a consultant Hematologist/Medical Oncologist at PEI Cancer Treatment Center, PE, Canada and directed the provincial hemophilia and bleeding disorder clinic.

Dr. Hidayath Ali Ansari, MD, is a Staff Physician in the Imaging Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He specializes in cross-sectional nuclear medicine and body imaging, radioactive isotope administration, Octreotide scanning, Parathyoid SPECT imaging and brain SPECT perfusion imaging for dementia. Prior to joining Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Dr. Ansari worked as a Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Lead for the Department of Radiology at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay National Health Service Foundation (NHS) Trust in Lancaster, UK. He also worked as Clinical Lead for the Department of Radiology and Chair of the Radiology National Cancer Intelligence Network, Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network, UK.

Huda E. Mustafa graduated from King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia before completing her postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology at Imperial College London, UK. She holds a Master’s degree in Diabetes from Warwick University, UK. Since 2014 Dr. Huda has been the Division Head of Endocrinology & Diabetes in Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the Lead Physician of the thyroid cancer program and Bariatric Medicine. In February 2019, Dr. Huda joint HealthPlus group, a comprehensive center of excellence in diabetes and Endocrinology in the capital of Abu Dhabi. Huda is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and Edinburgh and a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology. During her appointments in SKMC, has been a key member of multiple committees, including the Institutional Ethics Committee, Pharmaceuticals and Therapeutics, and Chronic Disease Management Committee at the Department of Health of Abu Dhabi. Throughout her career, medical education has been an ongoing passion. As such, she has participated in, and organized, workshops and training programs for medical students, residents, and peers alike in the field of Research Methodology, Diabetes, Reproductive Endocrinology, and Thyroidology.

Dr. Matsuo is an ORL-HNS, sub-specializing in Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, and also trained in Reconstructive Microsurgery. She is currently the Chief of the Head and Neck Division of the ORL-HNS Department in Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines in Manila. She is a Founding Member and sits on the Governing Council of the ASHNO (Asian Society of Head and Neck Oncology). She is also the Philippine representative for year 2023 to 2026, to the Executive Committee of APTS (Asia Pacific Society of Thyroid Surgery) She is also part of the Regional Advisory Committee for the first IFHNOS Head and Neck Cancer Summit to be held in Chennai India on February 2024.

Dr. Johann Kluge qualified as a specialist Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon in 2010 from the University of Pretoria. Since then, he has worked in private practice at Life Groenkloof Hospital and recently opened a practice with his brother Dr. Hermann Kluge at the Cintocare Hospital. Cintocare aims to be the first Green-Star hospital in South-Africa and only the fitfh of its kind in the world. Although Dr Johann assists in most forms of ENT surgery, his passion lies in the diagnosis and treatment of Head and Neck cancers. Furthermore he has completed a fellowship in head and neck surgery through the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies under the sponsorship of Professor Jatin Shah (MSK, NYC, New York), Professor Ehab Hanna (MD Anderson, Houston, Texas) and the tutelage of Professor Johannes Fagan at the University of Cape Town.

Kajari Bhattacharya currently works at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai as Associate Professor in Radiology after pursuing DM in Neuroimaging and Interventional Radiology from NIMHANS, India. She is the part of Head and Neck and Neurooncology disease management groups at TMC. Her areas of interest include Neuroimaging including Oncoimaging and Vascular imaging, Head and Neck oncoimaging and vascular interventions. She has more than 25 publications in indexed journals and has been invited speaker in many national and international conferences.

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi is a Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. Dr. Chaturvedi did his medical schooling and post-graduation in General Surgery at Banaras Hindu University. He was adjudged the best Intern (1991) and the best Post Graduate (1995) during his tenure in Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University. Later, he decided to work in the field of surgical oncology and received his formal training at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. He is part of the Indian Council of Medical research Taskforce on Carcinoma of Oral cancer. He is a founding member of the SAARC Federation of oncology.

Associate Professor at Humanitas University and Chief of the Head and neck cancer Unit at Humanitas Cancer Center, Milan. He is active member of ESMO, EORTC Head and Neck Group, and MASCC (chair of the Mucositis group). He is involved in all institutional and national/international research activities on head and neck cancer, from translational research (gene expression, next generation sequencing) to assessment of quality of life and value-based medicine. He is particularly dedicated to rare cancer among head and neck ones (nasopharyngeal cancer, paranasal sinus cancer, adnexal cancer, and salivary gland cancer). He has strong experience in conducting trials with targeted therapy and immunotherapy. He has a strong commitment to supportive care, both in clinical research and at education level, with a focus on treatment of elderly cancer patients and toxicities induced by immunotherapy. He is the Principal Investigator and co-investigator of several Italian and International trials on Head and Neck cancer. Authors of 303 publications indexed on PubMed (H-Index 45).

“Dr Moukarbel is an Associate Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the American University of Beirut. He is a regional leader in the fields of Head and Neck Oncology and Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Dr Moukarbel is triple fellowship trained in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has over 30 publications in his field in peer reviewed journals in addition to numerous presentations at national and international conferences. He is also a reviewer for many leading international journals including Head and Neck and Frontiers in Oncology among others. Dr Moukarbel is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Head and Neck Society, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and a member of the European Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr Moukarbel is also among the faculty surgeons of the AO Foundation (Craniomaxillofacial). Dr Moukarbel is an elected member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the membership of which is restricted to only those who are recognized for high attainment in medical science and practice. He is also the president of the Lebanese Society of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery.”

A highly skilled Radiologist, studied and trained in one of the largest and premier Medical Institutions of South Asia ( Tata Memorial Centre, Bombay) practising all modalities of Radiology with equal enthusiasm and expertise. Extensive work experience in sonography including fetal morphology scan and Doppler scans. Expertise in Cross sectional CT and MRI imaging with special interest in MSK imaging, neurospinal imaging, coronary CT imaging, head and neck imaging and breast imaging. Specially trained in onco-imaging, women’s imaging and image guided interventions. Has been Teaching faculty in Medical College in India. Published in many indexed journals and delivered lectures in many National and International conferences. Participated in many National and International clinical trials

Assistant professor in Radiation Oncology at Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai primarily treating Head and Neck cancers. I trained at the West German Proton Therapy Centre (WPE), Essen, Germany in 2022 in proton therapy for head and neck, and skull base malignancies. Other areas of interest/ research include health economics, artificial intelligence, and global oncology.

Full Professor and Chair Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery –  Humanitas University Milan

Dr. Tahir Mirza is a highly qualified UK-trained Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with over ten years of experience in his specialty. He attained his medical and dental degrees from the prestigious King’s College London before further training in Otolaryngology and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Having completed higher OMFS training, he attained a UK Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and FRCS (OMFS). He then sought further sub-specialty experience in areas of interest such as microvascular reconstruction, orthognathic, and sleep apnea surgery from world-renowned experts in Europe, the USA, and Taiwan. He has expertise in a wide range of surgeries related to the head & neck, specifically oral cancer with microvascular reconstruction, benign and malignant salivary surgery, facial trauma, and orthognathic and sleeps apnea surgeries. He is extremely proficient in complex dental extractions, the management of oral lesions, cysts, and masses, as well as sinus/bone augmentation and dental implant placement. He has provided his expertise at several leading hospitals in the UK for over a decade before relocating to The Middle East and joining Burjeel Holdings. He has undertaken several additional qualifications during his career, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Education, and teaches various national and regional courses in the UK. He also regularly attends international conferences and specialized training courses to keep his knowledge up to date. He is well-published in the medical literature and is a reviewer for the British Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. He has also recently co-authored a book chapter in a leading international otolaryngology textbook.

Dr. Yogesh has completed his medical graduation from India, followed by higher clinical training in the United States. He completed his postgraduate clinical training in Rhinology Surgery from Tufts University, Boston, followed by clinical training in Head Neck, Thyroid-Parathyroid, Microvascular reconstruction, and Robotic surgery from Kansas University, USA. He holds the American Head Neck Surgery certification and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was a visiting physician in Rhinology and Skull-base surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina, USA. Before joining Burjeel, Dr. Yogesh practiced at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, and Yas Clinic, Khalifa City. His areas of specialization include Rhinology, Advanced Sinus- Skull Base Surgery, Head & Neck, Thyroid Parathyroid Endocrine Surgery, Salivary glands, and Pediatric and General ENT. His areas of expertise include: Head & Neck, Thyroid Parathyroid Endocrine Surgery, Salivary gland surgery, Sinus Surgery, Advanced Skull Base Surgery, Pediatric ENT, General ENT, Head and Neck Cancer