Physicians
CLARENCE T. SASAKI, MD
Clarence T. Sasaki, MD, Director of the Head and Neck Tumor Board, is the Charles W. Ohse Professor of Surgery and the Chief of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine. He received his BA from Pomona College in 1962 and his MD from Yale in 1966. He completed his residency at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center in 1973 and has completed three clinical fellowships: 1) International Union Against Cancer with Professor Ettore Bocca, Milan, Italy, 1978. 2) International Union Against Cancer with Professor Ugo Fisch, Zurich, Switzerland, 1982. 3) International Union Against Cancer with Mr. Dai Davies, London, England, 1986.
Dr. Sasaki is listed in "Who's Who in the East," "Who's Who in America," "Who's Who in Cancer," "Who's Who in Medicine and Health Care," "Who's Who in Science and Engineering" and "Who's Who in the World." He is listed among Woodward & White's "Best Doctors in America", Castle Connolly's "Best Doctors in New York Metro Area" and Castle Connolly's "America's Top Doctors."
Dr. Sasaki has developed Yale's Head and Neck Cancer Program and is considered one of the most active surgeons at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center with a widely-based referral practice for tumors of the sinuses, ear, throat and neck. View Curriculum Vitae
YUNG H. SON, MD
Yung H. Son, MD, is director of Head and Neck Radiation Oncology. As Professor in the Department of Therapeutic Radiology, he is well recognized both nationally and internationally for his innovations in the management of Head and Neck cancer. His contributions in the use of brachytherapy (radiation seed implants) have spearheaded the organ-sparing mission of our Head and Neck Cancer Program. He serves as co-director of the Head and Neck Tumor Board.
JAMES J. ABRAHAMS, MD
James J. Abrahams, MD, is a nationally recognized Head and Neck Radiologist. He received his BA from Alfred University and his MD from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. He received his postgraduate training in Diagnostic Radiology at the Albany Medical Center and a fellowship in Neuroradiology at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center where he currently serves as an Associate Professor of Diagnostic Radiology and Surgery and Director of Medical Studies for the Radiology Department. His principal contribution is in the development of the CT Program necessary for evaluating the oral cavity and jaws, for which he is nationally and internationally recognized. Dr. Abrahams serves as an integral member of the Head and Neck Tumor Board.
STEPHAN ARIYAN, MD
Dr. Stephan Ariyan, MD, is Clinical Professor of Surgery in the Section of Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology. He served as Professor and Chairman of Plastic Surgery from 1979 to 1991 and is an internationally known reconstructive surgeon who specializes in surgery of the Head and Neck, breast, and hand. Dr. Ariyan received his MD from New York Medical College and completed his training in General Surgery, as well as Plastic Surgery at Yale. He is listed in the "Best Doctors in America," Good Housekeeping Magazine "Best Breast Cancer Doctors" and Town and Country Magazine "Outstanding Medical Specialists." His reconstructive expertise supports the function-sparing mission of the Head and Neck Tumor Board.
HARI A. DESHPANDE, MD
Hari A. Deshpande, MD, is an Assistant Professor of the Yale Cancer Center whose clinical interest includes Head and Neck Cancers and Prostate Cancer. He is currently the principal or co- investigator on many of the clinical trials at the cancer center. Some of these are evaluating the use of new agents previously never used in this disease type. He has had papers published in the British Journal of Hematology and The Cancer journal of Scientific American. He received his undergraduate degree at Leeds University, Leeds, England and his medical degree from Leeds University Medical School, Leeds, England. He completed internships at the General Medicine & Surgery LGI and St. James Hospital in Leeds, England and an Internal Medicine residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. He then completed his Hematology and Oncology Fellowship at the Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY. As an active member of the Head and Neck Tumor Board, Dr. Deshpande believes that the newer chemotherapeutic and targeted agents will play an increasingly important role in the treatment of this disease. Often the side effects of the newer treatments are less than traditional chemotherapy and the response rates are so far encouraging.
DIANNE DUFFEY, M.D., FACS
Dr. Duffey attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and completed Otolaryngology-Head and Neck residency training at UCLA. She did a two-year clinical and basic science research Senior Staff Fellowship at the NIDCD, National Institutes of Health and then completed a one-year fellowship in Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery and Microvascular Reconstruction at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Duffey has an active research program in signal transduction and transcription factor regulation of Head and Neck Cancer, funded by the National Institutes of Health, NIDCR. Throughout her career she has been actively involved in organ preservation protocols using chemoradiation and molecular targeted agents in collaboration with Head and Neck medical and radiation oncology teams.
J. PATRICO ESCANDON, MD
Patricio Escandon, MD is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology with a twenty-year experience in providing general anesthesia for cancer patients. His experience and clinical judgment represent important asset to the Head and Neck Service.
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GARY E. HORBLITT, DDS
Gary E. Horblitt, D.D.S. provides maxillofacial prosthetic support for patients undergoing cancer surgery involving the upper and lower jaws. He received his B.A. from Case Western Reserve University, D.D.S. from The Dental School at Northwestern University. He completed a one year residency in general practice at Park City Hospital (Bridgeport, CT.) and a 3 year residency in residency in Maxillofacial Prosthodontics at the Eye and Ear Hospital and hospitals associated with the University of Pittsburgh including the Veterans Administration Hospital, Mercy Hospital, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and the Cleft Palate Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Horblitt provides reconstructive and prosthodontic support before and after surgery for cancers of the Head and Neck.
MICHELE H. JOHNSON, MD
Michele H. Johnson, MD, is Director of Interventional Neuroradiology. As an Associate Professor for the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, she has established herself as a leader in this emerging, highly specialized field. Dr. Johnson received her BA in chemistry from the University of Delaware and completed her postgraduate training at Temple University School of Medicine. Following internship and residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Temple, she completed a Fellowship in Neuroradiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to Yale in April 1999, she held faculty positions in Diagnostic Radiology at Temple University and at the Medical College of Virginia.
DIANE P. KOWALSKI, MD
Diane P. Kowalski, MD, is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Fine Needle Aspiration biopsy service in the Department of Pathology. Her areas of interest include Head and Neck pathology, molecular pathology, and cytopathology. Dr. Kowalski received her MD from the Medical College of Georgia and completed her post-graduate training at Hartford Hospital and Yale-New Haven Medical Center.
JOHN F. KVETON, MD
John F. Kveton, MD, is an internationally recognized Otologist and Neurotologist whose contributions to the development of skull base surgery are well recognized. He received his degrees from St. Louis University and postgraduate training from the Yale-New Haven Medical Center, as well as an Otology and Neurotology fellowship with Michael Glasscock, MD, Nashville, Tennessee. As Professor in the Department of Surgery, Dr. Kveton provides senior support to patients with skull base tumors. He is recognized by the "Best Doctors in America" and "Best Doctors in the New York Metro Area."
DAVID LEFFELL, MD
David Leffell, MD, is an internationally-recognized dermatologic surgeon who specializes in Moh's surgery for skin cancer. He received his BS from Yale College and his MD from McGill University with residency training at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Yale and the University of Michigan. He has authored close to 100 research papers and chapters on skin cancer genetics, treatment, wound healing and anti-aging. Dr. Leffell is author of Total Skin: the Definitive Guide to Whole Skin Care for Life. He is considered one of the most active clinicians in the Medical Center with a widely-based referral practice for cancers of the skin.
ROGER A. LOWLICHT, MS, DDS
Roger A. Lowlicht, MS, DDS, provides outstanding oral surgery support for cancers involving the upper and lower jaws. He received his BS and MS from Lehigh University and his DDS from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Lowlicht provides essential support to the diagnosis, surgery and rehabilitation of patients who require jaw replacement surgery, while serving as an integral member of the Head and Neck Tumor Board.
STEFFEN MAUNE, MD
Steffen Maune, MD, is the Vice-Chair of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany. Dr. Maune's collaboration with the Yale Head and Neck Program is an integral part of endoscopic laser resection of laryngeal cancer, in which Dr. Maune and Professor Heinrich Rudert are internationally respected for their accomplishments in voice preservation cancer surgery.
ELIAS MICHAELIDES, MD
Elias Michaelides, MD is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Section of Otolaryngology. He is neurotologist and skull base surgeon who provides support for lateral skull base tumors. He received a BA for Cornell University and his MD from SUNY-Stony Brook. He completed a residency in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery ot the Medical College of Virginia. After completing a Fellowship in Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery at the Michigan Ear Insitute, he stayed on as faculty there for four years. Dr. Michaelides provides comprehensive care of skull base tumors and other tumors of the ear and temporal bone..
WILLIAM H. ROSENBLATT, MD
William H. Rosenblatt, MD, is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Chief of Head and Neck Anesthesiology. He received his BA from Wesleyan University and his MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is dually trained in Pediatrics (Stanford University Hospital) and Anesthesiology (Yale-New Haven Medical Center). His contributions to the safety of anesthesia are critical to the success of our Head and Neck Cancer Program. He serves as an integral member of the Head and Neck Tumor Board.
DOUGLAS A. ROSS, MD
Douglas A. Ross, MD, is a graduate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. After completing his six-year residency training in Head and Neck Surgery and one year fellowship in Head and Neck Reconstruction and Microvascular Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles he was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor Surgery/Otolaryngology at Yale University. From his first day at Yale, he coordinated a team approach for reconstruction of our Head and Neck cancer patients. Head and Neck Reconstruction specialists from Otolaryngology, Plastic Surgery, and Oral Surgery work side-by-side to assure the optimum outcomes for our cancer patients. Dr. Ross has published on reconstructive techniques in the Head and Neck and also has research interests in microvascular surgery.
Dr. Ross also has significant expertise in sinusitis and Rhinology. He completed a mini fellowship in sinus surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and has two research grants related to sinusitis, one from the NIH looking for the causes of chronic sinusitis and the other a grant to explore the use of surgical simulation in the training of sinus surgeons. Additionally, he is a leader in the evaluation and treatment of a congenital disease that manifests as nose bleeds called Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.
Sleep apnea is also a strong interest of Dr. Ross. He has been interviewed by our local ABC-TV affiliate and MONEY magazine about Sleep Apnea. He, along with the director of Sleep Medicine, jointly conducts a weekly clinic where patients suffering from sleep disorders can be evaluated and treated in a multi-disciplinary approach.
Now an Associate Professor, Dr. Ross provides quality up-to-date care for his cancer, sinus and sleep apnea patients. He is listed in the "Best Doctors of America."
