Sonal S Noticewala, MD, MAS
Department of GI Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, US, MD |
| 2016 | UC San Diego Extended Studies and Public Programs, La Jolla, California, US, Masters of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research, MAS |
| 2011 | Columbia University, New York, New York, US, Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Behavior, BA |
Postgraduate Training
| 2018-2022 | Clinical Residency, Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2018 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California |
Board Certifications
| 2023 | Radiation Oncology Certifying Oral Exam |
| 2023 | American Board of Radiology |
| 2022 | Radiation Oncology Clinical Qualifying Exam |
| 2021 | Radiation Oncology Biology Qualifying Exam |
| 2021 | Radiation Oncology Physics Qualifying Exam |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - 2022
Honors & Awards
| Time Warner Scholar | |
| Supporting Excellence in Education (SEED) Scholar | |
| New York Times Scholar | |
| Capital One Scholar | |
| George Rupp Scholar, Columbia University | |
| Dean's List (2007-2011), Columbia University | |
| Columbia Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Columbia University | |
| Louis and Marina Nicholas Scholar, Columbia University | |
| Class of 1939 Fellowship, Columbia University | |
| Barbara Baehr Scholar, UC San Diego School of Medicine | |
| Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Fellowship from the American Federation for Aging Research | |
| TL1 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant | |
| Arlene J. and Dr. Bernard Goodhead Service Award in Oncology, UC San Diego School of Medicine | |
| Radiation Oncology Strategic Initiatives Seed Grant Recipient, MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
| Dr. Mary Fletcher Memorial Award for the Heart of Caring, Awarded for Excellence in Clinical Care, MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
| AACR/ASCO Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop Participant, Vail, CO | |
| M.H. Maor Award for Research Excellence by the Gilbert H. Fletcher Society, MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
| Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award, ASCO 2020 | |
| Ben F. Love Fellowship in Innovative Cancer Therapies Recognition of Research Excellence, MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
| Radiation Oncology Institute (ROI) Research Grant- James D. Cox Resident Research Award | |
| RSNA Roentgen Resident/Fellow Research Award | |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Trainee Research Day- 1st Place in Quality Improvement | |
| Anne Eastland Spears Fellowship in Pancreatic Cancer Research Recognition of Research Excellence, MD Anderson Cancer Center | |
| Perfect Score Provider- Press Ganey Patient Experience | |
| Top 1% Provider- Press Ganey Patient Experience |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Corrigan KL, Andring LM, Das P, Pfennig C, Porter KB, Ludmir EB, Noticewala SS, Minsky BD, Smith GL, Koay EJ, Koong AC, Arzola A, Lee SJ, Nelms L, Holliday EB. Evaluating pre-consult patient education videos for patients with newly-diagnosed anal squamous cell carcinoma: Impact on patient comprehension, satisfaction and distress. Tech Innov Patient Support Radiat Oncol 32(None):100271, 2024. PMID: 39403310.
- Fang P, Noticewala SS, Wu SY, Gunther JR, Ludmir EB, Medeiros LJ, Strati P, Nair R, Nze C, Nastoupil LJ, Ahmed S, Castillo LM, Fayad L, Westin J, Neelapu S, Flowers C, Huen A, Iyer SP, Dabaja B, Pinnix CC. Early-Stage Extranodal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma, Nasal Type: A Role for Elective Nodal Irradiation?. Adv Radiat Oncol 9(12):101650, 2024. PMID: 39553398.
- De B, Dogra P, Zaid M, Elganainy D, Sun K, Amer AM, Wang C, Rooney MK, Chang E, Kang HC, Wang Z, Bhosale P, Odisio BC, Newhook TE, Tzeng CD, Cao HST, Chun YS, Vauthey JN, Lee SS, Kaseb A, Raghav K, Javle M, Minsky BD, Noticewala SS, Holliday EB, Smith GL, Koong AC, Das P, Cristini V, Ludmir EB, Koay EJ. Measurable imaging-based changes in enhancement of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after radiotherapy reflect physical mechanisms of response. medRxiv None(None):None, 2024. PMID: 39314943.
- Lin TA, McCaw ZR, Koong A, Lin C, Abi Jaoude J, Patel R, Kouzy R, El Alam MB, Sherry AD, Noticewala SS, Fuller CD, Thomas CR, Sun R, Lee JJ, Lin R, Yuan Y, Shyr Y, Meirson T, Ludmir EB. Proportional Hazards Violations in Phase 3 Cancer Clinical Trials: A Potential Source of Trial Misinterpretation. Clin Cancer Res None(None):None, 2024. PMID: 39133081.
- Ludmir EB, Sherry AD, Fellman BM, Liu S, Bathala T, Haymaker C, Medina-Rosales MN, Reuben A, Holliday EB, Smith GL, Noticewala SS, Nicholas S, Price TR, Martin-Paulpeter RM, Perles LA, Lee SS, Lee MS, Smaglo BG, Huey RW, Willis J, Zhao D, Cohen L, Taniguchi CM, Koay EJ, Katz MHG, Wolff RA, Das P, Pant S, Koong AC, Tang C. Addition of Metastasis-Directed Therapy to Systemic Therapy for Oligometastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (EXTEND): A Multicenter, Randomized Phase II Trial. J Clin Oncol None(None):JCO2400081, 2024. PMID: 39102622.
- Hsu EJ, Lin TA, Dabush DR, McCaw Z, Koong A, Lin C, Abi Jaoude J, Patel R, Kouzy R, El Alam MB, Noticewala S, Yang Y, Sherry AD, Fuller CD, Thomas CR, Tang C, Msaouel P, Das P, Huang B, Tian L, Sun R, Lee JJ, Meirson T, Ludmir EB. Association of differential censoring with survival and suboptimal control arms among oncology clinical trials. J Natl Cancer Inst 116(6):990-994, 2024. PMID: 38331394.
- Shi C, De B, Tran Cao HS, Liu S, Florez MA, Kouzy R, Grippin AJ, Katz MHG, Tzeng CD, Ikoma N, Kim MP, Lee S, Willis J, Noticewala SS, Minsky BD, Smith GL, Holliday EB, Taniguchi CM, Koong AC, Das P, Ludmir EB, Koay EJ. Escalated-dose radiotherapy for unresected locally advanced pancreatic cancer: Patterns of care and survival in the United States. Cancer Med 13(12):e7434, 2024. PMID: 38923407.
- Rooney MK, Niedzielski JS, Salazar RM, Arzola A, Das P, Koay EJ, Koong A, Ludmir EB, Minsky BD, Noticewala S, Smith GL, Taniguchi C, Holliday EB. Long-Term Patient-Reported Dyspareunia After Definitive Chemoradiation for Anal Cancer: Using the Anterior Vaginal Wall as an Organ-at-Risk to Define an Actionable Dosimetric Goal. Adv Radiat Oncol 9(5):101449, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38550361.
- Chang E, Wong FCL, Chasen BA, Erwin WD, Das P, Holliday EB, Koong AC, Ludmir EB, Minsky BD, Noticewala SS, Smith GL, Taniguchi CM, Rodriguez MJ, Beddar S, Martin-Paulpeter RM, Niedzielski JS, Sawakuchi GO, Schueler E, Perles LA, Xiao L, Szklaruk J, Park PC, Dasari AN, Kaseb AO, Kee BK, Lee SS, Overman MJ, Willis JA, Wolff RA, Tzeng CD, Vauthey JN, Koay EJ. Phase I Trial of SPECT-Guided Liver-Directed Radiotherapy for Patients with Low Functional Liver Volume. JNCI Cancer Spectr 8(3), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38730548.
- Rooney MK, Pasli M, Chang GJ, Das P, Koay EJ, Koong AC, Ludmir EB, Minsky BD, Noticewala SS, Peacock O, Smith GL, Holliday EB. Patient-Reported Sexual Function, Bladder Function and Quality of Life for Patients with Low Rectal Cancers with or without a Permanent Ostomy. Cancers (Basel) 16(1), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38201580.
- Lin D, El Alam MB, Jaoude JA, Kouzy R, Phan JL, Elnaggar JH, Resendiz B, Medrano AYD, Lynn EJ, Nguyen ND, Noticewala SS, Mathew GG, Holliday EB, Minsky BD, Das P, Morris VK, Eng C, Mezzari MP, Petrosino JF, Ajami NJ, Klopp AH, Taniguchi CM, Colbert LE. Microbiome Dynamics During Chemoradiation Therapy for Anal Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 113(5):974-984, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35513187.
- Noticewala SS, Das P. Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 29(1):11-12, 2022. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34617163.
- Abi Jaoude J, Thunshelle CP, Kouzy R, Nguyen ND, Lin D, Prakash L, Bumanlag IM, Noticewala SS, Niedzielski JS, Beddar S, Ludmir EB, Holliday EB, Das P, Minsky BD, Herman JM, Katz M, Koong AC, Koay EJ, Taniguchi CM. Stereotactic Versus Conventional Radiation Therapy for Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in the Modern Era. Adv Radiat Oncol 6(6):100763, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34934858.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Eng C, Holliday EB, Minsky BD, Morris VK, Das P. Anal cancer treatment regimen considerations for the COVID-19 era: In regard to Tchelebi et al. Radiother Oncol 151:56-57, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32710989.
- Boyce-Fappiano D, Bathala TK, Ye R, Pasalic D, Gjyshi O, Pezzi TA, Noticewala SS, McGinnis GJ, Maroongroge S, Kuban DA, Nguyen QN, McGuire SE, Hoffman KE, Choi S, Tang C, Kudchadker RJ, Frank SJ. Predictors of urinary toxicity with MRI-assisted radiosurgery for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy 19(5):574-583, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32682778.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Bishop AJ, Chung C, Ghia AJ, Grosshans D, McGovern S, Paulino AC, Wang C, Woodhouse KD, Yeboa DN, Prabhu SS, Weathers SP, Das P, Koong AC, McAleer MF, Li J. Radiation for Glioblastoma in the Era of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Patient Selection and Hypofractionation to Maximize Benefit and Minimize Risk. Adv Radiat Oncol 5(4):743-745, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32775785.
- Noticewala SS, Koong AC, Bloom ES, Choi S, Chronowski G, Ghafar RA, Guadagnolo BA, Gunn GB, Klopp A, Lee P, Li J, Liao Z, Ludmir EB, McAleer MF, Nguyen QN, Ning MS, Robinson IJ, Rosenthal DI, Shah SJ, Woodward WA, Zaebst DJ, Dabaja BS, Das P. Radiation Oncology Strategies to Flatten the Curve During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: Experience From a Large Tertiary Cancer Center. Adv Radiat Oncol 5(4):567-572, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32775771.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Li J, McAleer MF. In Reply to Rathod et al. Adv Radiat Oncol 5(4):748, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32775787.
- Grant SR, Noticewala SS, Mainwaring W, Lin TA, Miller AB, Jethanandani A, Espinoza AF, Gunn GB, Fuller CD, Thomas CR, Portelance L, Ludmir EB. Non-English language validation of patient-reported outcome measures in cancer clinical trials. Support Care Cancer 28(6):2503-2505, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32189098.
- Gallaher JA, Massey SC, Hawkins-Daarud A, Noticewala SS, Rockne RC, Johnston SK, Gonzalez-Cuyar L, Juliano J, Gil O, Swanson KR, Canoll P, Anderson ARA. From cells to tissue: How cell scale heterogeneity impacts glioblastoma growth and treatment response. PLoS Comput Biol 16(2):e1007672, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32101537.
- Miccio JA, Barsky A, Gao S, Verma V, Noticewala SS, Jairam V, Johnson SB, Yu JB, Hansen JE, Aneja S, An Y, Decker RH, Bulent Omay S, Li J, Kurtz GA, Alonso-Basanta M, Lee JYK, Chiang VL, Park HS. Multi-institutional retrospective review of stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastasis in patients with small cell lung cancer without prior brain-directed radiotherapy. J Radiosurg SBRT 7(1):19-27, 2020. PMID: 32802575.
- Vitzthum LK, Feng CH, Noticewala S, Hines PJ, Nguyen C, Zakeri K, Sojourner EJ, Shen H, Mell LK. Comparison of Comorbidity and Frailty Indices in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Using an Online Tool. JCO Clin Cancer Inform 2:1-9, 2018. PMID: 30652602.
- Zakeri K, Noticewala S, Vitzthum L, Sojourner E, Shen H, Mell L. 'Optimism bias' in contemporary national clinical trial network phase III trials: are we improving?. Ann Oncol 29(10):2135-2139, 2018. PMID: 30412223.
- Juliano J, Gil O, Hawkins-Daarud A, Noticewala S, Rockne RC, Gallaher J, Massey SC, Sims PA, Anderson ARA, Swanson KR, Canoll P. Comparative dynamics of microglial and glioma cell motility at the infiltrative margin of brain tumours. J R Soc Interface 15(139), 2018. PMID: 29445035.
- Li N, Noticewala SS, Williamson CW, Shen H, Sirak I, Tarnawski R, Mahantshetty U, Hoh CK, Moore KL, Mell LK. Feasibility of atlas-based active bone marrow sparing intensity modulated radiation therapy for cervical cancer. Radiother Oncol 123(2):325-330, 2017. PMID: 28528206.
- Noticewala SS, Li N, Williamson CW, Hoh CK, Shen H, McHale MT, Saenz CC, Einck J, Plaxe S, Vaida F, Yashar CM, Mell LK. Longitudinal Changes in Active Bone Marrow for Cervical Cancer Patients Treated With Concurrent Chemoradiation Therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 97(4):797-805, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28244416.
- Williamson CW, Green G, Noticewala SS, Li N, Shen H, Vaida F, Mell LK. Prospective Validation of a High Dimensional Shape Model for Organ Motion in Intact Cervical Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 96(4):801-807, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27788953.
- Carmona R, Gulaya S, Murphy JD, Rose BS, Wu J, Noticewala S, McHale MT, Yashar CM, Vaida F, Mell LK. Validated competing event model for the stage I-II endometrial cancer population. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 89(4):888-98, 2014. PMID: 24969798.
- Wojtasiewicz TJ, Ducruet AF, Noticewala SS, Canoll P, McKhann GM. De novo glioblastoma in the territory of a prior middle cerebral artery infarct. Case Rep Neurol Med 2013:356526, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24222871.
- Ivkovic S, Beadle C, Noticewala S, Massey SC, Swanson KR, Toro LN, Bresnick AR, Canoll P, Rosenfeld SS. Direct inhibition of myosin II effectively blocks glioma invasion in the presence of multiple motogens. Mol Biol Cell 23(4):533-42, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22219380.
Other Articles
- Noticewala, SS, Das, P Current State of Neoadjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer. Cancer Journal (United States) 30(4):227-231, 2024. PMID: 39042772.
- Abi Jaoude J, Kouzy R, Nguyen ND, Lin D, Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Taniguchi CM Radiation therapy for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: Evolving techniques and treatment strategies. Curr Probl Cancer 44(6):100607, 2020. PMID: 32471736.
- Lin D, Kouzy R, Abi Jaoude J, Noticewala SS, Delgado Medrano AY, Klopp AH, Taniguchi CM, Colbert LE Microbiome factors in HPV-driven carcinogenesis and cancers. PLoS Pathog 16(6):e1008524, 2020. PMID: 32497113.
- Noticewala SS, Mell LK, Olson SE, Read W Survival in unresectable sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma treated with concurrent intra-arterial cisplatin and radiation. World J Clin Cases 3(2):191-5, 2015. PMID: 25685767.
Editorials
- Noticewala, Sonal. A bright future for medicine: Lasers promise new treatments and diagnostics. NASW, 2011. PMID: None.
- Noticewala, Sonal. At Australia's Bunny Fence, Variable Cloudiness Prompts Climate Study. New York Times, 2007. PMID: None.
Abstracts
- Noticewala SS, Boyce-Fappiano DR, Ning MS, Ludmir EB, Thaker NG, Olivieri ND, Guzman AB, Incalcaterra JR, Ghafar RF, Das P, Koong A, and Taniguchi CM. Time-Driven Activity-Based Cost Analysis of Radiation Treatment Options for Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 108(3e781), 2020. PMID: None.
- Noticewala SS, Gomez D, Tang C, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE, Todd S, Gomez, M, Koong AC, Li J, Ghia AJ. Outcomes of conventional single fraction radiotherapy for palliation of painful vertebral metastases. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 103(5):E39–E40, 2019. PMID: None.
- Vitzthum LK, Noticewala SS, Hines P, Zakeri K, Shen H, Nguyen C, and Mell LK. A web-based tool to compare comorbidity models and geriatric risk-assessment in head and neck cancer patients. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 99(2):E379, 2017. PMID: None.
- Li N, Noticewala SS, Williamson CW, Shen H, Sirak I, Tarnawski R, Mahantshetty U, Moore K, and Mell LK. Atlas-Based Active Bone Marrow-Sparing IMRT for Cervical Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 96(2S98–S99), 2016. PMID: None.
- Mell LK, Saenz CC, Yashar CM, McHale MT, Einck J, Wright M, Noticewala SS, Xu R, Plaxe S, and Mundt AJ. Phase I Trial Of Bone Marrow Sparing Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy with Concurrent Cisplatin and Gemcitabine in Stage IB-IVA Cervical Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 96(2S14), 2016. PMID: None.
- Noticewala SS, Williamson CW, and Murphy JD. Cost-Effectiveness of Proton Therapy for Parameningeal Rhabdomyosarcoma. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 96(2E398), 2016. PMID: None.
- Williamson CW, Noticewala SS, Salinas CR, and Murphy JD. Cost-Effectiveness of Proton Therapy for Esophageal Cancer. International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics 96(4):801-807, 2016. PMID: None.
- Gil OD, SS N, Ivkovic S, Esencay M, Zagzag D, Rosenfeld SS, Bruce JN, and Canoll P. SDF1 Stimulates Microglia Migration in a PDGF-Driven Model Of Glioblastoma. Neuro-Oncology 13(iii1–iii9), 2011. PMID: None.
Letters to the Editor
- Noticewala SS, Das P. Carbon Ion Radiotherapy for Locally Recurrent Rectal Cancer. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2021.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Li J, McAleer MF. In Reply to ‘Rathod et al. Adv Radiat Oncol 5: 748, 2020.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Eng C, Holliday EB, Minsky BD, Morris VK, and Das P. Anal cancer treatment regimen considerations for the COVID-19 era: In regard to Tchelebi et al. Radiother Oncol 151: 56-57, 2020.
- Noticewala SS, Koong AC, Bloom ES, et al. Radiation Oncology Strategies to Flatten the Curve During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: Experience From a Large Tertiary Cancer Center. Adv Radiat Oncol 5: 567-572, 2020.
- Noticewala SS, Ludmir EB, Bishop AJ, et al. Radiation for Glioblastoma in the Era of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Patient Selection and Hypofractionation to Maximize Benefit and Minimize Risk. Adv Radiat Oncol 5: 743-745, 2020.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified December 18, 2024