Ahmed O Kaseb, MD
Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1996 | Cairo University School of Medicine, Cairo, EGY, MD, Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 2005-2007 | Medical Oncology Fellow, Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI |
| 2004-2005 | Internal Medicine Staff Physician, Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI |
| 2001-2004 | Internal Medicine Residency, Internal Medicine, Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Sanai-Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI |
| 1999-2001 | Research Fellowship, Pediatrics and Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| 1998-1999 | Externship, Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI |
| 1997-1998 | Clinical Internship, Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo |
Board Certifications
| 2014 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
| 2007 | American Board of Medical Oncology |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Associate Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2013 - 2019
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Princeton, NJ, 2013 - Present
Founder, Black Seed Group, Houston, TX, 2009 - Present
Member, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2008 - Present
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Founder, Director, Hepatocellular Carcinoma Interdisciplinary Research Group (HIRG), Houston, TX, 2009 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2006 | ASCO Foundation Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| 2006 | Basic Research Presentation Merit Award, 13th Annual Research Forum of Henry Ford Health System |
| 2005 | ACP Merit Award, American College of Physicians |
| 2004 | ACP Merit Award, American College of Physicians |
| 2004 | Best Ambulatory Resident Award, Sinai-Grace Hospital/Wayne State University |
| 1990 | The Egyptian Government Award, Egypt |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Faria SC, Szklaruk J, Kaseb AO, Hassabo HM, Elsayes KM. TNM/Okuda/Barcelona/UNOS/CLIP International Multidisciplinary Classification of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: concepts, perspectives, and radiologic implications. Abdom Imaging 39(5):1070-87, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24695938.
- Janku F, Kaseb AO, Tsimberidou AM, Wolff RA, Kurzrock R. Identification of novel therapeutic targets in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma using targeted next generation sequencing. Oncotarget 5(10):3012-22, 2014. PMID: 24931142.
- Kaseb AO, Xiao L, Hassan MM, Chae YK, Lee JS, Vauthey JN, Krishnan S, Cheung S, Hassabo HM, Aloia T, Conrad C, Curley SA, Vierling JM, Jalal P, Raghav K, Wallace M, Rashid A, Abbruzzese JL, Wolff RA, Morris JS. Development and validation of insulin-like growth factor-1 score to assess hepatic reserve in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 106(5), 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24815863.
- Kaseb AO, Shah NN, Hassabo HM, Morris JS, Xiao L, Abaza YM, Soliman K, Lee JS, Vauthey JN, Wallace M, Aloia TA, Curley S, Abbruzzese JL, Hassan MM. Reassessing hepatocellular carcinoma staging in a changing patient population. Oncology 86(2):63-71, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24401634.
- Asham EH, Kaseb A, Ghobrial RM. Management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Surg Clin North Am 93(6):1423-50, 2013. PMID: 24206860.
- Das P, Abboud MT, Haque W, Javle M, Kaseb A, Curley SA, Vauthey JN, Aloia TA, Beddar AS, Delclos ME, Krishnan S, Crane CH. Gastric bleeding after radiation therapy for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Pract Radiat Oncol 3(4):344-8, 2013. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 24674408.
- Frenette CT, Boktour M, Burroughs SG, Kaseb A, Aloia TA, Galati J, Gaber AO, Monsour H, Ghobrial RM. Pre-transplant utilization of sorafenib is not associated with increased complications after liver transplantation. Transpl Int 26(7):734-9, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23701126.
- Torres HA, Mahale P, Miller ED, Oo TH, Frenette C, Kaseb AO. Coadministration of telaprevir and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatitis C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. World J Hepatol 5(6):332-5, 2013. PMID: 23805358.
- Kaseb AO, Abaza YM, Roses RE. Multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent Results Cancer Res 190:247-59, 2013. PMID: 22941025.
- Subbiah IM, Subbiah V, Tsimberidou AM, Naing A, Kaseb AO, Javle M, Fu S, Hong DS, Piha-Paul S, Wheler JJ, Hess KR, Janku F, Falchook GS, Wolff RA, Kurzrock R. Targeted Therapy of Advanced Gallbladder Cancer and Cholangiocarcinoma with Aggressive Biology: Eliciting Early Response Signals from Phase 1 trials. Oncotarget 4(1):153-162, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23847722.
- Kaseb AO. Beyond the Basics: The Differential Effects of Demographics and Hepatitis Status on Treatment Outcome in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Oncology 85(1):41-43, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23838536.
- Shindoh J, Kaseb A, Vauthey JN. Surgical Strategy for Liver Cancers in the Era of Effective Chemotherapy. Liver Cancer 2(1):47-54, 2013. PMID: 24159596.
- Zekri Ael-R, Nassar AA, El-Din El-Rouby MN, Shousha HI, Barakat AB, El-Desouky ED, Zayed NA, Ahmed OS, El-Din Youssef AS, Kaseb AO, Abd El-Aziz AO, Bahnassy AA. Disease progression from chronic hepatitis C to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with increasing DNA promoter methylation. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 14(11):6721-6, 2013. PMID: 24377595.
- Kaseb AO, Garrett-Mayer E, Morris JS, Xiao L, Lin E, Onicescu G, Hassan MM, Hassabo HM, Iwasaki M, Deaton FL, Abbruzzese JL, Thomas MB. Efficacy of Bevacizumab plus Erlotinib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Predictors of Outcome: Final Results of a Phase II Trial. Oncology 82(2):67-74, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22327795.
- Mahale P, Kaseb A, Davila M, Torres HA. The Effect of Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization on Hepatitis C viremia. Oncologist 17(9):e21-3, 2012. PMID: 23002170.
- Skinner HD, Sharp HJ, Kaseb AO, Javle MM, Vauthey JN, Abdalla EK, Delclos ME, Das P, Crane CH, Krishnan S. Radiation treatment outcomes for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Acta Oncol 50(8):1191-8, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21793641.
- Kaseb AO, Morris JS, Hassan MM, Siddiqui AM, Lin E, Xiao L, Abdalla EK, Vauthey JN, Aloia TA, Krishnan S, Abbruzzese JL. Clinical and prognostic implications of plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 29(29):3892-9, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21911725.
- El-Rayes BF, Philip PA, Sarkar FH, Shields AF, Ferris AM, Hess K, Kaseb AO, Javle MM, Varadhachary GR, Wolff RA, Abbruzzese JL. A phase II study of isoflavones, erlotinib, and gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic cancer. Invest New Drugs 29(4):694-9, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20107864.
- Kaseb AO, Abbruzzese JL, Vauthey JN, Aloia TA, Abdalla EK, Hassan MM, Lin E, Xiao L, El-Deeb AS, Rashid A, Morris JS. I-CLIP: Improved Stratification of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients by Integrating Plasma IGF-1 into CLIP Score. Oncology 80(5-6):373-381, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21822028.
- Hassan MM, Curley SA, Li D, Kaseb A, Davila M, Abdalla EK, Javle M, Moghazy DM, Lozano RD, Abbruzzese JL, Vauthey JN. Association of diabetes duration and diabetes treatment with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 116(8):1938-46, 2010. PMID: 20166205.
- Kaseb AO, Hanbali A, Cotant M, Hassan MM, Wollner I, Philip PA. Vascular endothelial growth factor in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma: a review of literature. Cancer 115(21):4895-906, 2009. PMID: 19637355.
- Banerjee S, Kaseb AO, Wang Z, Kong D, Mohammad M, Padhye S, Sarkar FH, Mohammad RM. Antitumor activity of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin is augmented by thymoquinone in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Res 69(13):5575-83, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19549912.
- Hassan MM, Kaseb A, Li D, Patt YZ, Vauthey JN, Thomas MB, Curley SA, Spitz MR, Sherman SI, Abdalla EK, Davila M, Lozano RD, Hassan DM, Chan W, Brown TD, Abbruzzese JL. Association between hypothyroidism and hepatocellular carcinoma: a case-control study in the United States. Hepatology 49(5):1563-70, 2009. PMID: 19399911.
- Palavecino M, Chun YS, Madoff DC, Zorzi D, Kishi Y, Kaseb AO, Curley SA, Abdalla EK, Vauthey JN. Major hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with or without portal vein embolization: Perioperative outcome and survival. Surgery 145(4):399-405, 2009. PMID: 19303988.
- Hassan MM, Spitz MR, Thomas MB, Curley SA, Patt YZ, Vauthey JN, Glover KY, Kaseb A, Lozano RD, El-Deeb AS, Nguyen NT, Wei SH, Chan W, Abbruzzese JL, Li D. The association of family history of liver cancer with hepatocellular carcinoma: a case-control study in the United States. J Hepatol 50(2):334-41, 2009. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 19070394.
- Thomas MB, Morris JS, Chadha R, Iwasaki M, Kaur H, Lin E, Lin E, Kaseb A, Glover K, Davila M, Abbruzzese J. Phase II trial of the combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib in patients who have advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 27(6):843-50, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19139433.
- Hassan MM, Spitz MR, Thomas MB, El-Deeb AS, Glover KY, Nguyen NT, Chan W, Kaseb A, Curley SA, Vauthey JN, Ellis LM, Abdalla E, Lozano RD, Patt YZ, Brown TD, Abbruzzese JL, Li D. Effect of different types of smoking and synergism with hepatitis C virus on risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in American men and women: case-control study. Int J Cancer 123(8):1883-91, 2008. PMID: 18688864.
- Kaseb AO, Chinnakannu K, Chen D, Sivanandam A, Tejwani S, Menon M, Dou QP, Reddy GP. Androgen receptor and E2F-1 targeted thymoquinone therapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Cancer Res 67(16):7782-8, 2007. PMID: 17699783.
- Bai VU, Kaseb A, Tejwani S, Divine GW, Barrack ER, Menon M, Pardee AB, Reddy GP. Identification of prostate cancer mRNA markers by averaged differential expression and their detection in biopsies, blood, and urine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104(7):2343-8, 2007. e-Pub 2007. PMID: 17283334.
- Yang H, Yang K, Khafagi A, Tang Y, Carey TE, Opipari AW, Lieberman R, Oeth PA, Lancaster W, Klinger HP, Kaseb AO, Metwally A, Khaled H, Kurnit DM. Sensitive detection of human papillomavirus in cervical, head/neck, and schistosomiasis-associated bladder malignancies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102(21):7683-8, 2005. PMID: 15914551.
- Kaseb AO, Hassan MM, Lin E, Xiao L, Kumar V, Pathak P, Lozano R, Rashid A, Abbruzzese JL, Morris JS. V-CLIP: Integrating plasma vascular endothelial growth factor into a new scoring system to stratify patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma for clinical trials. Cancer. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21157958.
- Kaseb AO, Shama M, Sahin IH, Nooka A, Hassabo HM, Vauthey JN, Aloia T, Abbruzzese JL, Subbiah IM, Janku F, Curley S, Hassan MM. Prognostic Indicators and Treatment Outcome in 94 Cases of Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Oncology 85(4):197-203. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24051705.
- Hassan MM, Kaseb A, Etzel CJ, El-Serag H, Spitz MR, Chang P, Hale KS, Liu M, Rashid A, Shama M, Abbruzzese JL, Loyer EM, Kaur H, Hassabo HM, Vauthey JN, Wray CJ, Hassan BS, Patt YZ, Hawk E, Soliman KM, Li D. Genetic variation in the PNPLA3 gene and hepatocellular carcinoma in USA: Risk and prognosis prediction. Mol Carcinog. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23776098.
- Kaseb AO, Shindoh J, Patt YZ, Roses RE, Zimmitti G, Lozano RD, Hassan MM, Hassabo HM, Curley SA, Aloia TA, Abbruzzese JL, Vauthey JN. Modified cisplatin/interferon α-2b/doxorubicin/5-fluorouracil (PIAF) chemotherapy in patients with no hepatitis or cirrhosis is associated with improved response rate, resectability, and survival of initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer 119(18):3334-42. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23821538.
- Kaseb A, Xiao L, Hassan MM, Abbruzzese JL, Cheung S, Mohamed H, Vierling J, Jalal P, Lee J-S, Wallace MJ, Vauthey J-N, Aloia TA, Curley SA, Rashid A, Morris J. Development and Validation of a modified Child-Turcotte-Pugh score to predict survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. e-Pub 2016.
Editorials
- Wilson SR, Greig P, Kaseb AO. Pretreatment assessment of hepatocellular cancer: expert consensus conference. HPB (Oxford) 12(5):300-1, 2010. PMID: 20590902.
Book Chapters
- Hassan M, Kaseb A. Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. In: Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Springer, 1-19, 2010.
- Kaseb A, Thomas M, Curley S. Gall Bladder and Bile Duct Cancer. In: Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine. 8. People's Medical Publishing House-USA: Shelton, CT, Part Five, Section 27; 87, 2009.
- Kaseb A, Selim Abdel-Hafez. Kalonji (Thymoquinone). In: Molecular Targets and Therapeutic Uses of Spices: Modern Uses for Ancient Medicine. World Scientific Publishing Co., Inc: Hackensack, 257-280, 2009.
- Kaseb A, Thomas M. Chemotherapy and Novel Therapies. In: Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Practical Approach. Informa Health Care Publishing Co., Inc: United Kingdom, 2008.
- Azmi AS, Mohammad M, Kaseb A, Sarkar F, Mohammad RM. Utility of Animal Models in Pancreatic Cancer Research. In: Pancreatic Cancer. Springer: New York, NY, 577-599, 2008.
- Kaseb A, Tejwani S. Vaccines in Medical Oncology. In: Contemporary Perspectives on Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics. Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc, 2006.
- Kaseb A, Tejwani S. Biological Response Modifiers in Cancer Therapy. In: Contemporary Perspectives on Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics. Elsevier, 2006.
- Kaseb A, Tejwani S. Cancer Gene Therapy. In: Contemporary Perspectives on Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics. Elsevier, 2006.
- Kaseb A, Thomas M. The Future: Combination Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. In: Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Humana Press.
Letters to the Editor
- Kaseb AO, Morris JS, Hassan MM, Abbruzzese JL. Reply to A. Goyal et al. J Clin Oncol 30: 1019-1020, 2012.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Novel Point-of-Care Tool to Predict REsponse to Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Novel point-of-care tool to predict response to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | SINF-MDACC |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | NCI SPORE Grant; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | An oral inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | PA18-0950 REFINE: Regorafenib observational study in hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | SIV: Phase I trial evaluating genetically modified autologous T cells expressing a Tcell receptor recognizing a cancer/germline antigen in patients with solid tumors including but not limited to non-small cell lung cancer or hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | Immatics US INC |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase II and Biomarker Study of Dual VEGF/PD-L1 Blockade in Neoadjuvant Setting in Resectable HCC Patients |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase III, Open-Label, Randomized Study in Atezolizumab in Combination with Bevacizumab Compared with Sorafenib in Patients with Untreated Locally Advanced or Metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | Genentech |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | An Open-Label Preoperative Pilot Study Evaluating Nivolumab (Anti-PD-1 Antibody) Alone Versus Nivolumba Plus Ipilumumab (Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody) in Patients with Resectable and Potentially Rescectable HCC |
| Funding Source: | Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Molecularly targeted photothermal ablation to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of immunomodulatory therapies in hepatocellular carcinoma - 5R21EB026089 |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIBIB |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Diet and the gut microbiome in hepatocellular carcinoma patients initiating immunotherapy: new targets to improve clinical outcomes |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Multiple Principal Investigator |
| Title: | 2018-0516: A Phase I Open-Labeled Clinical Trial Evaluating The safety and Anti-Tumor Activity of Autologus T Cells Expressing Enhanced TCRs Specific for Alpha-feroprotein in HLA-A2 positive subjects with Advance Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) |
| Funding Source: | Adaptimmune LLC |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | 2019-1014: A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label Study of Atezolizumab (ANTI-PD-L1 ANTIBODY) Plus Bevacizumab Versus Active Surveillance as Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma at High Risk of Recurrence After Surgical Resection or Ablation |
| Funding Source: | Genentech |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | 2017-0904: Phase I trial evaluating genetically modified autologous T cells expressing a T-cell receptor recognizing a cancer/germline antigen in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | ACTengube |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | 2020-0791: An Open-label, Phase II, Pre-operative Atezolizumab plus Bevacizumab for Resectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | Genentech |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | 2019-0569: A Phase 1-2 Study of ABX196 in Combination with Nivolumab in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | Abivax |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | A Phase II and Biomarker Study of Dual VEGF/PD-L1 Blockade in Neoadjuvant Setting in Resectable HCC Patients |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Overcoming barriers to immune checkpoint inhibition in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma by molecularly targeted photothermal ablation |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | An image-guided immunotherapy and hyperthermia delivery device to overcome barriers to tumor immunity for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |