Ashwathy Balachandran Pillai
Department of Hospital Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Instructor, Department of Hospital Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Instructor, Department of Hospital Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2009 | Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, IN, MBBS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2022-2023 | Postgraduate Fellow, General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2021-null | Diplomat, Obesity Medicine, American Board of Obesity Medicine |
| 2016-2017 | Chief Residency, Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University, Saginaw, Michigan |
| 2014-2017 | Intern, Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University, Saginaw, Michigan |
| 2014-2017 | Resident, Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University, Saginaw, Michigan |
| null-null | Postgraduate Fellow, Hospital Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
Board Certifications
| 2023 | ACLS |
| 2021 | American Board of Obesity Medicine |
| 2017 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Hospital Resources Utilization Review Committee, 2019 - 2021
Member, Program Evaluation Committee, 2016 - 2017
Member, Hospital Quality and Safety Committee, 2016 - Present
Member, Branding and Norms Hospital Medicine Committee
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Yousef, M, Hurd, MW, Yousef, A, Ludmir, EB, Balachandran Pillai, A, Peterson, J, Koay, EJ, Albarouki, S, Tzeng, CW, Snyder, RA, Katz, MH, Wang, H, Overman, MJ, Maitra, A, Pant, S, Smaglo, BG, Wolff, RA, Yao, JC, Shen, JY, Zhao, D. Clinical and molecular characteristics of patients with brain metastasis secondary to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Oncologist 30(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39014543.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Yousef M, Yousef A, Alfaro-Munoz KD, Smaglo BG, Willis J, Wolff RA, Pant S, Hurd MW, Maitra A, Wang H, Katz MHG, Prakash LR, Tzeng CD, Snyder R, Castelnovo LF, Chen A, Kravets A, Kudriavtseva K, Tarasov A, Kryukov K, Ying H, Shen JP, Zhao D. Molecular and Clinical Features of Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Institution Case Series. Cancers (Basel) 16(19), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39410042.
- Martinez Leal, I, Balachandran Pillai, A, Foreman, J, Siu, KW, Heredia, N, Escalante, CP, Manzullo, EF, Christie, AJ, Lacourt, TE, Razouki, ZA, Hwang, JP. A Qualitative Study of the Knowledge of Metabolic Syndrome, Attitudes about Lifestyle Modifications, and Preferences for Lifestyle Interventions among Patients with Cancer and Metabolic Syndrome. Cancers 16(18), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39335119.
Other Articles
- Ullah, F, Balachandran Pillai, A, Omar, N, Dima, D, Harichand, S Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer. Cancers 15(12), 2023. PMID: 37370811.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Becnel M Unusual Presentations of Amyloidosis: A Multicase Analysis Highlighting Diverse Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Challenges. Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia 23(Supplement 2):S272-S273, 2023.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Madewell J, Boving V, Layman RR, Mujtaba B, Brito-Dellan N, Manzano JG, Williams C, Goodman Y, Buni M “Enhancing gout diagnosis in cancer patients through dual energy CT(DECT): A Quality improvement initiative at MD Anderson Cancer Center”. Supportive Care in Cancer.
Abstracts
- Balachandran Pillai A, Jacob Rahul, Paidipatty Babu. Air Embolism after CT guided Lung Biopsy. ACP, 2014.
- Pillai AB, Leal IM, Foreman JT, Manzullo EF, Escalante C, Heredia N, Siu KW, Bassaragh A, Razouki Z, Christie AJ, Lacourt TE, Hwang JP. A Qualitative Study of Knowledge and Attitudes about Lifestyle Modifications and Preferences for Lifestyle Interventions Among Patients with Cancer and Metabolic Syndrome. American College of Lifestyle Medicine National Conference.
- Balachandran AP, Becnel M. Unusual Presentations of Amyloidosis: A Multicase Analysis Highlighting Diverse Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Challenges. International Myeloma Society 20th Annual Conference.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Sadiq N, Manzano JG, Brito-Dellan N. An uncommon occurrence of Immune Check Point Inhibitor-related Gastritis in a Breast Cancer Patient undergoing Neoadjuvant therapy. Society of Hospital Medicine Houston Chapter.
- Sadiq N, Pillai A, Jorgensen J, Parisi X, Manzano J, Brito-Dellan N. Leukopenia: A Rare Finding of the Rarer Hematological Side Effects of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Annual Conference.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Madewell J, Boving V, Brito-Dellan N, Manzano J, Layman R, Mujtaba B, Goodman Y, Williams C, Buni M. Improving patient outcomes by utilizing dual energy CT (DECT) for gout diagnosis in patients with cancer. Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Conference.
- Balachandran Pillai A, Sadiq N, Chua R, Tijani A, Tierce H, Simbaqueba C, Agu A, Franco Vega M, Phyu EI, Odaro O, Sahar H, Diamond A, Pham O, Brito-Dellan N, Manzano JG. Multisystem immunotherapy-related adverse events among patients with breast cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Society Of Immunotherapy in Cancer 39th National Conference.
- Sadiq N, Balachandran Pillai A, Chua RE, Etchegaray M, Brito-Dellan N, Franco Vega M, Lu MB, Mathews SA, Zhao CY, Manzano JG. Clinical Outcomes and Readmission Patterns after Biliary Procedures in Patients with Malignant Biliary Obstruction in a Tertiary Care Cancer Hospital. Department of Internal Medicine Research Retreat - MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified April 15, 2025