Shirley Y. Su, MBBS, FRACS
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Su
Dr. Shirley Y Su is an Associate Professor in the department of Head and Neck Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She also serves as adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Su's clinical expertise is in the endoscopic and open surgery management of complex benign and malignant tumors of the skull base. Her research efforts are focused on oncologic and functional outcomes for patients with skull based tumors. Dr. Su serves on the Skull Base Committees for the American Head and Neck Society and the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Society. Dr. Su has been recognized for excellence in clinic care with a Top 1% Award in 2017, based on patient survey of providers nationwide.
Meet Shirley Su, M.B.B.S.
Skull base tumor specialist Shirley Su on treatment for these rare tumors
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Minimally invasive surgery, cancers of the nose, sinuses and cranial base.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2000 | Monash University, Melbourne, AUS, MBBS, Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 2012-2013 | Clinical Fellowship, Endoscopic and Open Cranial Base Surgery; Clinical Instructor, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2007-2011 | Clinical Residency, Advanced Surgical Training in Otolaryngology, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, East Melbourne |
| 2005-2007 | Clinical Residency, Advanced Surgical Training in General Surgery, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, East Melbourne |
| 2002-2005 | Basic Surgical Training, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, East Melbourne |
| 2001-2002 | Clinical Internship, General, Monash Medical Center, Melbourne |
Experience & Service
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Chair, MD Anderson Cancer Center Skull Base Research Group, Houston, TX, 2015 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Team Member, Inpatient Operations Steering Committee (IOSC), 2014 - 2015
Honors & Awards
| 2017 | Top 1% Award - Based on Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores for “top 1% of physicians nationally on care experience”, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2000 | Award for Notable Contribution, Young Achievement Australia |
| 1999 | Commonwealth Foundation Medical Electives Scholarship, Commonwealth Foundation Medical Electives |
| 1999 | Health Promotion Prize for project: "The Prevention of diabetes in Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes", VicHealth |
| 1998 | Chinese Health Foundation of Australia Award, Chinese Health Foundation of Australia |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Amit M, Abdelmeguid AS, Watcherporn T, Takahashi H, Tam S, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Glisson B, Kupferman ME, Roberts DB, Su SY, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Induction Chemotherapy Response as a Guide for Treatment Optimization in Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma. J Clin Oncol 37(6):800353, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30615549.
- Mays AC, Hanna EY, Ferrarotto R, Phan J, Bell D, Silver N, Mulcahy CF, Roberts D, Abdelmeguid ASA, Fuller CD, Frank SJ, Raza SM, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Su SY. Prognostic Factors and Survival in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Sinonasal Cavity. Head Neck 40(12):2596-2605, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30447126.
- Amit M, Tam S, Abdelmeguid AS, Kupferman ME, Su SY, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Patterns of Treatment Failure in Patients with Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol 25(6):1723-1729, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29626308.
- Mays AC, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Phan J, Roberts D, Fuller CD, Frank SJ, Raza SM, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Hanna EY, Su SY. Early Stage olfactory neuroblastoma and the impact of resecting dura and olfactory bulb. Laryngoscope 128(6):1274-1280, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29226334.
- Raza SM, Gidley PW, Kupferman ME, Hanna EY, Su SY, DeMonte F. Site Specific Considerations in the Surgical Management of Skull Base Chondrosarcomas. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 14(6):611-619, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28962038.
- Freeman JL, DeMonte F, Al-Holou W, Gidley PW, Hanna EY, Kupferman ME, Su SY, Raza SM. Impact of Early Access to Multi-Disciplinary Care on Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Skull Base Chordoma. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 160(4):731-740, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29270681.
- Amit M, Tam S, Abdelmeguid AS, Roberts DB, Raza SM, Su SY, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Approaches to Regional Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Head and Neck Mucosal Melanoma. Cancer 124(3):514-520, 2018. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29044491.
- Amit M, Tam S, Abdelmeguid AS, Kupferman ME, Su SY, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Role of Adjuvant Treatment in Sinonasal Mucosal Melanoma. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 78(6):512-518, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29142805.
- Hansen CC, Smith JB, Mohamed ASR, Mulcahy CF, Wefel JS, Hutcheson KA, Chrane K, Phan J, Frank SJ, Garden AS, Smith BD, Eichelberger H, Anderson C, McCoy C, Horiates M, Patrick C, Floris S, French C, Beadle BM, Morrison WH, Su SY, Lewis CM, Kupferman ME, Johnson JM, Skinner HD, Lai SY, Hanna EY, Rosenthal DI, Fuller CD, Gunn GB, MD Anderson Head and Neck Cancer Symptom Working Group. Cognitive Function and Patient-Reported Memory Problem Following Radiation Therapy for Cancers at the Skull Base: A Survivorship Study Using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Stateus and the MDASI-HN . Head Neck 39(10):2048-2056, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28763137.
- Pollard C, Mesko SM, Ginsberg LE, Kies MS, Raza SM, Su SY, Tung S, Phan J. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma presenting as an inconspicuous primary lesion with extensive cavernous sinus involvement and temporal lobe extension: A case report and review of literature. Clin Case Rep 5(10):1682-1688, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 29026572.
- Pollard C, Nguyen TP, Ng SP, Frank SJ, Garden AS, Gunn GB, Fuller CD, Beadle BM, Morrison WH, Shah SJ, Wang H, Tung S, Wang C, Ginsberg LD, Zafereo ME, Sturgis EM, Su SY, Hanna EY, Rosenthal DI, Phan J. Clinical outcomes after local field conformal reirradiation of patients with retropharyngeal nodal metastasis. Head Neck 39(10):2079-2087, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28741749.
- Su SY, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Phan J, Roberts D, Kupferman ME, Frank SJ, Fuller CD, Gunn GB, Kies MS, Glisson BS, Hanna EY. Outcomes for olfactory neuroblastoma treated with induction chemotherapy. Head Neck 39(8):1671-1679, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28561956.
- Amit M, Tam S, Abdelmeguid AS, Roberts DB, Takahashi Y, Raza SM, Su SY, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Hanna EY. Mutation status among patients with sinonasal mucosal melanoma and its impact on survival. Br J Cancer 116(12):1564-1571, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28494469.
- Hunt PJ, DeMonte F, Tang RA, Su SY, Raza SM. Surgical Resection of an Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma: Relevance of Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches to the Optic Canal. J Neurol Surg Rep 78(2):e81-e85, 2017. PMID: 28413768.
- Jiang W, Mohamed AS, Fuller CD, Kim BY, Tang C, Gunn GB, Hanna EY, Frank SJ, Su SY, Diaz E, Kupferman ME, Beadle BM, Morrison WH, Skinner H, Lai SY, El-Naggar AK, DeMonte F, Rosenthal DI, Garden AS, Phan J. The role of elective nodal irradiation for esthesioneuroblastoma patients with clinically negative neck. Pract Radiat Oncol 6(4):241-7, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26979544.
- Holmes M, Su SY, Bell D. Ectopic primary olfactory neuroblastoma of the maxillary sinus. Ann Diagn Pathol 22:45-8, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27180059.
- Horowitz PM, Su SY, Raza SM. Endoscopic Transclival Resection of Clival Chordoma Requiring Cavernous Sinus and Cartotid Exposure. CSurgeries, 2016.
- Su SY, Milas ZL, Bhatt N, Roberts D, Clayman GL. Well differentiated thyroid cancer with aerodigestive tract invasion: Long-term control and functional outcomes. Head Neck 10(1):72-8, 2016. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25204531.
- Vaz-Guimaraes F, Su SY, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Gardner PA. Hemostasis in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 76(4):296-302, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26225320.
- de Almeida JR, Su SY, Koutourousiou M, Vaz Guimaraes Filho F, Fernandez Miranda JC, Wang EW, Gardner PA, Snyderman CH. Endonasal endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the sinonasal cavities and skull base: Oncologic outcomes based on treatment strategy and tumor etiology. Head Neck 23731(8):1163-9, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24798497.
- Su SY, Grodski S, Serpell J. "Hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy". Annals of Surgery 250(6):991-4, 2009.
- Su SY, Giorlando F, Ek EW, Dieu T. "Incomplete excision of basal cell carcinoma: a prospective trial". Plast Reconstr Surg 120(5):1240-8, 2007. PMID: 17898596.
- Tan PY, Ek E, Su SY, Giorlando F, Dieu T. "Incomplete excision of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: a prospective observational study". Plast Reconstr Surg 120(4):910-6, 2007. PMID: 17805118.
Invited Articles
- Horowitz PM, DiNapoli V, Su SY, Raza SM. Complication Avoidance in Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 49(1):227-35, 2016. PMID: 26614840.
- Su SY, Bell D, Hanna EY. Esthesioneuroblastoma, Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, and Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: Differentiation in Diagnosis and Treatment. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 18(Suppl 2):S149-S156, 2014. PMID: 25992139.
- Su SY||c, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Levine NB, Raza SM, Hanna EY. Endoscopic Resection of Sinonasal Cancers. Curr Oncol Rep 16(2):369, 2014. PMID: 24445501.
Abstracts
- Amit M, Takahashi H, Kupferman ME, Hunt P, Su SY, Demonte F, Hanna EY, Raza SM. Patterns of Treatment Failure in Patients with Infratemporal Fossa Malignancies. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Mehta GU, Raza SM, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Hanna EY, Demonte F. Outcomes Of Surgical Management Of Sinonasal Malignancies Involving The Anterior Skull Base. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Bahig H, Hanna EY, Garden AS, Ng SP, Frank SJ, Nguyen T, Gunn GB, Rosenthal DI, Fuller CD, Ferrarotto R, Bell D, Su SY, Phan J. Outcomes of Intensity Modulated Irradiation for Sinonasal Cancers: The MD Anderson Experience. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Abdelmeguid AS, Raza SM, Kupferman ME, Su SY, Demonte F, Hanna EY.. Endoscopic Resection of Sinonasal and Skull Base Malignancies. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Choi KY, Amit M, Bell D, Harrison K, Phan J, Frank S, Ferrarroto R, Raza S, Demonte F, Kupferman M, Hanna E, Su SY. Clinical Implications of Histopathologic Diagnostic Discrepancies in Sinonasal Malignancies. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Bahig H, Ng SP, Pollard III C, Nguyen T, Gunn GB, Rosenthal DI, Frank SJ, Fuller CD, Garden AS, Reddy JP, Morrison WH, Ferrarrotto R, Hanna EY, De Monte F,Su SY, Phan J.. A Prospective Evaluation of Health-Related Patient-Reported Outcomes after Skull Base Re- Irradiation. 29th North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting, 2019.
- Ferrarotto R, Duran AH, Wei W, Carter BW, El-Naggar AK, Su SY, Bell D, Kies MS, William WN Jr, Glisson BS, Godoy M, Heymach JV. Activating NOTCH1 mutations is associated with shorter progression-free survival to first-line systemic therapy in ACC. 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2017.
- Ferrarotto R, Su SY, Diao L, Eterovic K, Prieto V, Morrisson WH, Wang J, Glisson BS, Kies MS, Bell D. PARP as a potential therapeutic target in merkel cell carcinoma. AHNS 2017 Annual during the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM), 2017.
- Mays AC, Hanna EY, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Phan J, Su SY. Prognostic factors and survival in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the sinonasal cavity. AHNS 2017 Annual during the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM), 2017.
- Frank S, Garden A, YE R, Su, SY, Kies M, Rosenthal D, Kupferman M, Blanchard P, Phan J, Fuller D, Gunn B, Nguyen QN, Hanna EY. Proton Beam Radiation Therapy Achieve Excellent Cancer Control Rates for Complex Tumors. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(Suppl 1), 2017.
- Bell D, Su SY, Kies MS, Ferrarotto R.. PARP1 Overexpression in Merkel Cell Carcinoma and Its Potential Clinical Implications. The United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology’s 106th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, 2017.
- Amit M, Tam S, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Roberts D, Hanna E. The role of adjuvant treatment in sinonasal mucosal melanoma. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(supp 1), 2017.
- Frank S, Garden A, Ye R, Su SY, Kies M, Rosenthal D, Kupferman M, Blanchard P, Phan J, Fuller D, Gunn B, Nguyen QN, Hanna E. Achieve Excellent Cancer Control Rates For Complex Tumors. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(supp 1), 2017.
- Amit M, Tam S, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Roberts D, Hanna E. Analysis of failure in patients with sinonasal mucosal melanoma. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(supp 1):S80, 2017.
- Amit M, Tam S, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Roberts D, Hanna E. Incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis and its association with outcomes in patients with sinonasal mucosal melanoma. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(supp 1):S48, 2017.
- Kandl TJ, Thakar SD, Czerniak BA, Tetzlaff MT, Su SY, Esmaeli B. Clinical Outcomes and Histopathologic Features of Orbital Hemangiopericytoma/ Solitary Fibrous Tumors. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 78(supp 1):S132, 2017.
- Su SY, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Kupferman ME, Glisson BS, Kies MS, Hanna EY. Outcomes for esthesioneuroblastoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. AHNS 9th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, 2016.
- Raza SM, Hanna EY, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Gidley PM, DeMonte F. Temporal Bone chondrosarcoma. 7th International Congress of the World Federation of Skull Base Societies, 2016.
- Phan J, Brown P, Guha-Thakurta N, Rosenthal D, Garden AS, Gunn GB, Fuller CD, Li J, Ghia AJ, Yang J, Luo D, Su SY, Hanna EY, DeMonte F. Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery For Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary To Recurrent Skull Base Malignancies. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 77(suppl 1), 2016.
- Su SY, Bell D, Kupferman ME, DeMonte F, Raza SM, Hanna EY. Early stage esthesioneuroblastoma, is resection of the cribriform dura and olfactory bulb necessary?. International Federation Head and Neck Surgery Conference, 2014.
- Vaz-Guimaraes F, Koutourousiou M, Su SY, deAlmeida JR, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Gardner PA. Endoscopic Endonasal Clipping of Intracranial Aneurysms: Technical Details and Anatomic Basis. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1), 2013.
- Su SY, deAlmeida JR, Vaz-Guimaraes F, Koutourousiou M, Wang EW, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Gardner PA, Snyderman CH. Endoscopic Endonasal Resection of Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: the UPMC experience. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1), 2013.
- Su SY, de Almeida JR, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Gardner PA, Wang EW, Snyderman CH. “Endoscopic Endonasal Resection of Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma: the UPMC experience.”. J Neurol Surg B 74 (suppl 1):2, 2013.
- Koutourousiou M, Filho FVG, de Almeida JR, Su SY, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Tyler-Kebara E, Gardner PA. Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Suprasellar Meningiomas. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1):22, 2013.
- Koutourousiou M, Filho FVG, de Almeida JR, Su SY, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Tyler-Kebara E, Gardner PA. Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Craniopharyngiomas: Surgical Outcome in 64 patients. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1):38, 2013.
- Filho FVG, Koutourousiou M, Su SY, de Almeida JR, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Gardner PA. Endoscopic Endonasal Clipping of Intracranial Aneurysms: Technical Details and Anatomic Basis. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1):80, 2013.
- Su SY, de Almeida JR, Filho FVG, Koutourousiou M, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Gardner PA, Wang EW, Snyderman CH. Outcomes for Endoscopic Endonasal Resection of Adenocystic Carcinoma of the Sinonasal Cavity and Skull Base. Journal of Neurological Surgery - Part B 74(suppl 1):2, 2013.
- Snyderman C, Wang E, Gardner E, Fernandez-Miranda J, Su SY. Skull Base Surgery: Open and Endoscopic Approaches for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. 8th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, 2012.
- Snyderman C, Wang E, Gardner E, Fernandez-Miranda J, Su SY. Skull Base Surgery: Open and Endoscopic Approaches for Adenocystic Carcinoma. 8th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, 2012.
- Su SY, Le T, Roberts D, Kies M, Morrison W, Gillenwater A. Merkel Cell Carcinoma – the Effects of Site, Stage and Treatment on Recurrence and Survival. 8th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer, 2012.
- Vaz-Guimaraes F, Koutourousiou M, Su SY, deAlmeida JR, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Wang EW, Snyderman CH, Gardner PA. Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery for Suprasellar Meningiomas. North American Skull Base Society Meeting 2012, 2012.
- Su SY, Serpell J. Hypothyroidism following hemithyroidectomy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery 77(supp 1):A24, 2007.
- Su SY, Harris P. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of rectus sheath local anaesthetic infusion after major abdominal surgery. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery 76(suppl 1):A14-21, 2006.
- deAlmeida JR, Carvalho F, Vaz-Guimaraes F, Koutourousiou M, Su, SY, Kiehl R, Vescan AD, Witterick IJ, Wang EW, Zadeh G, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Gardner PA, Gentili F, Snyderman CH. A comparison of post-operative MRI signal changes between endoscopic endonasal approaches and open approaches for olfactory groove meningiomas: a match paired analysis from two institutions. J Neurol Surg B 22(11):1733-41. e-Pub 2015.
Book Chapters
- Hanna EY, Su SY, Kupferman ME, Raza SM, DeMonte F. Sinonasal Tumors. In: Cancers of the Head and Neck. 5th, 2016.
- Su SY, Bell D. Sinonasal Mass & Malignant Sinonasal Tumors. In: Otolaryngology Clinical Case Studies Oral Board Exam Review.
- Wang JR, Bell D, Ferrarotto R, Weber R, Su,SY. Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors. In: Surgery of the Salivary Gland.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | MD Anderson symptom inventory, skull base module: developing a disease specific instrument to evaluate quality of life in patients with skull base tumors |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Survivorship Research Seed Money Grants at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |