Sonali Thosani, M.D.
Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine
About Dr. Thosani
Dr. Sonali Thosani is an Associate Professor in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders at the University of Texas MD Anderson and the Section Chief for Diabetes. Dr. Thosani is certified in medical quality and is the Patient Safety Quality Officer for Division of Internal Medicine and Department of Endocrinology. She is also the Operations Medical Director for the Glycemic Management Program.
She grew up in Oklahoma City and graduated Summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Spanish and Biology. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma medical school, she completed a residency training program in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at UT-Houston, and an Endocrinology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine.
She has been a faculty member at MD Anderson since 2012, and her clinical and research interests include treatment of diabetes and steroid induced hyperglycemia in cancer patients, and designing ways to improve the quality and delivery of health care in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Dr. Thosani is multilingual and fluent in Spanish, Hindi and Gujarati.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Section Chief, Diabetes, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Quality Officer, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Operations Medical Director-Glycemic Control, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Management of steroid induced hyperglycemia
Quality improvement in health care delivery
Endocrine effects of cancer chemotherapy
Clinical Interests
Dr. Thosani enjoys taking care of patients with diabetes and endocrine complications of cancer treatment including thyroid disorders, hypogonadism and bone health disorders. In addition, she work on improving the quality of care delivered to patients across various settings.
For general clinic information and referrals, please visit the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders' contact information webpage at:
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2006 | University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA, MD, Doctor of Medicine |
| 2002 | Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK, USA, BS, Biology |
| 2002 | Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK, USA, BA, Spanish |
Postgraduate Training
| 2010-2012 | Endocrinology Fellowship, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX |
| 2007-2010 | Medicine/Pediatrics Residency, UT Health, Houston, Houston, TX |
| 2006-2007 | Medicine/Pediatric Internship, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma, OK |
Board Certifications
| 2012 | American Board of Internal Medicine, Endocrinology |
| 2011 | American Board of Pediatrics |
| 2010 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Certified trainer for High Reliability Organization Training: Leadership Skills and Universal Skills, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - Present
Quality Officer, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - Present
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Board Member of Directors, Texas Association of Clinical Endocrinology, Houston, TX, 2019 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | Graduate of LEADing Teams Core Cohort-June, MD Anderson Leadership Institute |
| 2021 | Division of Internal Medicine Excellence in Quality Improvement Award, Division of Internal Medicine |
| 2021 | Presidential Recognition of Excellence in Clinical Quality Improvement |
| 2009 | Humanism in Medicine Award |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Jeun R, Iyer PC, Best C, Lavis V, Varghese JM, Yedururi S, Brady V, Glitza Oliva IC, Dadu R, Milton DR, Brock K, Thosani S. Clinical Outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitor diabetes mellitus at a comprehensive cancer center. Immunotherapy 15(6):417-428, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37013834.
- Jeun R, Lavis V, Thosani S. Diabetic Ketoacidosis upon Initiation of Alpelisib: Two Case Reports. Clinical Oncol Case Rep 4(3), 2021.
- Iyer PC, Cabanillas ME, Waguespack SG, Hu MI, Thosani S, Lavis VR, Busaidy NL, Subudhi SK, Diab A, Dadu R. Immune-Related Thyroiditis with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Thyroid 28(10):1243-1251, 2018. PMID: 30132401.
- Brady V, Thosani S, Zhou S, Bassett R, Busaidy NL, Lavis V. Safe and effective dosing of Basal-bolus insulin in patients receiving high-dose steroids for hyper-cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, vincristine, and dexamethasone chemotherapy. Diabetes Technol Ther 16(12):874-9, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25321387.
- Thosani S, Ayala-Ramirez M, Palmer L, Hu MI, Rich T, Gagel RF, Cote G, Waguespack SG, Habra MA, Jimenez C. The characterization of pheochromocytoma and its impact on overall survival in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 98(11):E1813-9, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24030942.
Invited Articles
- Cynthia Demarco, Thosani, S. Diabetes as a side effect of cancer treatment: 8 things to know. Cancerwise, 2021.
- Best CJ, Thosani S, Ortiz M, Levesque C, Varghese SS, Lavis VR. Co-Managing Patients with Type 1 Diabetes and Cancer. Curr Diab Rep 16(8):73, 2016. PMID: 27319323.
- Thosani S, Hu MI. Denosumab: a new agent in the management of hypercalcemia of malignancy. Future Oncol 11(21):2865-71, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26403973.
- Yeung SC, Habra MA, Thosani SN. Lung cancer-induced paraneoplastic syndromes. Curr Opin Pulm Med 17(4):260-8, 2011. PMID: 21577115.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- Thosani,Sonali. Bone Health Among Cancer Survivors. Rheumatology Consultant Podcast, 2019.
Other Articles
- Thosani SN, Doshi M Living with Diabetes and Cancer. Coping with Cancer Magazine:60-61, 2021.
- Thosani SN, Lavis V Living with Diabetes and Cancer. Coping with Cancer Magazine, 2013.
Abstracts
- S. Thosani, E. Ngo. Covid-19 Outcomes in Cancer Patients with Diabetes. Poster presentation. ENDO 2023, Chicago, IL, 2023.
- S.Thosani, N. Kikani. Identifying Trends in Glycemic Management in a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Poster presentation. ENDO 2023, Chicago, IL, 2023.
- Nguyen, Son, Thosani S. Enfortumab Vedotin associated refractory diabetic ketoacidosis, rash and altered mental status. Poster presentation. AACE 2023. Seattle, Washington, 2023.
- Ngo, E; Thosani, S. Neurologic and Clinical Manifestations of Cancer Patients with Checkpoint Inhibitor Diabetes and GAD65 Antibody Positivity. Poster presentation AACE 2023, 2023.
- S.Thosani. Denosumab Withdrawal Is Associated With Hypercalcemia In Adults With Osteoporosis And Bone Metastases. Poster Presentation Endocrine Society Meeting, 2023.
- Thosani SN, Kaufman Laura, Jawe Neetha. Standardizing glycemic management in high risk patients going for outpatient procedure. American College of Medical Quality Seminar, 2022.
- Jolyn Taylor, MD, MPH; Sally Raty, MD; Javier Lasala, MD; Maria Iniesta; Katherine Cain, PharmD; Allison Horner, MPAS, PA-C; Morgan Bruno; Justin Folloder, MS, PA-C; Susan Knippel, APRN; Vu Khanh, MD; Shannon Popovich, MD; Matthew HG Katz, MD; Conor Best, MD; Sonali Thosani, MD. Surgical Universal euGlycemic Attainment during Recovery (SUGAR Initiative): Sweet Results Through Standardization, Poster presentation. American College of Surgery Quality and Safety Conference, 2021.
- Raty S, Thosani S, Gaeta S, Chen K, Taylor J, Thomas L, Weschler A, Horner A, Bowe C, Cavalier J, Benitez S, Gumban D, Folloder J, Drew T, Mart D, Shin D, Giang K, Monroe S, Koom-Dadzie K, Rajkot N, Richardson G, Tran J, Mathew J, Best C, Brady V, Lavis V, Wilson M, Levesque C, Ortiz M, Varghese J, Varghese S, Crowder V, John B, Ong J, Verallo C, Fajardo J, Ta-Ekasingh M, Parlikh M, Grami P, Kaur H, Estrella J, Bruno J, Horng M, Moser T, Walton N, Nugent A, Johnson C, Popat, U, Rizk M, Novicke B, DeCarlo R, Ali E, McCollough R, Warren M, Lopez K, Marts D, Goldschmidt P, Rice J, Zaghian M, Stone D, Kaufman L, Jawe N. Glycemic Action team (GlyCAT): reducing inpatient DKa in cancer patients. IHI patient safety congress, 2021.
- Taylor J, Raty S, Khanh V, Popovich S, Best C, Kahn S, Thosani SN. Surgical euGlycemic Attainment during Recovery (SUGAR Initiative): Sweet Results Through Standardization. IHI patient safety congress, 2021.
- Rebecca Jeun, Sonali Thosani. Causes of Diabetic Ketoacidosis among Adults Admitted to a Comprehensive Cancer Center. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Meeting, 2021.
- Jeun, R, Lavis V, Thosani ST.. “DKA with Alpelesib”. Endocrine Society, 2021.
- Jeun R, Best C, Iyer P, Lavis V, Varghese J, Glitza Oliva I, Dadu R, Thosani SN.. “Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Mediated Insulin Dependent Diabetes: Observations at a Cancer Center.”. Endocrine Society Meeting, 2021.
- Iyer PI, Thosani SN. “Euglycemic DKA as an initial presentation of Immunotherapy induced diabetes.”. American Diabetes Association National Meeting. Orlando, Florida, 2018.
- Thosani SN, Brady V, Cain K, Tran D, Cue L, Rollins J, Klimt B, Lavis V. Improving treatment of hypoglycemia inHospitalized cancer patients on insulin therapy through increased utilization of hypoglycemia Order set. International Hospital Diabetes Meeting, 2015.
- Dadu, Ramona, Thosani SN, Nalini R. The Hyperinsulinism/Hyperammonemia Syndrome. Treatment Challenges, Poster Presentation at Endo Society, 2012.
- Thosani SN, Busaidy N, Cabanillas M, Cote G, Grubbs E, Habra MA, Hu M, Perrier N, Ayala-Ramirez M, Rich T, Waguespack SG, Ying AK, Jimenez CJ. Characterization of Pheochromcoytomas in MEN 2 with RET codon 918 and 634 mutations. Endocrine Society, 2012.
- Dadu R, Thosani SN, Nalini R. The Hyperinsulinism Hyperammonemia Syndrome Complicated by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Endocrine Society, 2012.
Book Chapters
- Agosto Sarimar, Thosani SN. Thyroid Emergencies in Critically Ill Cancer Patients. In: Oncologic Critical Care. 1. Springer, 1200-1205, 2019.
- Thosani SN, Hu M, Ahn P, Lamont J. Thyroid and Parathyroid Cancers. In: Cancer Management: A Multidisciplinary Approach. 1. The Oncology Group, 1084, 2011.