Nabil F. Saba, MD, FACP
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RoleMedical Oncology
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Research Program
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Practicing Since1999
Background
Nabil F. Saba, MD, FACP, is an internationally recognized expert in the treatment of head and neck cancers. Dr. Saba is professor and vice chair in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, and the Inaugural Lynne and Howard Halpern Chair in Head and Neck Cancer Research. He holds a joint appointment as professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Emory University School of Medicine. He serves as director of the Head and Neck Cancer Medical Oncology Program and is leader of the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
Dr. Saba is a widely-recognized expert in immunotherapy for head and neck cancer and upper aero-digestive malignancies. His work is focused on translational research and the study and development of novel therapeutic agents and modalities in these diseases. He is an international authority as to the management of recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancers. He has been principal investigator in more than 50 clinical trials and chairs national as well as investigator initiated multi-institution studies focusing on novel approaches for treating head and neck and esophageal cancer. Dr Saba has been instrumental in establishing the head and neck cancer research working group at Winship Cancer Institute and is the contact principal investigator of the Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) grant of the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN).
Dr. Saba has been elected for two terms as chair and chair emeritus of the National Cancer Institute's task force for recurrent metastatic head and neck cancer, and chaired the Rare Tumors Task Force of the National Cancer Institute's Head and Neck Cancer Steering Committee. He is an active member of the NRG Oncology and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Head and Neck Cancer Core Committees, and chairs three NCI cooperative group trials in the field of head and neck oncology under the ECOG-ACRIN and NRG groups. Dr Saba has received competitive NIH funding investigating novel genomic approaches in HPV related and unrelated OPCA and is the recipient of intramural funding studying this disease. He has published more than 350 peer reviewed manuscripts and textbook chapters and is editor of two textbooks : “Esophageal Cancer: Prevention, Diagnosis and Therapy” published in two editions and “Sino-Nasal and Skull Base Malignancies”. He is associate editor of JNCI, and Head Neck and served as a member of the ASCO Guidelines Committee.
Dr. Saba earned his Medical Degree from the American University of Beirut Medical School. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, and a Clinical Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at Brown University School of Medicine. He subsequently completed a Bone Marrow Transplant Fellowship at the University of Toronto Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Canada.
Titles & Roles
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Professor and Vice Chair for Quality and Safety, Department of Hematology and Medical OncologyEmory University School of Medicine
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Inaugural Lynne and Howard Halpern Chair in Head and Neck Cancer ResearchWinship Cancer Institute of Emory University
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Adjunct Professor, Department of OtolaryngologyEmory University School of Medicine
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Director, Head and Neck Cancer Multidisciplinary ProgramWinship Cancer Institute of Emory University
Education & Training
Education
- Fellowship, Medical Oncology, 1999Princess Margaret Hosp-CAN
- Fellowship, Hematology & Oncology, 1997Brown University
- Residency, Internal Medicine, 1994Faulkner Hospital
- Internship, Internal Medicine, 1992Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison
- Medical Education, MD, 1990American University of Beirut
Board Certifications
- Medical OncologyAmerican Board of Internal Medicine, 1997HematologyAmerican Board of Internal Medicine, 1997
Professional Memberships
- American Head and Neck Cancer Society
- American College of Radiology (Head and Neck Panel)
- American College of Physicians, Fellow
- American Society of Clinical Oncology
- European Society of Clinical Oncology
- Massachusetts Medical Society
Research
Dr. Saba's research is focused on clinical and translational work in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, thyroid cancer and esophageal cancer. He has been the recipient of several NIH and industry funded grant support to study these malignancies. He has received funding from the NIH to examine novel genomic approaches for diagnosing HPV positive oropharyngeal cancers.
Among Dr. Saba's contributions is serving as a co-leader of the previously funded Emory Head and Neck Cancer SPORE and serving as a Principal Investigator of the resubmitted Emory Head and Neck Cancer SPORE grant.
Clinical Trials
Dr. Saba conducts and leads multiple head and neck cancer clinical trials with a focus on biomarker endpoints including three cooperative group studies. He also is a leader of a number of global studies focused on these diseases.
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Study of PYX-201 in Solid Tumors
- PhaseI
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ConditionsSolid Tumor, Advanced Solid Tumor
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseII
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ConditionsMetastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Stage IV Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseIII
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ConditionsMetastatic Head-and-neck Squamous-cell Carcinoma, Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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Study of CHS-114 in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors
- PhaseI
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ConditionsAdvanced Solid Tumor, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseII
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ConditionsOropharynx Cancer, Stage I
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseII
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ConditionsUnresectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer, Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown, Winship Cancer Institute
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- PhaseII
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ConditionsHead and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Spindle Cell Variant, Lip and Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma, p16INK4a Negative Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Stage III Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8, Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Oral Cavity Verrucous Carcinoma, Stage III Oropharyngeal (p16-Negative) Carcinoma AJCC v8, Stage IVA Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8, Stage IVA Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IVA Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IVA Oral Cavity Verrucous Carcinoma, Stage IVA Oropharyngeal (p16-Negative) Carcinoma AJCC v8
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown, Winship Cancer Institute
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- PhaseIII
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ConditionsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseIII
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ConditionsHead and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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- PhaseIII
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ConditionsHead and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- LocationEmory University Hospital Midtown
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Grants
Grant Number Title 1U01DC020452-01A1 Atorvastatin to Reduce Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss in Head and Neck Cancer Patients 5U01DC020452-02 Atorvastatin to Reduce Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Publications
Dr. Saba has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed articles, editorials, review papers, book chapters as well as two Uptodate chapters. He is the editor of the textbook, "Esophageal Cancer, Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment" published in two editions, and textbook, "Sinonasal and Skull Base Malignancies." He is associate editor for Journal of the National Cancer Institute, associate editor for Head Neck, and a member of the editorial board of Cancer, Oral Oncology, and American Journal of Clinical Oncology. He has been recognized as an outstanding reviewer for the journal, Cancer.
Awards
- Atlanta Magazine's "Top Doctors", 2005, 2016-2025
- Outstanding reviewer for journal, Cancer, 2017
- Castle Connolly Top Doctors, 2011 and 2014
- Distinguished Doctor, Expert Network, 2015
- Recognition for outstanding contribution to the Fellowship program, University of Minnesota, Hematology Oncology and transplant section, 2003
- Dean's Honor List, American University of Beirut, 1984-1990
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