Chadi Nabhan

Chadi Nabhan is a Syrian-American hematologist and medical oncologist known for his work in lymphoma and health care strategy. He has held senior roles in both academic medicine and the health care industry, including serving as medical director of the cancer clinics at the University of Chicago Medicine and as Chairman of the Precision Oncology Alliance at Caris Life Sciences. Nabhan was a key expert witness in the high-profile Roundup (glyphosate) cancer trials against Monsanto, experiences he detailed in his 2023 book Toxic Exposure. He is also recognized for advocating the use of real-world evidence in oncology and for engaging the public through books, opinion pieces, and medical podcasts on cancer care.

Early life and education Nabhan earned his medical degree from the University of Damascus in Syria in 1991. He subsequently moved to the United States for postgraduate training, completing an internal medicine residency at Loyola University Chicago and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition to his medical training, he obtained an MBA in Healthcare Management from Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business. Nabhan is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology. During his tenure, the cancer center achieved certification in the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) in 2015, reflecting high standards in chemotherapy safety and patient care.

Research and academic contributions Nabhan has authored or co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and book chapters in the field of oncology. His research has focused on lymphoid malignancies and the implementation of precision medicine and real-world data in cancer care. In 2014, he co-authored a comprehensive clinical review of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in JAMA, which summarized advances in CLL diagnosis and chemoimmunotherapy outcomes. He was also part of a large multicenter study published in Annals of Oncology in 2017 that examined the optimal sequencing of novel targeted agents (ibrutinib, idelalisib, and venetoclax) for CLL; the study concluded that ibrutinib was superior to idelalisib as the first kinase inhibitor, and that switching to an alternate inhibitor or venetoclax was more effective than chemoimmunotherapy after therapy failure. In 2018, Nabhan co-authored a real-world analysis of 616 CLL patients treated with ibrutinib, published in Haematologica, which found that 41% of patients had to discontinue ibrutinib — most often due to drug toxicity rather than disease progression. In this book, he recounts his experience as an expert witness in the first three Roundup cancer trials and provides an insider's perspective on the scientific and legal battles linking the herbicide glyphosate to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He later authored The Cancer Journey: Understanding Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, and Prevention , released in September 2024, which serves as a guide for patients and the public to navigate the complexities of cancer care. (The Cancer Journey was also published by JHU Press.) Additionally, Nabhan has announced a forthcoming title, AI and Cancer Care, reflecting his interest in the intersection of oncology and technology.

Media and public engagement Outside of academic journals, Nabhan regularly engages with both professional and public audiences on cancer-related issues. He has been active as a commentator and columnist: for example, in a 2018 first-person article for STAT he highlighted how “various barriers” — including difficulties in ordering appropriate genomic tests — often prevent patients from accessing the benefits of precision oncology. In a 2019 Medscape commentary, he defended the importance of real-world evidence in oncology, noting that while such data have limitations, “the real world…remains the world in which we see patients,” comprising the 95% of cancer patients not enrolled in clinical trials. Nabhan is also a frequent speaker at medical conferences and has hosted several podcasts to educate and inform on healthcare topics. He launched the Outspoken Oncology podcast in 2019 and later began hosting Healthcare Unfiltered as well as Healthcare Unfiltered Express, where he interviews experts and discusses issues ranging from cancer research and policy to patient advocacy. Through these media endeavors, Nabhan aims to demystify complex medical information and bring forth candid discussions on oncology, healthcare innovation, and patient care.

Selected publications

Shanafelt TD, Rabe KG, Kay NE, et al. “Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a clinical review.” JAMA. 2014. PubMed: . Notable because: a peer-reviewed CLL clinical review in a high‑impact general medical journal. Nabhan C, Rosen ST. “Predicting Prognosis in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in the Contemporary Era.” JAMA Oncology. 2015. PubMed: . Notable because: synthesizes contemporary prognostic approaches in CLL in a leading oncology journal. Mato AR, Nabhan C, Thompson MC, et al. “Outcomes of CLL patients treated with sequential kinase inhibitor therapy: a real world experience.” Blood. 2016. PubMed: . Notable because: reports multicenter real‑world outcomes of sequential targeted therapy in CLL. Mato AR, Thompson M, Allan JN, et al. “Optimal sequencing of ibrutinib, idelalisib, and venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: results from a multicenter study of 683 patients.” Annals of Oncology. 2017. PubMed: . Notable because: large multicenter dataset addressing sequencing of cornerstone CLL therapies. Burger JA, Landau DA, Taylor‑Weiner A, et al. “Clonal evolution underlying leukemia progression and Richter transformation in patients with ibrutinib‑relapsed CLL.” Blood Advances. 2017. PubMed: . Notable because: connects relapse to clonal evolution and Richter transformation in the targeted‑therapy era. Vargas‑Bustamante A, Ortega A, Nabhan C. “Value‑Based Calculators in Cancer: Current State and Challenges.” Journal of Oncology Practice. 2017. PubMed: . Notable because: addresses oncology value frameworks and implementation challenges in practice. Nabhan C, Parsad S, Mato AR. “Behavioral Economics and the Future of Biosimilars.” JNCCN. 2017. PubMed: . Notable because: applies behavioral economics to biosimilar uptake in oncology care. Nabhan C, Zmiekowski M, Pavia D. “Biosimilars in Oncology in the United States: A Review.” JAMA Oncology. 2018. PubMed: . Notable because: reviews U.S. oncology biosimilar landscape in a major peer-reviewed journal. Mato AR, Nabhan C, Thompson MC, et al. “Toxicities and outcomes of 616 ibrutinib‑treated patients in the United States: a real‑world analysis.” Haematologica. 2018. PubMed: . Notable because: large U.S. cohort (n=616) examining real‑world safety and outcomes. Mato AR, Nabhan C, Thompson MC, et al. “Real‑world outcomes and management strategies for venetoclax‑treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in the United States.” Haematologica. 2018. PubMed: . Notable because: multicenter real‑world outcomes work focused on venetoclax era practice.