James W Rocco, MD, PHD
Leadership Title: Mary E. and John W. Alford Research Chair in Head and Neck Cancer
Academic Title: Professor and Chair
Research Program: Translational Therapeutics
About Me
More info forI am an otolaryngologist whose primary focus is providing the very best care for our head and neck cancer patients. I do this by combining my 20 years of surgical experience with the expertise of colleagues who can provide radiation and medical therapies if needed as well as with those who provide support for patients as they recover from treatment. As a team, we work together with patients to find the treatments that have the best chance of curing their cancer while minimizing side effects. After originally joining the OSUCCC – James in 2015 as director of the Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Division and the Head and Neck Service Line, I currently serve as Chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and director of the Head and Neck Disease Specific Research Group. I was also named to the Castle Connolly list of “Regional Top Doctors” from 2011-2019 and hold the Mary E. and John W. Alford Research Chair in Head and Neck Cancer. As a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC – James, my research focuses on the origins of intra-tumor heterogeneity during tumor development, novel biomarkers for head and neck cancer, molecular mechanisms that these biomarkers represent and how these biomarkers might inform decisions about therapy. I'm also actively involved in clinical trials at The James and help direct nationwide efforts through my service on the NRG Oncology and ECOG-ACRIN head and neck committees, and as co-chair of the NCI Head and Neck Task Force on Metastatic and Recurrent Disease. Additionally, I have co-authored many articles in well-known publications, including Cancer Cell, Cell, PLoS Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Genome Research and Cancer. Working at the OSUCCC – James is very inspiring. Everyone is committed to cutting-edge research methods and developing crucial relationships with our patients so we can provide exceptional individualized care. It’s very rewarding to see the results of our work in our patients’ lives.
Clinical Expertise
More info for- Ear Cancer
- Skull Base Tumors
- Tongue Cancers
- Pharyngeal Cancers
- Nose Cancers
- Parotid Cancers
- Laryngeal Cancers
- Lip Cancers
- Paranasal Sinus Cancers
- Maxillary Sinus Cancers
- Hypopharyngeal Cancers
- Carotid Body Tumor
- Head and Neck Cancer
- Tonsillar Cancers
- Otolaryngology
- Salivary Gland Cancers
- Oropharyngeal Cancers
- Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
- Robotics
Where I See Patients
More info forThe Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute
460 W. 10th Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43210 800-293-5066 Location InformationEducation & Training
More info forGraduate
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
1 Gustave L Levy Pl, New York, NY
Medical School
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
1 Gustave L Levy Pl, New York, NY
Internship - Surgery (General Surgery)
- Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD
Residency - Otolaryngology
- Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Academic Office & Contact Information
More info forEmail:
rocco.36@osu.eduReviews
More info forPatient Satisfaction Review
The overall patient satisfaction rating is an average of all patient responses to the five questions gathered from the Outpatient Oncology survey, developed by Press Ganey Associates for use in oncology clinics across the country. On behalf of The James, Press Ganey administers the survey to patients who see our providers in an outpatient clinic office. For additional information about the patient satisfaction survey, please visit our
Patient Satisfaction Survey page The comments are submitted by patients and reflect their view and opinions. The comments are not endorsed by and do not necessarily reflect the views of The James.
Videos
More info forPublications
More info forFebruary 26, 2024The genomic and evolutionary landscapes of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
Zeng PYF, Prokopec SD, Lai SY, Pinto N, Chan-Seng-Yue MA, Clifton-Bligh R, Williams MD, Howlett CJ, Plantinga P, Cecchini MJ, Lam AK, Siddiqui I, Wang J, Sun RX, Watson JD, Korah R, Carling T, Agrawal N, Cipriani N, Ball D, Nelkin B, Rooper LM, Bishop JA, Garnis C, Berean K, Nicolson NG, Weinberger P, Henderson YC, Lalansingh CM, Tian M, Yamaguchi TN, Livingstone J, Salcedo A, Patel K, Vizeacoumar F, Datti A, Xi L, Nikiforov YE, Smallridge R, Copland JA, Marlow LA, Hyrcza MD, Delbridge L, Sidhu S, Sywak M, Robinson B, Fung K, Ghasemi F, Kwan K, MacNeil SD, Mendez A, Palma DA, Khan MI, Shaikh M, Ruicci KM, Wehrli B, Winquist E, Yoo J, Mymryk JS, Rocco JW, Wheeler D, Scherer S, Giordano TJ, Barrett JW, Faquin WC, Gill AJ, Clayman G, Boutros PC, Nichols AC
Cell Rep
February 6, 2024Scalp Irradiation with 3D-Milled Bolus: Initial Dosimetric and Clinical Experience.
Dibs K, Gogineni E, Jhawar SM, Baliga S, Grecula JC, Mitchell DL, Palmer J, Haglund K, Andraos TY, Zoller W, Ewing A, Bonomi M, Bhateja P, Tinoco G, Liebner D, Rocco JW, Old M, Gamez ME, Chakravarti A, Konieczkowski DJ, Blakaj DM
Cancers (Basel)
December 28, 2023National Trends in 30-Day Readmission Following Transoral Robotic Surgery for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Nyirjesy SC, McCrary HC, Zhao S, Judd RT, Farlow JL, Seim NB, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Old MO, Rocco JW, Kang SY, Haring CT
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
August 10, 2023Demographic and Academic Productivity Trends Among American Head & Neck Society Fellows Over a 20-Year Period.
McCrary HC, Meeker M, Farlow JL, Seim NB, Old MO, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Rocco JW, Kang SY, Bradford CR, Haring CT
JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
June 23, 2023Emerging role of blood-based biomarker testing in HPV-mediated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Haring CT, Rocco JW
Cancer Cytopathol
May 3, 2023CDK4/6 and autophagy inhibitors synergize to suppress the growth of human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
Duah E, Seligson ND, Persaud AK, Dam Q, Pabla N, Rocco JW, Li J, Poi M
Mol Carcinog
April 22, 2023Immediate resection of positive margins improves local control in oral tongue cancer.
Zhang L, Judd RT, Zhao S, Rygalski C, Li M, Briody A, Swendseid B, Blakaj DM, Agrawal A, Ozer E, Carrau RL, Teknos TN, VanKoevering K, Rocco JW, Old MO, Seim NB, Puram SV, Haring CT, Kang SY
Oral Oncol
April 20, 2023Inferring early genetic progression in cancers with unobtainable premalignant disease.
Leshchiner I, Mroz EA, Cha J, Rosebrock D, Spiro O, Bonilla-Velez J, Faquin WC, Lefranc-Torres A, Lin DT, Michaud WA, Getz G, Rocco JW
Nat Cancer
April 3, 2023Cellular states are coupled to genomic and viral heterogeneity in HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma.
Puram SV, Mints M, Pal A, Qi Z, Reeb A, Gelev K, Barrett TF, Gerndt S, Liu P, Parikh AS, Ramadan S, Law T, Mroz EA, Rocco JW, Adkins D, Thorstad WL, Gay HA, Ding L, Paniello RC, Pipkorn P, Jackson RS, Wang X, Mazul A, Chernock R, Zevallos JP, Silva-Fisher J, Tirosh I
Nat Genet
March 28, 2023Hypothyroidism as an Independent Predictor of 30-day Readmission in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.
Nyirjesy SC, Zhao S, Judd R, McCrary H, Kuhar HN, Farlow JL, Seim NB, Rocco JW, Kang SY, Haring CT
Laryngoscope
March 9, 2023The use of plasma circulating tumor DNA for early detection of oligometastatic disease in HPV positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Zhang L, Freeman T, Sun S, Bhateja P, Cloyd JM, Rocco JW, Haring CT
Oral Oncol
December 19, 2022Defining the psychiatric and financial burden of mental and substance use disorders in cancer patients.
Baliga S, Klamer B, Palmer JD, Gregirio SW, Kale SS, Bonomi M, Old MO, Rocco JW, Blakaj DM
Cancer Med
July 14, 2022Update of a prognostic survival model in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors using an expansion cohort.
Issa M, Klamer BG, Mladkova N, Laliotis GI, Karivedu V, Bhateja P, Byington C, Dibs K, Pan X, Chakravarti A, Grecula J, Jhawar SR, Mitchell D, Baliga S, Old M, Carrau RL, Rocco JW, Blakaj DM, Bonomi M
BMC Cancer
July 6, 2022The role of computer aided design/computer assisted manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and 3- dimensional printing in head and neck oncologic surgery: A review and future directions.
Nyirjesy SC, Heller M, von Windheim N, Gingras A, Kang SY, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Old MO, Seim NB, Carrau RL, Rocco JW, VanKoevering KK
Oral Oncol
June 4, 2022Head and neck cancer: high-end technology is no guarantee of high-quality care - Authors' reply.
Saba NF, Mody MD, Rocco JW, Haddad RI, Yom SS
Lancet
June 1, 2022T cell repertoire in peripheral blood as a potential biomarker for predicting response to concurrent cetuximab and nivolumab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Wang X, Muzaffar J, Kirtane K, Song F, Johnson M, Schell MJ, Li J, Yoder SJ, Conejo-Garcia JR, Guevara-Patino JA, Bonomi M, Bhateja P, Rocco JW, Steuer CE, Saba NF, Chung CH
J Immunother Cancer
May 6, 2022Outcomes with culture-directed antibiotics following microvascular free tissue reconstruction for osteonecrosis of the jaw.
Agarwal R, Freeman TE, Li MM, Naik AN, Philips RW, Kang SY, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Carrau RL, Rocco JW, Old MO, Seim NB
Oral Oncol
March 28, 2022Phase II multi-institutional clinical trial result of concurrent cetuximab and nivolumab in recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Chung CH, Li J, Steuer CE, Bhateja P, Johnson M, Masannat J, Poole MI, Song F, Hernandez-Prera JC, Molina H, Wenig BM, Kumar S, Kuperwasser C, Stephens PJ, Farinhas JM, Shin DM, Kish JA, Muzaffar J, Kirtane K, Rocco JW, Schell MJ, Saba NF, Bonomi M
Clin Cancer Res
March 1, 2022NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Head and Neck Cancers, Version 1.2022.
Caudell JJ, Gillison ML, Maghami E, Spencer S, Pfister DG, Adkins D, Birkeland AC, Brizel DM, Busse PM, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Eisele DW, Galloway T, Geiger JL, Haddad RI, Hicks WL, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Leizman D, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Rocco JW, Rodriguez CP, Savvides PS, Schwartz D, Shah JP, Sher D, St John M, Weber RS, Weinstein G, Worden F, Yang Bruce J, Yom SS, Zhen W, Burns JL, Darlow SD
J Natl Compr Canc Netw
January 6, 2022Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Oral Cavity Verrucous Carcinoma.
Naik AN, Silverman DA, Rygalski CJ, Zhao S, Brock G, Lin C, Puram SV, Rocco JW, Baliga S, VanKoevering KK, Old MO, Seim NB, Kang SY
Laryngoscope
November 1, 2021Brachial Plexus Tolerance to High-Dose Radiation in the Re-Irradiation Setting.
Dibs K, Mladkova N, DiCostanzo DJ, Baliga S, Gamez ME, Jhawar SR, Mitchell DL, Ewing A, Issa M, Karivedu V, Palmer JD, Bhateja P, Laliottis G, Konieczkowski DJ, Grecula JC, Old M, Rocco JW, Bonomi M, Blakaj DM
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys
August 17, 2021Treatment Outcomes of Head and Neck Cancer Patients in the Elderly Receiving Different Chemoradiation Combinations: A Single-Center Experience.
Karivedu V, Bonomi M, Issa M, Blakaj A, Klamer BG, Pan X, Old M, Bhateja P, Kang S, Seim N, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Mitchell D, Gamez ME, Grecula J, Jhawar SR, Baliga S, Carrau RL, Rocco J, Blakaj D
Oncol Res Treat
August 3, 2021ASO Visual Abstract: Stage Migration and Survival Trends in Laryngeal Cancer.
Li MM, Zhao S, Eskander A, Rygalski C, Brock G, Parikh AS, Haring CT, Swendseid B, Zhan KY, Bradford CR, Teknos TN, Carrau RL, VanKoevering KK, Seim NB, Old MO, Rocco JW, Puram SV, Kang SY
Ann Surg Oncol
July 15, 2021Stage Migration and Survival Trends in Laryngeal Cancer.
Li MM, Zhao S, Eskander A, Rygalski C, Brock G, Parikh AS, Haring CT, Swendseid B, Zhan KY, Bradford CR, Teknos TN, Carrau RL, VanKoevering KK, Seim NB, Old MO, Rocco JW, Puram SV, Kang SY
Ann Surg Oncol
June 28, 2021A combination of intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity, estrogen receptor alpha and human papillomavirus status predicts outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma following chemoradiotherapy.
Patel KB, Mroz EA, Faquin WC, Rocco JW
Oral Oncol
April 13, 2021Patient-Directed Home Drain Removal in Head and Neck Surgery.
Sethia R, Freeman T, Mead K, Selhorst A, Vala K, Skoracki L, Adelman M, VanKoevering K, Kang SY, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Old MO, Carrau RL, Rocco JW, Seim NB
Laryngoscope
November 13, 2020Time to Surgery and Survival in Head and Neck Cancer.
Rygalski CJ, Zhao S, Eskander A, Zhan KY, Mroz EA, Brock G, Silverman DA, Blakaj D, Bonomi MR, Carrau RL, Old MO, Rocco JW, Seim NB, Puram SV, Kang SY
Ann Surg Oncol
November 1, 2020Pan-cancer single-cell RNA-seq identifies recurring programs of cellular heterogeneity.
Kinker GS, Greenwald AC, Tal R, Orlova Z, Cuoco MS, McFarland JM, Warren A, Rodman C, Roth JA, Bender SA, Kumar B, Rocco JW, Fernandes PACM, Mader CC, Keren-Shaul H, Plotnikov A, Barr H, Tsherniak A, Rozenblatt-Rosen O, Krizhanovsky V, Puram SV, Regev A, Tirosh I
Nat Genet
September 30, 2020Impact of age and comorbidity on survival among patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.
Patel KB, Martin D, Zhao S, Kumar B, Carrau R, Ozer E, Agrawal A, Kang S, Rocco JW, Schuller D, Teknos T, Brock G, Old M
Head Neck
September 1, 2020Identification of Clinical and Socioeconomic Predictors of Adjuvant Therapy after Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery in Patients with Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Baliga S, Klamer B, Jhawar S, Gamez M, Mitchell D, Blakaj A, Grecula J, Gardner U, Dibs K, Old M, Seim N, Kang S, Carrau R, Agrawal A, Karivedu V, Bhateja P, Ozer E, Rocco J, Bonomi M, Blakaj D
Cancers (Basel)
July 20, 2020A predictive survival model for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with immune check point inhibitors.
Bonomi M, Bhateja P, Issa M, Klamer B, Pan X, Blakaj A, Karivedu V, Mousa L, Mitchell D, Gamez M, Kang S, Siem N, Old M, Carrau R, Rocco J, Blakaj D
Oral Oncol
July 7, 2020Predictors of Postoperative Radiation Following Laser Resection in Early-Stage Glottic Cancer.
Silverman DA, Zhan KY, Puram SV, Eskander A, Teknos TN, Rocco JW, Old MO, Kang SY
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
July 1, 2020Head and Neck Cancers, Version 2.2020, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.
Pfister DG, Spencer S, Adelstein D, Adkins D, Anzai Y, Brizel DM, Bruce JY, Busse PM, Caudell JJ, Cmelak AJ, Colevas AD, Eisele DW, Fenton M, Foote RL, Galloway T, Gillison ML, Haddad RI, Hicks WL, Hitchcock YJ, Jimeno A, Leizman D, Maghami E, Mell LK, Mittal BB, Pinto HA, Ridge JA, Rocco JW, Rodriguez CP, Shah JP, Weber RS, Weinstein G, Witek M, Worden F, Yom SS, Zhen W, Burns JL, Darlow SD
J Natl Compr Canc Netw
April 28, 2020Respiratory and pulmonary complications in head and neck cancer patients: An evidence-based review for the COVID-19 era.
Silverman DA, Lin C, Tamaki A, Puram SV, Carrau RL, Seim NB, Eskander A, Rocco JW, Old MO, Kang SY
Head Neck
December 13, 2019The future of robotic surgery in otolaryngology - head and neck surgery.
Tamaki A, Rocco JW, Ozer E
Oral Oncol
December 11, 2019National treatment trends in human papillomavirus-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
Zhan KY, Puram SV, Li MM, Silverman DA, Agrawal AA, Ozer E, Old MO, Carrau RL, Rocco JW, Higgins KM, Enepekides DJ, Husain Z, Kang SY, Eskander A
Cancer
December 1, 2019Outcomes and prognostic factors in parotid gland malignancies: A 10-year single center experience.
Parikh AS, Khawaja A, Puram SV, Srikanth P, Tjoa T, Lee H, Sethi RKV, Bulbul M, Varvares MA, Rocco JW, Emerick KS, Deschler DG, Lin DT
Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol
November 1, 2019Margin Analysis in Head and Neck Cancer: State of the Art and Future Directions.
Li MM, Puram SV, Silverman DA, Old MO, Rocco JW, Kang SY
Ann Surg Oncol
September 1, 2019Association of Estrogen Receptor Alpha Expression With Survival in Oropharyngeal Cancer Following Chemoradiation Therapy.
Koenigs MB, Lefranc-Torres A, Bonilla-Velez J, Patel KB, Hayes DN, Glomski K, Busse PM, Chan AW, Clark JR, Deschler DG, Emerick KS, Hammon RJ, Wirth LJ, Lin DT, Mroz EA, Faquin WC, Rocco JW
J Natl Cancer Inst
September 1, 2019Elective neck dissection for salvage laryngectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Lin C, Puram SV, Bulbul MG, Sethi RK, Rocco JW, Old MO, Kang SY
Oral Oncol
Consulting and Related Relationships
More info forAt The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, we support a faculty member’s research and consulting in collaboration with medical device, research and/or drug companies because a faculty member’s expertise can guide important advancements in the practice of medicine and improve patient care. In order to provide effective management of these relationships, the university requires annual disclosures from all faculty members with external interests related to their university responsibilities. As of 09/30/2024, Dr. Rocco has reported no relationships with companies or entities.
Patient Comments
Compassionate
I have been going to Dr Rocco for three years and I have felt like I am receiving the best care possible.
I love both Dr Rocco and Dr Wu. I would and have recommended them to others.
Dr. Rocco is an excellent communicator who listens and takes the necessary time to answer all questions and concerns.
Dr Rocco is fantastic!
Dr. Rocco is an exceptional provider: brilliant, sure-handed, and responsive. Laura is also great.
Dr Rocco is the best!
Best expertise and care experience
I see a lot of different doctors for different problems but I have to say Dr Rocco has been the most informative.
Explained in terms of my understanding along with medical information.