Find a Provider

• Airway
• Chronic sinusitis

  Sinusitis

  Sinusitis is an infection of the lining of the sinuses near the nose. These infections most often happen after a cold or after an allergy flare-up.
  Learn more >
• Head and Neck Oncology

  Head and Neck Cancer: Introduction

  There are many types of head and neck cancer. Here's an overview of the types and which areas they affect.
  Learn more >
• Larynx
• Laser
• Parathyroid

  Parathyroid Glands

  Detailed information on parathyroid glands, including anatomy and function
  Learn more >
• Parotid Gland Surgery
• Pediatric Ear Problems
• Pediatrics
• Septum Deviated / Perforated

  Deviated Septum

  A deviated septum may cause congestion, problems with breathing, or nasal discharge. Here's what you should know about this condition.
  Learn more >
• Sinusitis Acute

  Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis

  Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) is an infection of both your nasal cavity and sinuses. It is caused by bacteria.
  Learn more >
• Sinusitis Allergic

  Allergic Rhinitis in Children

  Rhinitis is a reaction that happens in the eyes, nose, and throat when allergens in the air trigger the release of histamine in the body. Histamine causes itching, swelling, and fluid to build up in the fragile linings of nasal passages, sinuses, and eyelids.
  Learn more >
• Sinusitis Hyperplastic
• Sinusitis Subacute

  Sinusitis

  Sinusitis is an infection of the lining of the sinuses near the nose. These infections most often happen after a cold or after an allergy flare-up.
  Learn more >
• Swallowing disorders
• Thyroid

  Thyroid Gland

  Detailed information on the thyroid gland, including anatomy and function
  Learn more >
• Trauma

  Trauma

  Detailed information on neurological trauma in children
  Learn more >
• Voice Disorders

  Voice Disorders

  A voice disorder is when a person has a problem with pitch, volume, tone, and other qualities of their voice. These problems occur when the vocal cords don't vibrate normally.
  Learn more >

Dr. Wang has a research laboratory whose focus is to explore the molecular basis for the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Advanced head and neck cancer carries a poor prognosis, and a goal of this lab is to search for more effective and less toxic treatments for this devastating disease.

Current Projects:

1. Curcumin suppression of head and neck cancer. Curcumin, also known as turmeric, is a naturally occurring plant phenol that is a commonly used spice. Dr. Wang's laboratory has found that curcumin treatment of HNSCC both in vitro and in vivo results in significant suppression of cancer growth.
2. Stem cells in head and neck cancer. A specific population of tumor-initiating cells, or tumor stem cells, is responsible for the uncontrolled growth of cancers, as well as their resistance to chemotherapy and radiation. Dr. Wang's laboratory has found that the population of CD44 positive cells within HNSCCs, when isolated, grows more quickly and is more resistant to cisplatin than CD44 negative cells. HNSCC stem cells can be targeted for treatment with curcumin, which because of its alternate mechanism of action compared to cisplatin, may inhibit growth of these stem cells.

Dr. Wang has funding from the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health for her research.

1. Yakob M, Fuentes L, Wang, MB, Abemayor E, Wong DT. Salivary biomarkers for detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma – current state and recent advances. Current Oral Health Reports, DOI: 10.1007/s40496-014-0014-y, March 2014.
2. Tajudeen B, Vorasubin N, Sanaiha Y, Palma-Diaz MF, Suh JD, Wang, MB. Sinonasal mucosal melanoma: 20-year experience at a tertiary referral center. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol, Jul;4(7):592-7. doi: 10.1002/alr.21324. Epub 2014 Mar 24.
3. Peng KA, Suh JD, Bhuta SM, Wang, MB. Sinonasal lymphoma: Case series and review of the literature. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol, 2014 Aug;4(8):670-4. doi: 10.1002/alr.21337. Epub 2014 Apr 23
4. Tajudeen BA, Mundi J, Suh JD, Bergsneider M, Wang, MB. Endoscopic endonasal surgery for recurrent pituitary tumors: Technical challenges to the surgical approach. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base, 2015 Feb;76(1):50-6. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1383856. Epub 2014 Sep 13.
5. Tajudeen BA Arshi A, Suh JD, St. John M, Wang, MB. The importance of tumor grade in esthesioneuroblastoma survival: a population-based analysis. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2014 Dec;140(12):1124-9. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2014.2541.
6. Kim IA, Lai C, Wang, MB. Pleomorphic lipoma of the neck: A benign lesion mimicking liposarcoma. J of Otology and Rhinology, in press.
7. Tajudeen B, Arshi A, Suh JD, Palma-Diaz MF, Bergsneider M, Abemayor E, St. John M, Wang, MB.Esthesioneuroblastoma: An update on the UCLA experience 2002-2013. J Neurol Surg B Skull Base, 2015 Feb;76(1):43-9. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1390011. Epub 2014 Sep 13.
8. Peng KA, Kita AE, Van de Wiele BM, Suh JD, Bergsneider M, Wang, MB. Management of obstructive sleep apnea following endoscopic skull base surgery. J of Otology and Rhinology, in press.
9. Peng KA, Grogan T, Wang, MB. Head and neck sarcomas: analysis of the SEER database. Otolaryngol—Head and Neck Surgery, 2014 Oct;151(4):627-33. doi: 10.1177/0194599814545747. Epub 2014 Aug 18.
10. Kuan EC, Peng KA, Kita AE, Bergsneider M, Wang, MB. Acromegaly: Otolaryngic manifestations following pituitary surgery. Am J Otolaryngol, 2015 Mar 7. pii: S0196-0709(15)00066-6.
11. Deschler DG, Richmon JD, Khariwala SS, Ferris RL, Wang, MB. The “new” head and neck cancer patient: young, nonsmoker, non-drinker, and HPV+: Evaluation. Otolaryngol—Head Neck Surg, 2014 Jun 12. pii: 0194599814538605. [Epub ahead of print].
12. Roman BR, Patel SG, Wang, MB, Pou AM, Holsinger FC, Myssiorek D, Goldenberg D, Swisher-McClure S, Lin A, Shah JP, Shea JA. Guideline familiarity predicts variation in self-reported use of routine surveillance PET/CT by physicians who treat head and neck cancer. J Natl Compr Canc Netw, 2015;13:69-77.
13. Kita AE, Bhuta SM, Wang, MB. Worsening headache and nasal congestion. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Apr 1;141(4):387-8.
14. McLaughlin N, Martin NA, Upadhyaya P, Bari A, Buxey F, Wang, MB, Heaney AP, Bergsneider M. Assessing the cost of contemporary pituitary care. Neurosurgical Focus, in press.
15. Veena MS, Wilken R, Zheng JY, Gholkar A, Venkatesan N, Vira D, Ahmed S, Basak SK, Delgard CL, Ravichandran S, Batra RK, Kasahara N, Elashoff D, Fishbein MC, Whitelegge JP, Torres JZ, Wang, MB, and Srivatsan ES. P16 andgigaxonin are associated with the ubiquitination of NFκB in cisplatin induced senescence of cancer cells. J Biol Chem, 2014 Oct 20. pii: jbc.M114.568543. [Epub ahead of print].
16. Kuan EC, Suh JD, Wang, MB. Empty nose syndrome. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep, 2015 Jan;15(1):493. doi: 10.1007/s11882-014-0493-x.
17. Kuan EC, Palma Diaz MF, Chiu AG, Bergsneider M, Wang, MB, Suh JD. Sinonasal and Skull Base Pleomorphic Adenoma: A Case Series and Literature Review. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol, 2015 May;5(5):460-8.
18. Peng, KA, Kuan EC, Unger L, Lorentz W, Wang, MB, Long J. A swallow preservation protocol improves function for veterans receiving chemoradiation for head and neck cancer. Otolaryngol--Head Neck Surg, 2015 May;152(5):863-7.
19. Thompson CF, Suh JD, McWilliams J, Duckwiler G, Wang, MB. Initial experience of an HHT center of excellence. Ear, Nose, Throat J, in press.
20. Nguyen CT, Wang, MB. Have 2006 ATA practice guidelines affected the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer in the United States? Letter to the Editor. Thyroid, in press.
21. Nguyen CT, Wang, MB. Intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) and vocal cord paralysis (VCP): Have rates really risen following adoption of IONM? Letter to the Editor. J Am Coll Surg, in press.
22. Kuan EC, Peng KA, Thompson CF, Suh JD, Wang, MB. Sinonasal symptomatic outcomes following laser treatment of epistaxis related to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Am J Otolaryngol, in press.
23. Basak SK, Zinabadi A, Wu A, Venkatasan N, Duarte VM, Dalgard CL, Kang J, Srivastava M, Sarkar FH, Wang, MB, Srivatsan ES. Liposome encapsulated curcumin-difluorinated (CDF) inhibits the growth of cisplatin resistant head and neck cancer stem cells. Oncotarget 2015 May 19.
24. Kuan EC, Tajudeen BA, Peng KA, Wang, MB. Sinonasal outcomes in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The Laryngoscope 2015 Jun 24. doi: 10.1002/lary.25411.
25. Wang, MB, Liu IY, Gornbein JA, Nguyen CT. HPV positive oropharyngeal carcinoma: A systematic review of treatment and prognosis. Otolaryngol—Head Neck Surg, 2015 Jun 29. pii: 0194599815592157. [Epub ahead of print]

• Turmeric, the Potential Cure for Cancer Found in Indian Food
• Dr. Wang's research on curcumin featured in NIH News - UCLA study finds primary component of turmeric kicks off cancer-killing mechanisms in human saliva

Otolaryngology, the Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, Inc.

• Research Training Award, 1993, The American Triological Society, Inc.
• The American Academy of Otolaryngology Resident Research Grant, 1994 (Co-investigator/preceptor to Kathleen R.Billings, M.D.)
• The Shirley Baron Award, 1999, (Preceptor to Ali Namazie, M.D.), given for the best resident paper by the Western Section of the Triological Society.
• Third Place, Resident Basic Science Research, The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2000 (Preceptor to Steven J. Wang, M.D.)
• Honor Award, The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2001
• Special Contribution Award, Department of Veterans Affairs, VAGLAHS, January 15, 2002
• First Place Award, Poster Session of the Annual Meeting of the Triological Society, 2004
• Los Angeles Super Doctors 2010-present
• Best Doctors in America 2010-present
• Honored Alumnus, La Sierra University College of Arts and Sciences, 2012
• Vice President’s Award, Western Section of the Triological Society, 2012 (Preceptor to Dr. Darshni Vira, resident)
• Best Resident Clinical Paper Award, 2013 North American Skull Base Society Annual Meeting (preceptor to Dr. Christopher Thompson)
• Distinguished Service Award, The American Academy of Otolaryngology  - Head and Neck Surgery, 2013
• Cochrane Scholar, The American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, 2014
• Vice President’s Award, Western Section of the Triological Society, 2015 (Preceptor to Dr. Aaron Feinstein, resident)
• Presidential Citation, The Triological Society, 2015

Video FAQ's