Carissa Thomas, MD, PhD, FACS

Recognitions

• Top Women Leaders of Alabama Finalist, Women We Admire (2024)
• Patient Experience Provider Recognition for exceptional care & leadership, The University of Alabama at Birmingham (2024)
• CORE Grant Program Spotlight, AAO-HNSF (2024)
• Community Service Award, AHNS Cancer Prevention Service (2022)
  “Expressions of the Head & Neck Cancer Journey: a Visual Art Experience for Head & Neck Oncology Patients”
• NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Grant Recipient, NIH NIDCR (2020)
• Best Poster, AHNS (2019)
  Awarded at AHNS Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meeting in Austin, TX.
• Resident Teacher of the Year Award, University of Colorado Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (2018)
• Resident Research Award, 1st Place, University of Colorado Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (2016)
• MSTP Award for Excellence in Basic Science Coursework, Baylor College of Medicine (2005)
• Barry M Goldwater Scholarship, Luther College (2003)

Research Interests

My research focuses on understanding ways in which an altered oral cavity microbiome (dysbiosis) promotes malignant transformation in head and neck cancer, specifically squamous cell carcinoma. Currently we are investigating the oral microbiome as a biomarker of disease and predictor of prognosis with the goal of altering the microbiome to improve treatment response and prevent metastases and recurrence of head and neck cancer. I am also investigating ways the oral microbiome is related to cancer pain, nutrition, and surgical outcomes following major head and neck cancer surgery.

Publications

• Reed W, Volpini L, Fuson A, Thomas CM. The Posterolateral Neck Dissection: Indications, Planning and Techniques. Operative Tech in Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery.
• Gallant JN, Vivek N, McKeon MG, Sharma RK, Kim YJ, Rosenthal EL, Das SR, Thomas CM. Establishing a Role for the Oral Microbiome in Infectious Complications Following Major Oral Cavity Cancer Surgery. Oral Oncol. 2024. 156:106926. PMID: 38959641. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106926
• Gallant JN, Vivek N, McKeon MG, Sharma RK, Kim YJ, Rosenthal EL, Das SR, Thomas CM. Establishing a role for the oral microbiome in infectious complications following major oral cavity cancer surgery. Oral Oncol. 2024 Sep;156:106926. PubMed PMID: 38959641
• Sweeny L, Kane AC, Thomas CM, Futran N, Curry JM, Bur AM, Lu GN, Shukla A, Skoog H, Pena Garcia JA, Alnemri AE, Alapati R, DiLeo M, Fuson A, Tan K, Taghizadeh F, Jefferson GD, Petrisor D, Wax MK. Free flap reconstruction following head and neck trauma. Head Neck. 2024 Dec;46(12):2981-2992. PubMed PMID: 38984564
• Santi MD, Zhang M, Asam K, Yu G, Dong PM, Sheehan DH, Aouizerat BE, Thomas CM, Viet CT, Ye Y. Perineural Invasion Is Associated With Function-evoked Pain and Altered Extracellular Matrix in Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Pain. 2024 Oct;25(10):104615. PubMed PMID: 38936749
• Stone LD, Kasten BB, Rao S, Gonzalez ML, Stevens TM, Lin D, Carroll W, Greene B, Moore LS, Fuson A, James S, Hartman YE, McCammon S, Panuganti B, Nabell LM, Li Y, Li M, Bailey L, Rosenthal EL, Jeyarajan H, Thomas CM, Warram JM. Interim Phase II Results Using Panitumumab-IRDye800CW during Transoral Robotic Surgery in Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Sep 13;30(18):4016-4028. PubMed PMID: 39012279
• Sweeny L, Long SM, Pipkorn P, Wax MK, Thomas CM, Curry JM, Yang S, Lander D, Chowdhury F, Amin D, Kane AC, Miles BA, Salama A, Cannady SB, Tasche K, Mann D, Jackson R. Microvascular reconstruction of medication related osteonecrosis of the head and neck. Head Neck. 2024 Aug;46(8):1902-1912. PubMed PMID: 38294050
• Sajisevi M, Nguyen K, Callas P, Holcomb AJ, Vural E, Davis KP, Thomas CM, Plonowska-Hirschfeld KA, Stein JS, Eskander A, Kakarala K, Enepekides DJ, Hier MP, Ryan WR, Asarkar AA, Aulet R, Bell RK, Blasco MA, Bowmaster VB, Burruss CP, Chung J, Chan K, Chang BA, Coffey CS, Cognetti DM, Cooper DJ, Cordero J, Donovan J, Du YJ, Dundar Y, Dedivitis RA, Edwards HA, Erovic BM, Feinberg PA, Garvey EA, Goldstein DP, Goodman JF, Goulart RN, Goyal N, Grasl S, Giurintano JP, Gupta N, Habib AM, Hackman TG, Hara JH, Henson C, Hinni ML, Hua N, Johnson-Obaseki S, Juloori A, Kalman NS, Kejner AE, Khaja SF, Ku JA, Lambert A, Luu BK, Magliocca KR, Dos Santos LRM, Michael C, Miles BA, de Melo GM, Moore MG, Morand GB, Moura K, Mukdad L, Noroozi H, Patel R, Paydarfar JA, Sadeghi N, Savaria FN, Schmitt NC, Shapiro J, Shaver TB, Stoeckli SJ, St John M, Stokes WA, Sulibhavi A, Tasoulas J, Vendra V, Vinh DB, Virgen CG, Wooten C, Woody NM, Young GD. Oncologic Safety of Close Margins in Patients With Low- to Intermediate-Grade Major Salivary Gland Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Feb 1;150(2):107-116. PubMed PMID: 38095911
• Bailey L, Stone LD, Gonzalez ML, Thomas CM, Jeyarajan H, Warram JM, Panuganti B. Panitumumab-IRDye800 Improves Laryngeal Tumor Mapping During Transoral Laser Microsurgery. Laryngoscope. 2024 Apr;134(4):1837-1841. PubMed PMID: 37860983
• Rao SM, Knott PD, Sweeny L, Domack A, Tang A, Patel R, Pittman AL, Gardner JR, Moreno MA, Sunde J, Cave TB, Knight ND, Greene B, Pipkorn P, Joshi AS, Thakkar P, Ji K, Yang S, Chang BA, Wax MK, Thomas CM. Microvascular Free Flap Outcomes in Maxillectomy Defects from Invasive Fungal Sinusitis. Laryngoscope. 2024 Apr;134(4):1642-1647. PubMed PMID: 37772913
• Oglesby KR, Jefferson GD, Thomas CM, Tomblin C, Alnemri A, Curry JM, Bonaventure C, Sweeny L, Richards HW, Wax M, Kane AC. Outcomes of Head and Neck Free Tissue Transfer in Renal Failure Patients. Laryngoscope. 2024 Feb;134(2):688-694. PubMed PMID: 37449944
• Bishop JL, Vasudev M, Garcia N, Heslop G, Pham TT, Hicks MD, Chowdhury F, Grayson JW, Goddard JA, Tjoa T, Haidar Y, Thomas CM. Effect of Perioperative Antithrombotics on Head and Neck Microvascular Free Flap Survival After Anastomotic Revision. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Jun;168(6):1353-1361. PubMed PMID: 36939436
• Doan C, Aouizerat BE, Ye Y, Dang D, Asam K, Bhattacharya A, Howard T, Patel YK, Viet DT, Figueroa JD, Zhong JF, Thomas CM, Morlandt AB, Yu G, Callahan NF, Allen CT, Grandhi A, Herford AS, Walker PC, Nguyen K, Kidd SC, Lee SC, Inman JC, Slater JM, Viet CT. Neurotrophin Pathway Receptors NGFR and TrkA Control Perineural Invasion, Metastasis, and Pain in Oral Cancer. Adv Biol (Weinh). 2022 Sep;6(9):e2200190. PubMed PMID: 35925599
• Mayland E, Curry JM, Wax MK, Thomas CM, Swendseid BP, Kejner AE, Kain JJ, Cannady SB, Miles BA, DiLeo M, McMullen C, Tasche K, Ferrandino RM, Sarwary J, Petrisor D, Sweeny L. Impact of preoperative and intraoperative management on outcomes in osteoradionecrosis requiring free flap reconstruction. Head Neck. 2022 Mar;44(3):698-709. PubMed PMID: 34918862
• Hicks MD, Ovaitt AK, Fleming JC, Sorace AG, Song PN, Mansur A, Hartman Bs YE, Rosenthal EL, Warram JM, Thomas CM. Hyperintensity of integrin-targeted fluorescence agent IntegriSense750 accurately predicts flap necrosis compared to Indocyanine green. Head Neck. 2022 Jan;44(1):134-142. PubMed PMID: 34697855
• Sweeny L, Mayland E, Swendseid BP, Curry JM, Kejner AE, Thomas CM, Kain JJ, Cannady SB, Tasche K, Rosenthal EL, DiLeo M, Luginbuhl AJ, Theeuwen H, Sarwary JR, Petrisor D, Wax MK. Microvascular Reconstruction of Osteonecrosis: Assessment of Long-term Quality of Life. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Nov;165(5):636-646. PubMed PMID: 33618563
• Thomas CM, Sklar MC, Su J, Xu W, De Almeida JR, Alibhai SMH, Goldstein DP. Longitudinal Assessment of Frailty and Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Head and Neck Surgery. Laryngoscope. 2021 Jul;131(7):E2232-E2242. PubMed PMID: 33427307
• Thomas CM, Khan MN, Mohan R, Hendler A, Hosni A, Chepeha DB, Goldstein DP, Cooper RM, de Almeida JR. Lymphatic mapping with SPECT-CT for evaluation of contralateral drainage in lateralized oropharyngeal cancers using an awake injection technique. Head Neck. 2020 Mar;42(3):385-393. PubMed PMID: 31778005
• Chowdhury FN, Reisinger J, Gomez KE, Chimed TS, Thomas CM, Le PN, Miller B, Morton JJ, Nieto CM, Somerset HL, Wang XJ, Keysar SB, Jimeno A. Leading edge or tumor core: Intratumor cancer stem cell niches in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma and their association with stem cell function. Oral Oncol. 2019 Nov;98:118-124. PubMed PMID: 31586893
• Thomas CM, Sklar MC, Su J, Xu W, de Almeida JR, Gullane P, Gilbert R, Brown D, Irish J, Alibhai SMH, Goldstein DP. Evaluation of Older Age and Frailty as Factors Associated With Depression and Postoperative Decision Regret in Patients Undergoing Major Head and Neck Surgery. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Dec 1;145(12):1170-1178. PubMed PMID: 31621812
• Viet CT, Asam KR, Yu G, Dyer EC, Kochanny S, Thomas CM, Callahan NF, Morlandt AB, Cheng AC, Patel AA, Roden DF, Young S, Melville J, Shum J, Walker PC, Nguyen KK, Kidd SN, Lee SC, Folk GS, Viet DT, Grandhi A, Deisch J, Ye Y, Momen-Heravi F, Pearson AT, Aouizerat BE. Artificial Intelligence-Based Epigenomic, Transcriptomic and Histologic Signatures of Tobacco Use in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. npj Precision Oncology. 2024. 8(10):130. PMID: 38851780. doi: 10.1038/s41698-024-00605-x
• Dong MP, Dharmaraj N, Kaminagakura E, Xue J, Leach DG, Hartgerink JD, Zhang M, Hanks HJ, Ye Y, Aouizerat BE, Vining K, Thomas CM, Dovat S, Young S, Viet CT. Stimulator of Interferon Genes Pathway Activation through the Controlled Release of STINGel Mediates Analgesia and Anti-Cancer Effects in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Biomedicines. 2024 Apr 21;12(4):920. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12040920. PMID: 38672274; PMCID: PMC11047833.
• Chowdhury F, Prisman E, Thomas CM. Innovations with the scapula and subscapular system for head and neck microvascular reconstruction. Plast Aesthet Res. 2023;10:68. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-9264.2023.68
• Hicks MD, Vasudev M, Bishop JL, Garcia N, Chowdhury F, Pham TT, Heslop G, Greene B, Jeyarajan H, Grayson JW, Goddard JA, Tjoa T, Haidar Y, Thomas CM. Effect of Perioperative Antithrombotics on Postoperative Transfusion and Hematoma in Head and Neck Free Flaps. OTO Open. 2023 Oct 17;7(4):e86. doi: 10.1002/oto2.86. PMID: 37854346; PMCID: PMC10580001.
• Jelmini J, Slijepcevic AA, Patel U, Sweeny L, Pipkorn P, Ducic Y, Moe J, Pittman A, Rajasekaran K, Diaz J, Thomas C, Byrne P, Rich J, Tamaki A, Puscas L, Petrisor D, Wax MK. Clinical outcomes following intraoperative pedicle disruption in fibula free flaps. Head Neck. 2023 Aug;45(8):1975-1978. doi: 10.1002/hed.27423. Epub 2023 Jun 5. PMID: 37278125.
• Hicks MD, Ovaitt AK, Morrison DR, Fleming JC, Jeyarajan H, Greene B, Sorace AG, Patel J, Kasten BB, Hartman YE, Rosenthal EL, Warram JM, Thomas CM. Determination of Flap Survival Isolated From Wound Bed Vasculature Using a Murine Axial Flap Model. Ear Nose Throat J. 2023 Jun 26:1455613231183392. doi: 10.1177/01455613231183392. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37365848.
• Berania I, Hosni A, Thomas CM, Goldstein D, Bayley A, Mohan R, Hendler A, Cooper RM, de Almeida JR. Evaluating contralateral neck failure in patients with lateralized OPSCC treated with transoral robotic surgery and neck management based on pre-operative SPECT-CT lymphatic mapping. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Dec 27;51(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s40463-022-00563-z. PMID: 36575528; PMCID: PMC9795590.
• Viet CT, Zhang X, Xu K, Yu G, Asam K, Thomas CM, Callahan NF, Doan C, Walker PC, Nguyen K, Kidd SC, Lee SC, Grandhi A, Allen CT, Young S, Melville JC, Shum JW, Viet DT, Herford AS, Roden DF, Gonzalez ML, Zhong JF, Aouizerat BE. Brush swab as a noninvasive surrogate for tissue biopsies in epigenomic profiling of oral cancer. Biomark Res. 2021 Dec 20;9(1):90. doi: 10.1186/s40364-021-00349-x. PMID: 34930473; PMCID: PMC8686381.
• Viet CT, Yu G, Asam K, Thomas CM, Yoon AJ, Wongworawat YC, Haghighiabyaneh M, Kilkuts CA, McGue CM, Couey MA, Callahan NF, Doan C, Walker PC, Nguyen K, Kidd SC, Lee SC, Grandhi A, Cheng AC, Patel AA, Philipone E, Ricks OL, Allen CT, Aouizerat BE. The REASON score: an epigenetic and clinicopathologic score to predict risk of poor survival in patients with early stage oral squamous cell carcinoma. Biomark Res. 2021 Jun 5;9(1):42. doi: 10.1186/s40364-021-00292-x. PMID: 34090518; PMCID: PMC8178935.
• Thomas CM, Jetté ME, Clary MS. Factors Associated With Infectious Laryngitis: A Retrospective Review of 15 Cases. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2017 May;126(5):388-395. doi: 10.1177/0003489417694911. Epub 2017 Feb 1. PMID: 28397557; PMCID: PMC5460979.
• Thomas CM, Saulnier DM, Spinler JK, Hemarajata P, Gao C, Jones SE, Grimm A, Balderas MA, Burstein MD, Morra C, Roeth D, Kalkum M, Versalovic J. FolC2-mediated folate metabolism contributes to suppression of inflammation by probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri. Microbiologyopen. 2016 Oct;5(5):802-818. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.371. Epub 2016 Jun 28. PMID: 27353144; PMCID: PMC5061717.
• Hemarajata P, Gao C, Pflughoeft KJ, Thomas CM, Saulnier DM, Spinler JK, Versalovic J. Lactobacillus reuteri-specific immunoregulatory gene rsiR modulates histamine production and immunomodulation by Lactobacillus reuteri. J Bacteriol. 2013 Dec;195(24):5567-76. doi: 10.1128/JB.00261-13. Epub 2013 Oct 11. PMID: 24123819; PMCID: PMC3889603.
• Thomas CM, Hong T, van Pijkeren JP, Hemarajata P, Trinh DV, Hu W, Britton RA, Kalkum M, Versalovic J. Histamine derived from probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri suppresses TNF via modulation of PKA and ERK signaling. PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e31951. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031951. Epub 2012 Feb 22. PMID: 22384111; PMCID: PMC3285189.

Professional Memberships

• American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Member
• American Head & Neck Society, Member
• American College of Surgeons, Fellow
• Phi Beta Kappa (National Academic Honor Society), Member
• Gold Humanism Honor Society, Member
• NRG Oncology Head and Neck Cancer General Committee, Member
• American Academy of Otolaryngology Microvascular Committee, Member
• AHNS Reconstructive Head & Neck Surgery Section Research Committee, Co-chair

Practice Locations

UCHealth Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic - Anschutz Medical Campus
1635 Aurora Ct
6th floor
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-2820

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Board Certification (2019, 2024)