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Sima Jeha, MD
Sima Jeha, MD

Sima Jeha, MD

Member, St. Jude Faculty

  • Director, Eastern Mediterranean Region, St. Jude Global

Departments

Divisions

Education

MD – American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Honors & Awards

  • 2011-2012 Best Doctors in America
  • 2011 The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)/Research Council Spotlight Award, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
  • 2009 AACR Team Science Award
  • 1996 PRS Research Award, Testing novel therapeutic approaches in a SCID mouse model of human leukemia, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
  • 1991 Clinical Trainees Research Award, UT M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Research Interests

  • Developmental therapeutics
  • Protocol development and clinical investigations in leukemia
  • Relapsed and refractory leukemia
  • Leukemia in the adolescent and young adult

Selected Publications

Jacola LM, Conklin HM, Krull KR, Pei D, Cheng C, Reddick WE, Pui CH, Jeha S. The impact of intensified CNS-directed therapy on neurocognitive outcomes in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated without cranial irradiation. J Clin Oncol Nov 2, JCO2200263, 2022.

Whitlock JA, Malvar J, Dalla-Pozza L, Goldberg JM, Silverman LB, Ziegler DS, Attarbaschi A, Brown PA, Gardner RA, Gaynon PS, Hutchinson R, Huynh VT, Jeha S, Marcus L, Messinger Y, Schultz KR, Cassar J, Locatelli F, Zwaan CM, Wood BL, Sposto R, Gore L. Nelarabine, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide in relapsed pediatric T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia and T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (study T2008-002 NECTAR). Pediatr Blood Cancer 69(11): e29901, 2022.

El Khatib O, Yahya Y, Mahfouz R, Hamadeh L, Basbous M, Abboud MR, Muwakkit S, Rodriguez-Galindo C, Jeha S, Saab R. Heritable cancer predisposition testing in pediatric cancer patients excluding retinoblastoma in a middle-income country. Pediatr Blood Cancer 69(11): e29982, 2022.

Gruber TA, Pei D, Choi J, Cheng C, Coustan-Smith E, Campana D, Swanson HD, Pauley JL, Inaba H, Metzger ML, Rubnitz JE, Ribeiro RC, Raimondi S, Pui CH, Jeha S. Clofarabine treatment of KMT2Ar infantile patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in St. Jude Total Therapy Study 16. Blood Adv Oct 17, 2022.

Locatelli F, Zugmaier G, Mergen N, Bader P, Jeha S, Schlegel PG, Bourquin JP, Handgretinger R, Brethon B, Rössig C, Kormany WN, Viswagnachar P, Chen-Santel C. Blinatumomab in pediatric relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: RIALTO expanded access study final analysis. Blood Adv 6(3):1004-1014, 2022.

Saab R, Ghanem K, Jeha S. Cancer care for displaced children in Lebanon. Lancet Oncol 22(12):1663-1664, 2021.

Jeha S, Choi J, Roberts KG, Pei D, Coustan-Smith E, Inaba H, Rubnitz JE, Ribeiro RC, Gruber TA, Raimondi SC, Karol SE, Qu C, Brady SW, Gu Z, Yang JJ, Cheng C, Downing JR, Evans WE, Relling MV, Campana D, Mullighan CG, Pui CH.  

Clinical significance of novel subtypes of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the context of minimal residual disease-directed therapy. Blood Cancer Discov 2(4):326-337, 2021.

Jeha S, Crews KR, Pei D, Peyton M, Panetta JC, Ribeiro RC, Zhao X, Campbell P, Metzger ML, Yang JJ, Cheng C, Pui CH, Bhojwani D. Phase 1 study of bendamustine in combination with clofarabine, etoposide, and dexamethasone in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies. Cancer 127(12):2074-2082, 2021.

Saab R, Obeid A, Gachi F, Boudiaf H, Sargsyan L, Al-Saad K, Javakhadze T, Mehrvar A, Abbas SS, Abed Al-Agele YS, Al-Haddad S, Al Ani MH, Al-Sweedan S, Al Kofide A, Jastaniah W, Khalifa N, Bechara E, Baassiri M, Noun P, El-Houdzi J, Khattab M, Sagar Sharma K, Wali Y, Mushtaq N, Batool A, Faizan M, Raza MR, Najajreh M, Mohammed Abdallah MA, Sousan G, Ghanem KM, Kocak U, Kutluk T, Demir HA, Hodeish H, Muwakkit S, Belgaumi A, Al-Rawas AH, Jeha S. Impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pediatric oncology care in the Middle East, North Africa, and West Asia Region: A report from the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group. Cancer 126(18):4235-4245, 2020.

Jeha S, Pei D, Choi J, Cheng C, Sandlund JT, Coustan-Smith E, Campana D, Inaba H, Rubnitz JE, Ribeiro RC, Gruber TA, Raimondi SC, Khan RB, Yang JJ, Mullighan CG, Downing JR, Evans WE, Relling MV, Pui CH. Improved CNS control of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia without cranial irradiation: St Jude Total Therapy Study 16. J Clin Oncol 37(35):3377-3391, 12019.

Hunger SP, Baruchel A, Biondi A, Evans WE, Jeha S, Loh M, Moericke A, Pieters R, Relling MV, Schmiegelow K, Schrappe M, Silverman LB, Stanulla M, Valsecchi MG, Vora A, Pui CH. The thirteenth international childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia workshop report: La Jolla, CA, USA, December 7-9, 2011. Pediatr Blood Cancer 60(2):344-8, 2013.

Roberts KG, Morin RD, Zhang J, Hirst M, Zhao Y, Su X, Chen SC, Payne-Turner D, Churchman ML, Harvey RC, Chen X, Kassap C, Yan C, Becksfort J, Finney RP, Teachy DT, Maude SL, Tse K, Moore R, Jones S, Mungali K, Birol I, Edmonson MN, Yu Y, Buetow KE, Chen IM, Carroll WL, Wei L, Ma J, Kleppe M, Levine RL, Garcia-Manero G, Larsen E, Shah NP, Devidas M, Reaman G, Smith M, Paugh SW, Evans WE, Grupp SA, Jeha S, Pui CH, Gerhard DS, Downing JR, Willman CL, Loh M, Hunger SP, Marra MA, Mullighan CG. Genetic alterations activating kinase and cytokine receptor signaling in high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Cell 22(2):153-66, 2012. 

Muwakkit S, Al-Aridi C, Samra A, Saab R, Mahfouz RA, Farra C, Jeha S, Abboud MR. Implementation of an intensive risk-stratified treatment protocol for children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Lebanon. Am J Hematol 87(7):678-83, 2012.

Pui CH, Pei D, Pappo AS, Howard SC, Cheng C, Sandlund JT, Furman WL, Ribeiro RC, Spunt SL, Rubnitz JE, Jeha S, Hudson MM, Kun LE, Merchant TE, Kocak M, Broniscer A, Metzger ML, Downing JR, Leung W, Evans WE, Gajjar A. Treatment outcomes in black and white children with cancer: Results from the SEER database and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 1992 through 2007. J Clin Oncol 30(16):205-12, 2012. 

Leung W, Pui CH, Coustan-Smith E, Yang J, Pei D, Gan K, Srinivasan A, Hartford C, Triplett BM, Dallas M, Pillai A, Shook D, Rubnitz JE, Sandlund JT, Jeha S, Inaba H, Ribeiro RC, Handgretinger R, Laver JH, Campana D. Detectable minimal residual disease before hematopoietic cell transplantation is prognostic but does not preclude cure for children with very-high-risk leukemia. Blood 120(2):468-72, 2012.

Liu C, Kawedia JD, Cheng C, Pei D, Fernandez CA, Cai X, Crews KR, Kaste SC, Panetta JC, Bowman WP, Jeha S, Sandlund JT, Evans WE, Pui CH, Relling MV. Clinical utility and implications of asparaginase antibodies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 26(11):2303-9, 2012.

Hijiya N, Thomson B, Isakoff M, Silverman L, Steinherz PG, Borowitz M, Kadota R, Cooper T, Shen V, Dahl G, Thottassery JV, Jeha S, Maloney K, Paul J, Barry E, Carroll WL, Gaynon PS. Phase II trial of clofarabine in combination with etoposide and cyclophosphamide in pediatric patients with refractory/relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood 118(23):6043-9, 2011.

Elbahlawan LM, Morrison RR, Jeha S, Cheng C, Liu W, Fiser RT. Impact of neutrophil recovery on oxygenation in pediatric oncology patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 33(7):e296-9, 2011.

Inaba H, Bhojwani D, Pauley J, Pei D, Cheng C, Metzger ML, Howard SC, Rubnitz JE, Sandlund JT, Ribeiro RC, Leung W, Campana D, Pui CH, Jeha S. Combination chemotherapy with clofarabine, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide in children with refractory or relapsed haematological malignancies. Br J Haematol 156(2):275-9, 2012. 

Bhojwani D, Pei D, Sandlund JT, Jeha S, Ribeiro RC, Rubnitz JE, Raimondi SC, Shurtleff S, Onciu M, Cheng C, Coustan -Smith E, Bowman WP, Howard SC, Metzger ML, Inaba H, Leung W, Evans WE, Campana D, Relling MV, Pui CH. ETV6-RUNX1-positiveacute lymphoblastic leukemia: improved outcome with contemporary therapy. Leukemia 26:265-70, 2012. 

Al-Aridi C, Abboud MR, Saab R, Eid D, Jeha S, Chan AK, Muwakkit SA. Thrombosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated at a tertiary care center in Lebanon: Revisiting the role of predictive models. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 28(8):676-81, 2011.

Sullivan E, Jeha S. 50 years ago in the Journal of Pediatrics: Chickenpox and Leukemia. The Journal of Pediatrics 158:783, 2011.

Brennan RC, Helton KJ, Pei D, Cheng C, Inaba H, Metzger ML, Howard SC, Rubnitz JE, Ribeiro RC, Sandlund JT, Jeha S, Pui CH, Bhojwani D. Spinal epidural lipomatosis in children with hematologic malignancies. Ann Hematol 90:1067-74, 2011. 

Pui CH, Campana D, Sandlund JT, Bhojwani D, Evans WE, Relling MV, Jeha S. Treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia without cranial irradiation. Ann Hematol 90(Suppl 1):S61-3, 2011.

Anghelescu DL, Faughnan LG, Jeha S, Relling MV, Hinds PS, Sandlund JT, Cheng C, Pei D, Hankins G, Pauley JL, Pui CH. Neuropathic pain during treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 57:1147-53, 2011. 

Elbahlawan L, Gaur AH, Furman W, Jeha S, Woods T, Norris A, Morrison RR. Severe H1N1-associated acute respiratory failure in immunocompromised children. Pediatr Blood Cancer 57:625-8, 2011.

Pui CH, Pei D, Campana D, Bowman WP, Sandlund JT, Kaste SC, Ribeiro RC, Rubnitz JE, Coustan-Smith E, Jeha S, Cheng C, Metzger ML, Bhojwani D, Inaba H, Raimondi SC, Onciu M, Howard SC, Leung W, Downing JR, Evans WE, Relling MV. Improved prognosis of older adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Clin Oncol 29:386-391, 2011.

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Rytting M, Ravandi F, Estey E, Cortes J, Faderl S, Garcia-Manero G, Jeha S, Ouzounian S, Pierce S, Kantarjian H. Intensively timed combination chemotherapy for the induction of adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia: long-term follow-up of a phase 2 study. Cancer 116:5272-5278, 2010.

Chen SH, Pei D, Yang W, Cheng C, Jeha S, Cox NJ, Evans WE, Pui CH, Relling MV. Genetic variations in GRIA1 on chromosome 5q33 related to asparaginase hypersensitivity. Clin Pharmacol Ther 88:191-196, 2010.

Bonate PL, Cunningham CC, Gaynon P, Jeha S, Kadota R, Lam GN, Razzouk B, Rytting M, Steinherz P, Weitman S. Population pharmacokinetics of clofarabine and its metabolite 6-ketoclofarabine in adult and pediatric patients with cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 67:875-90, 2010.

Horton TM, Sposto R, Brown P , Reynolds PC, Hunger SP, Winick N , Raetz E, Carroll W, Arceci R, Borowitz M, Gaynon P, Gore L, Jeha S, Maurer B, Siegel SE, Biondi A, Kearns P, Narendran A, Silverman L, Smith M, Zwaan M, Whitlock J. Toxicity assessment of molecularly targeted drugs incorporated into multiagent chemotherapy regimens for pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL): review from an international consensus conference. Pediatr Blood Cancer 54:872-878, 2010. 

Pui CH, Pei D, Sandlund JT, Ribeiro RC, Rubnitz JE, Raimondi SC, Onciu M, Campana D, Kun LE, Jeha S, Cheng C, Howard SC, Metzger ML, Bhojwani D, Downing JR, Evans WE, Relling MV. Long-term results of St Jude Total Therapy Studies 11, 12, 13A, 13B, and 14 for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Leukemia 24:371-382, 2010. 

Crews K, Zhou Y, Pauley J, Howard S, Jeha S, Relling M, Pui CH. Effect of allopurinol versus urate oxidase on methotrexate pharmacokinetics in children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer 116:227-232, 2010. 

Last update: December 2022

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