Katy Tsai, MD

Associate Professor

Dr. Katy K. Tsai is a medical oncologist and clinical researcher who specializes in treating advanced melanoma and other non-melanoma skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and Merkel cell carcinoma.

Dr. Tsai graduated with a degree in comparative literature from Brown University before earning her medical degree from Brown. She completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a fellowship in medical oncology at UCSF, where she served as chief fellow, before joining UCSF faculty in the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Program.

Dr. Tsai is deeply committed to finding the best possible treatment options for her patients. As Site Committee Chair for her program, she works closely with her medical oncology, surgical oncology, and dermatology/dermatopathology colleagues to develop novel clinical trial options, and is also responsible for the curation of the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Program's clinical trial portfolio. She has a long-standing research interest in melanoma survivorship and in understanding the pathophysiology and best treatment practices for acute and chronic immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Education
Fellowship, 2016 - Medical Oncology, UCSF
Residency, 2013 - Internal Medicine, UNC Chapel Hill
M.D., 2010 - Alpert Medical School, Brown University
Publications

  1. Swetter SM, Johnson D, Albertini MR, Barker CA, Bateni S, Baumgartner J, Bhatia S, Bichakjian C, Boland G, Chandra S, Chmielowski B, DiMaio D, Dronca R, Fields RC, Fleming MD, Galan A, Guild S, Hyngstrom J, Karakousis G, Kendra K, Kiuru M, Lange JR, Lanning R, Logan T, Olson D, Olszanski AJ, Ott PA, Ross MI, Rothermel L, Salama AK, Sharma R, Skitzki J, Smith E, Tsai K, Wuthrick E, Xing Y, McMillian N, Espinosa S. NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Melanoma: Cutaneous, Version 2.2024. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2024. PMID: 39019054


  2. Silverstein J, Goyal N, Tsai KK. For the Long Haul: Management of Long-Term Survivors after Melanoma Systemic Therapy. Current oncology reports 2024. PMID: 38780676


  3. Haugh AM, Osorio RC, Francois RA, Tawil ME, Tsai KK, Tetzlaff M, Daud A, Vasudevan HN. Targeted DNA Sequencing of Cutaneous Melanoma Identifies Prognostic and Predictive Alterations. Cancers 2024. PMID: 38611025


  4. Menzies AM, Long GV, Kohn A, Tawbi H, Weber J, Flaherty K, McArthur GA, Ascierto PA, Pfluger Y, Lewis K, Tsai KK, Hamid O, Prenen H, Fein L, Wang E, Guenzel C, Zhang F, Kleha JF, di Pietro A, Davies MA. POLARIS: A phase 2 trial of encorafenib plus binimetinib evaluating high-dose and standard-dose regimens in patients with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma with brain metastasis. Neuro-oncology advances 2024. PMID: 38725995


  5. Wong P, Wisneski AD, Tsai KK, Chang TT, Hirose K, Nakakura EK, Daud AI, Maker AV, Corvera CU. Metastatic melanoma to small bowel: metastasectomy is supported in the era of immunotherapy and checkpoint inhibitors. World journal of surgical oncology 2024. PMID: 38468341


  6. Ballesteros O, Mark S, Block A, Mackin L, Paul S, Cooper B, Abbott M, Chang S, Hammer MJ, Levine J, Pozzar R, Snowberg K, Tsai K, Van Blarigan E, Van Loon K, Miaskowski CA. COVID-19 pandemic stress and cancer symptom burden. BMJ supportive & palliative care 2023. PMID: 37541779


  7. Hun Kwak J, Mackin LA, Block A, Paul SM, Cooper BA, Abbott M, Chang SM, Hammer MJ, Kober KM, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads KF, Snowberg KE, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K, Miaskowski C. Risk Factors for a Higher Symptom Burden in Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Oncology nursing forum 2023. PMID: 37677766


  8. Seth R, Agarwala SS, Messersmith H, Alluri KC, Ascierto PA, Atkins MB, Bollin K, Chacon M, Davis N, Faries MB, Funchain P, Gold JS, Guild S, Gyorki DE, Kaur V, Khushalani NI, Kirkwood JM, McQuade JL, Meyers MO, Provenzano A, Robert C, Santinami M, Sehdev A, Sondak VK, Spurrier G, Swami U, Truong TG, Tsai KK, van Akkooi A, Weber J. Systemic Therapy for Melanoma: ASCO Guideline Update. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2023. PMID: 37579248


  9. Vasudevan HN, Delley C, Chen WC, Mirchia K, Pan S, Shukla P, Aabedi AA, Nguyen MP, Morshed RA, Young JS, Boreta L, Fogh SE, Nakamura JL, Theodosopoulos PV, Phillips J, Hervey-Jumper SL, Daras M, Pike L, Aghi MK, Tsai K, Raleigh DR, Braunstein SE, Abate AR. Molecular Features of Resected Melanoma Brain Metastases, Clinical Outcomes, and Responses to Immunotherapy. JAMA network open 2023. PMID: 37589977


  10. Vasudevan HN, Susko MS, Ma L, Nakamura JL, Raleigh DR, Boreta L, Fogh S, Theodosopoulos PV, McDermott MW, Tsai KK, Sneed PK, Braunstein SE. Mutational status and clinical outcomes following systemic therapy with or without focal radiation for resected melanoma brain metastases. World neurosurgery 2022. PMID: 36400359


  11. Smith JL, Menzies AM, Cohen JV, Mut-Lloret M, Ozgun A, Spain L, Park J, Quach HT, Pallan L, McQuade J, Feng S, Sandhu S, Atkinson V, Tsai K, Long GV, Larkin J, Eroglu Z, Johnson DB, Sullivan R, Herkes GK, Henderson A, Carlino MS. Neurological adverse effects associated with anti-PD1 antibodies alone or in combination with ipilimumab: a multicenter case series. Melanoma research 2022. PMID: 36164923


  12. Friedman CF, Spencer C, Cabanski CR, Panageas KS, Wells DK, Ribas A, Tawbi H, Tsai K, Postow M, Shoushtari A, Chapman P, Karakunnel J, Bucktrout S, Gherardini P, Hollmann TJ, Chen RO, Callahan M, LaVallee T, Ibrahim R, Wolchok J. Ipilimumab alone or in combination with nivolumab in patients with advanced melanoma who have progressed or relapsed on PD-1 blockade: clinical outcomes and translational biomarker analyses. 2022. PMID: 35074903


  13. Hepner A, Atkinson VG, Larkin J, Burrell RA, Carlino MS, Johnson DB, Zimmer L, Tsai KK, Klein O, Lo SN, Haydon A, Bhave P, Lyle M, Pallan L, Pires da Silva I, Gerard C, Michielin O, Long GV, Menzies AM. Re-induction ipilimumab following acquired resistance to combination ipilimumab and anti-PD-1 therapy. European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) 2021. PMID: 34214936


  14. Baik A, Oluwole OO, Johnson DB, Shah N, Salem JE, Tsai KK, Moslehi JJ. Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Toxicities Associated with Immunotherapies. Volume 128 of Issue 11. Circulation research 2021. PMID: 33934609


  15. Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno HT, Chang SM, Chen LM, Cohen B, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Kober KM, Laffan A, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Rhoads K, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Loneliness and symptom burden in oncology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer 2021. PMID: 33905528


  16. Pauken KE, Shahid O, Lagattuta KA, Mahuron KM, Luber JM, Lowe MM, Huang L, Delaney C, Long JM, Fung ME, Newcomer K, Tsai KK, Chow M, Guinn S, Kuchroo JR, Burke KP, Schenkel JM, Rosenblum MD, Daud AI, Sharpe AH, Singer M. Single-cell analyses identify circulating anti-tumor CD8 T cells and markers for their enrichment. The Journal of experimental medicine 2021. PMID: 33651880


  17. Baik AH, Tsai KK, Oh DY, Aras MA. Mechanisms and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Volume 135 of Issue 5. Clinical science (London, England : 1979) 2021. PMID: 33686402


  18. Silverstein J, Post AL, Chien AJ, Olin R, Tsai KK, Ngo Z, Van Loon K. Multidisciplinary Management of Cancer During Pregnancy. JCO oncology practice 2020. PMID: 32910882


  19. Miaskowski C, Paul SM, Snowberg K, Abbott M, Borno H, Chang S, Chen LM, Cohen B, Cooper BA, Hammer MJ, Kenfield SA, Laffan A, Levine JD, Pozzar R, Tsai KK, Van Blarigan EL, Van Loon K. Oncology patients' perceptions of and experiences with COVID-19. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer 2020. PMID: 32809060


  20. Levine LS, Mahuron KM, Tsai KK, Wu C, Mattis DM, Pauli ML, Oglesby A, Lee JC, Spitzer MH, Krummel MF, Algazi AP, Rosenblum MD, Alvarado M, Daud AI. Tumor Immune Profiling-Based Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced Melanoma. Annals of surgical oncology 2020. PMID: 32488521


  21. Najjar YG, Navrazhina K, Ding F, Bhatia R, Tsai K, Abbate K, Durden B, Eroglu Z, Bhatia S, Park S, Chowdhary A, Chandra S, Kennedy J, Ernstoff M, Vachhani P, Drabick J, Singh A, Xu T, Yang J, Carvajal R, Manson D, M Kirkwood J, Cohen J, Sullivan R, Johnson D, Funchain P, Shoushtari A. Ipilimumab plus nivolumab for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma: a multicenter, retrospective study. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer 2020. PMID: 32581057


  22. Algazi AP, Twitty CG, Tsai KK, Le M, Pierce R, Browning E, Hermiz R, Canton DA, Bannavong D, Oglesby A, Francisco M, Fong L, Pittet MJ, Arlauckas SP, Garris C, Levine LP, Bifulco C, Ballesteros-Merino C, Bhatia S, Gargosky S, Andtbacka RHI, Fox BA, Rosenblum MD, Daud AI. Phase II Trial of IL-12 Plasmid Transfection and PD-1 Blockade in Immunologically Quiescent Melanoma. Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020. PMID: 32376655


  23. Seth R, Messersmith H, Kaur V, Kirkwood JM, Kudchadkar R, McQuade JL, Provenzano A, Swami U, Weber J, Alluri KC, Agarwala S, Ascierto PA, Atkins MB, Davis N, Ernstoff MS, Faries MB, Gold JS, Guild S, Gyorki DE, Khushalani NI, Meyers MO, Robert C, Santinami M, Sehdev A, Sondak VK, Spurrier G, Tsai KK, van Akkooi A, Funchain P. Systemic Therapy for Melanoma: ASCO Guideline. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020. PMID: 32228358


  24. Algazi A, Bhatia S, Agarwala S, Molina M, Lewis K, Faries M, Fong L, Levine LP, Franco M, Oglesby A, Ballesteros-Merino C, Bifulco CB, Fox BA, Bannavong D, Talia R, Browning E, Le MH, Pierce RH, Gargosky S, Tsai KK, Twitty C, Daud AI. Intratumoral delivery of tavokinogene telseplasmid yields systemic immune responses in metastatic melanoma patients. Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology 2020. PMID: 32147213


  25. Greaney SK, Algazi AP, Tsai KK, Takamura KT, Chen L, Twitty CG, Zhang L, Paciorek A, Pierce RH, Le MH, Daud AI, Fong L. Intratumoral plasmid IL-12 electroporation therapy in advanced melanoma patients induces systemic and intratumoral T cell responses. Cancer immunology research 2019. PMID: 31852717


  26. Tsai KK, Khurana N, McCalmont T, Daud A, Bastian B, Yeh I. PTCH1 Mutation in a Patient With Metastatic Undifferentiated Carcinoma With Clear Cell Change. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN 2019. PMID: 31319387


  27. Fitzgerald K, Tsai KK. Systemic therapy for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Seminars in cutaneous medicine and surgery 2019. PMID: 31051028


  28. Pai CS, Huang JT, Lu X, Simons DM, Park C, Chang A, Tamaki W, Liu E, Roybal KT, Seagal J, Chen M, Hagihara K, Wei XX, DuPage M, Kwek SS, Oh DY, Daud A, Tsai KK, Wu C, Zhang L, Fasso M, Sachidanandam R, Jayaprakash A, Lin I, Casbon AJ, Kinsbury GA, Fong L. Clonal Deletion of Tumor-Specific T Cells by Interferon-? Confers Therapeutic Resistance to Combination Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Immunity 2019. PMID: 30737146


  29. Tsai KK, Bollin KB, Patel SP. Obstacles to improving outcomes in the treatment of uveal melanoma. Cancer 2018. PMID: 29579316


  30. Ramstein JJ, Tsai KK, Smith JF. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Male Reproductive Health. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 2017. PMID: 28791688


  31. Loo K, Tsai KK, Mahuron K, Liu J, Pauli ML, Sandoval PM, Nosrati A, Lee J, Chen L, Hwang J, Levine LS, Krummel MF, Algazi AP, Pampaloni M, Alvarado MD, Rosenblum MD, Daud AI. Partially exhausted tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predict response to combination immunotherapy. JCI insight 2017. PMID: 28724802


  32. Daud A, Tsai K. Management of Treatment-Related Adverse Events with Agents Targeting the MAPK Pathway in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma. The oncologist 2017. PMID: 28526719


  33. Tsai KK, Algazi AP. Are PD-1 antibodies safe for use in metastatic uveal melanoma? Melanoma management 2017. PMID: 30190908


  34. Tsai KK, Algazi AP. Melanoma Management Are PD-1 antibodies safe for use in metastatic uveal melanoma? 2017. PMID:


  35. Tumeh PC, Hellmann MD, Hamid O, Tsai KK, Loo KL, Gubens MA, Rosenblum M, Harview CL, Taube JM, Handley N, Khurana N, Nosrati A, Krummel MF, Tucker A, Sosa EV, Sanchez PJ, Banayan N, Osorio JC, Nguyen-Kim DL, Chang J, Shintaku IP, Boasberg PD, Taylor EJ, Munster PN, Algazi AP, Chmielowski B, Dummer R, Grogan TR, Elashoff D, Hwang J, Goldinger SM, Garon EB, Pierce RH, Daud A. Liver Metastasis and Treatment Outcome with Anti-PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody in Patients with Melanoma and NSCLC. Volume 5 of Issue 5. Cancer immunology research 2017. PMID: 28411193


  36. Nosrati A, Tsai KK, Goldinger SM, Tumeh P, Grimes B, Loo K, Algazi AP, Nguyen-Kim TDL, Levesque M, Dummer R, Hamid O, Daud A. Evaluation of clinicopathological factors in PD-1 response: derivation and validation of a prediction scale for response to PD-1 monotherapy. British journal of cancer 2017. PMID: 28324889


  37. Menzies AM, Johnson DB, Ramanujam S, Atkinson VG, Wong ANM, Park JJ, McQuade JL, Shoushtari AN, Tsai KK, Eroglu Z, Klein O, Hassel JC, Sosman JA, Guminski A, Sullivan RJ, Ribas A, Carlino MS, Davies MA, Sandhu SK, Long GV. Anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with advanced melanoma and preexisting autoimmune disorders or major toxicity with ipilimumab. Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology 2017. PMID: 27687304


  38. Tsai KK, Pampaloni MH, Hope C, Algazi AP, Ljung BM, Pincus L, Daud AI. Increased FDG avidity in lymphoid tissue associated with response to combined immune checkpoint blockade. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer 2016. PMID: 27660712


  39. Algazi AP, Tsai KK, Shoushtari AN, Munhoz RR, Eroglu Z, Piulats JM, Ott PA, Johnson DB, Hwang J, Daud AI, Sosman JA, Carvajal RD, Chmielowski B, Postow MA, Weber JS, Sullivan RJ. Clinical outcomes in metastatic uveal melanoma treated with PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies. Cancer 2016. PMID: 27533448


  40. Shoushtari AN, Munhoz RR, Kuk D, Ott PA, Johnson DB, Tsai KK, Rapisuwon S, Eroglu Z, Sullivan RJ, Luke JJ, Gangadhar TC, Salama AK, Clark V, Burias C, Puzanov I, Atkins MB, Algazi AP, Ribas A, Wolchok JD, Postow MA. The efficacy of anti-PD-1 agents in acral and mucosal melanoma. Cancer 2016. PMID: 27533633


  41. Daud AI, Loo K, Pauli ML, Sanchez-Rodriguez R, Sandoval PM, Taravati K, Tsai K, Nosrati A, Nardo L, Alvarado MD, Algazi AP, Pampaloni MH, Lobach IV, Hwang J, Pierce RH, Gratz IK, Krummel MF, Rosenblum MD. Tumor immune profiling predicts response to anti-PD-1 therapy in human melanoma. The Journal of clinical investigation 2016. PMID: 27525433


  42. Tsai KK, Daud AI. Nivolumab plus ipilimumab in the treatment of advanced melanoma. Journal of hematology & oncology 2015. PMID: 26518223


  43. Tsai KK, Daud AI. The Role of Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Agents in Melanoma: Progress to Date. Drugs 2015. PMID: 25802230


  44. Cavanaugh JJ, Jones CD, Embree G, Tsai K, Miller T, Shilliday BB, McGuirt B, Roche R, Pignone M, DeWalt DA, Ratner S. Implementation Science Workshop: primary care-based multidisciplinary readmission prevention program. Journal of general internal medicine 2014. PMID: 24687289


  45. Tsai KK, Zarzoso I, Daud AI. PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies for melanoma. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics 2014. PMID: 25625924


  46. Tsai KK, Marques F, Myers DL, Sung VW. Association between obesity, sexual activity and sexual function in women with pelvic floor disorders. Female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery 2010. PMID: 22453616


  47. Oxman DA, Chow JK, Frendl G, Hadley S, Hershkovitz S, Ireland P, McDermott LA, Tsai K, Marty FM, Kontoyiannis DP, Golan Y. Candidaemia associated with decreased in vitro fluconazole susceptibility: is Candida speciation predictive of the susceptibility pattern? The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy 2010. PMID: 20430790