Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute Adds World-Class Hematologic Malignancy Cell Therapy Program
October 02, 2024
BATON ROUGE — Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute is pleased to announce the implementation of a world-class Hematologic Malignancy Cell Therapy program.Led by two renowned experts, Hana Safah, MD, medical director of heme-malignancy and cell therapy, and Nakhle Saba, MD, leader of lymphoid malignancy and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy, the program provides medical management of blood cancers and blood disorders, clinical trials related to blood cancers and cellular therapies, adult allogeneic stem cell/bone marrow transplants, and adult autologous stem cell/bone marrow transplants. It is one of few in the state and region to provide many of these services.
Dr. Safah and Dr. Saba are well-known experts in cancer care across the state and the country with more than 50 years of combined experience in cell therapy. Additionally, the pair are professors of medicine and will maintain their academic status in their new practice.
“Our Lady of the Lake Health is proud to have provided 100 years of care to our community and has been the regional leader in cancer care for decades,” said Chuck Spicer, president of Our Lady of the Lake Health. “We are proud to provide a premier therapeutic cancer treatment program to our community. The combined expertise Dr. Safah and Dr. Saba bring to our patients will expand on the world-class cancer care Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute offers right here at home.”
Dr. Safah obtained her medical degree from the American University of Beirut in 1987. In 1991, she completed her residency training in Internal Medicine at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. In 1994, she completed her Fellowship training in hematology and medical oncology at the University of Florida. She served as the medical director of heme malignancy and stem cell transplantation at Tulane school of medicine and advised on several committees including, but not limited to, Investigation Review Board, Institutional Review Board Committee on Use of Human Subjects, Critical Care Committee and the Tulane University Promotions & Tenure Committee. Her areas of specialty include hematologic malignancies, bone marrow transplantation, leukemia, lymphoma myeloproliferative disorders, aplastic anemia, MDS, PNH and multiple myeloma. Dr. Safah has published numerous articles and papers and has conducted many clinical trials.
Dr. Saba earned his medical degree from the Lebanese University in Beirut 2005. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN, and Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, and his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Tulane University. After fellowship completion in 2011, Dr. Saba joined the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for an additional fellowship in lymphoid malignancies. He returned to Tulane in 2014 as assistant professor of medicine, promoted to associate professor in 2018, then to full professor in 2024 following a successful career researching, teaching and treating blood cancers. Dr. Saba’s leadership skills are evident by the roles he played at Tulane as chair of the “immune effector cell therapy – IECT,” co-chair of Sarah-Cannon Lymphoma Committee and president of Louisiana Oncology Society (LOS). Under his direction as president, the LOS passed four bills that were signed into law in Louisiana and are expected to positively impact cancer care in our state. Those bills include the Bone Marrow Donation, Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients, Right to Prompt Coverage and Expansion of Biomarker Testing. Dr. Saba authored and/or co-authored more than 120 published manuscripts and research abstracts, and he presented at regional, national, and international meetings as a researcher and invited speaker. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine for Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. Dr. Saba will be diligently working to expand the lymphoma and CLL research portfolio and bring cutting edge therapies to the region such as CAR-T, the next generation CAR, and be the first to bring the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for solid tumors to Louisiana.
"At Our Lady of the Cancer Institute, we remain dedicated to advancing medical excellence and compassionate care for our patients. With the addition of such renowned specialists, Dr. Safah and Dr. Saba, our team is further strengthened, ensuring that patients receive cutting-edge treatments and the personalized care they deserve,” said James Craven, MD, chief physician officer, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. “Together, we are not just treating cancer but also fostering hope and healing in the lives of those we serve."
Dr. Safah and Dr. Saba join Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, which offers the most advanced technology and services provided by a dedicated team of nationally recognized cancer care experts. The Cancer Institute provides best-practice, comprehensive care at every stage of the cancer journey, including disease site-specific multidisciplinary care teams, a robust clinical research program and extensive supportive care services. Its providers work together to ensure the highest standard of care for every patient.
Through its highly impactful philanthropic efforts on behalf of local cancer patients and families, The Capital Gala – formerly the EXCEL Best Dressed Ball of Baton Rouge – will support the patients and growth of the Hematologic Malignancy Cell Therapy program at Our Lady of the Lake. Legacy Chairwomen Michelle Lanoix Green and Tonya Toups Gautreau said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Safah and Dr. Saba to Baton Rouge and look forward to supporting their efforts in excellence in cancer care.”
For more information about Our Lady of the Lake Cancer institute visit ololrmc.com/cancer.
About Our Lady of the Lake Health
Our Lady of the Lake Health is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with more than 7,500 employees committed to serving the Capital Region and building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education. With an 800-bed Regional Medical Center, a dedicated Children’s Hospital, a 78-bed hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana, two freestanding emergency rooms in outlying parishes, and a 600+ provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake Health provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs in partnership with LSU, and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally invasive procedures, and more. Our Lady of the Lake is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit ololrmc.com.