India, Hyderabad Dr. Monica Malik is a Professor and Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), one of India’s leading university academic hospitals, located in Hyderabad. A radiation oncologist with more than two decades of clinical and academic experience, she has built a research program spanning neuro-oncology, breast cancer, gynecological cancers, and palliative care, with a particular focus on improving the quality of oncological care in resource-constrained settings. An active voice in global oncology, Dr. Malik is a graduate of the ASCO Leadership Development Program and has contributed to ASCO’s resource-stratified guidelines and international affairs initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for the integration of palliative and supportive care into routine cancer practice, and has published extensively on the impact of climate change on cancer care in Asia, cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the growing cancer burden among adolescents and young adults in Asia.
Current Positions
- Professor and Head, Department of Radiation Oncology, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad, India
- Member, Cancer Technical Committee, Telangana State, 2021–present
- Member, ASCO Resource-Stratified Guidelines Advisory Board, 2017–present
Education
- MBBS, Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India, 1995–2001
- MD, Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India, 2001–2004
- DNB, Radiation Oncology, National Board of Examinations, India, 2005
Professional Experience
- Radiation Oncologist, various clinical and academic appointments, leading to Professor and Head of Department, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad
- Member, ASCO International Affairs Committee, 2014–2016
- Member, ASCO Resource-Stratified Guidelines Advisory Board, 2017–present
- Member, Cancer Technical Committee, Telangana State, 2021–present
- Participant, ASCO Asia-Pacific Leadership Development Program (focus on cancer advocacy development in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific)
Research Activity
- Neuro-oncology: Extensive clinical research on glioblastoma, anaplastic gliomas, and brainstem gliomas, including prospective studies on irradiation of stem cell niches in the subventricular and periventricular zones and their impact on survival outcomes; neurocognitive function assessment in illiterate glioma patients undergoing chemoradiation; effects of valproic acid on glioblastoma outcomes; quality of life assessment in glioblastoma; published in International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, ecancermedicalscience, and South Asian Journal of Cancer
- Breast cancer: Research on hypofractionated radiotherapy for breast cancer including toxicity assessment, dosimetric analysis, bilateral breast irradiation, and patient-reported outcomes including quality of life, decision-making preferences, and return to work; male breast cancer management and radiation indications; PET-CT utility for assessing response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy; cardiotoxicity in breast cancer treatment
- Gynecological oncology: Clinical outcomes research in cervical cancer (stage IIIB) treated with definitive radiotherapy; dosimetric analysis of CT-based brachytherapy planning in cervical cancer; care recommendations for gynecological cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Palliative care and supportive oncology: Advocate for early integration of palliative care into cancer care; research on patient-reported outcomes, information needs, and decision-making preferences in cancer patients; randomized study on palliative radiotherapy fractionation schedules for bone metastases; implementation of patient-reported symptom tools in routine cancer care in Asia (PROMiSE-Pilot, published Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2024)
- Global oncology and climate change: Pioneer of research on the intersection of climate change and cancer care in Asia; first author and co-author on landmark articles on lung cancer in Asia and climate change (EClinicalMedicine, 2024), global cancer burden and natural disasters in Asia (Journal of Global Oncology, 2019), and climate resilience strategies for LMICs (Cancer Causes & Control, 2025); co-author on ASCO Asia-Pacific cancer advocacy development in Indonesia
- COVID-19 and cancer care: Co-authored multiple papers on the dual challenge of cancer and COVID-19 in the Asia-Pacific, considerations for breast cancer management, gynecological cancer care, and optimization of e-learning in oncology during the pandemic
- Adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology: Research on the growing cancer burden in AYAs in Asia, published in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (2023)
- Cancer education and leadership: Contributor to ASCO’s global Leadership Development Program; published on bridging medical education and quality cancer care; proponent of e-learning innovation in radiation oncology training
Honors and Awards
- ASCO IDEA Award in Palliative Care, 2021
- ASCO Leadership Development Program Graduate, 2013–2014
Memberships / Affiliations
- American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) — Member; ASCO International Affairs Committee (2014–2016); ASCO Resource-Stratified Guidelines Advisory Board (2017–present)
- Cancer Technical Committee, Telangana State, 2021–present
- ASCO Asia-Pacific Leadership Development Program participant
Areas of Specialization
- Radiation oncology — neuro-oncology, breast cancer, gynecological cancers, gastrointestinal cancers
- Neuro-oncology — glioblastoma, anaplastic gliomas, brainstem gliomas, stem cell niche irradiation
- Breast cancer radiotherapy including hypofractionation, bilateral breast irradiation, and cardiotoxicity
- Gynecological cancer radiotherapy and brachytherapy
- Palliative care integration in cancer medicine
- Patient-reported outcomes and quality of life in oncology
- Global oncology — cancer burden in Asia, cancer advocacy, and resource-stratified care
- Climate change and cancer care in Asia-Pacific and LMICs
- Cancer care during humanitarian crises and the COVID-19 pandemic
- Adolescent and young adult oncology in Asia
- Medical education and e-learning in radiation oncology
Publications
Dr. Malik has authored and co-authored publications in EClinicalMedicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, JCO Global Oncology, Journal of Global Oncology, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, Cancer Causes & Control, ecancermedicalscience, Annals of Oncology, Radiation Oncology Journal, South Asian Journal of Cancer, Indian Journal of Cancer, Cancer Treatment and Research Communications, Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, Head & Neck, Haematologica, and Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment, among others.
Select Recent Publications:
Malik M, De Guzman RB. “Building climate resilience and mitigating the impact of climate change on cancer care: strategies and solutions for low and middle income countries.” Cancer Causes & Control, May 2025.
De Guzman RB, Malik M, Singh N, Mohan A, et al. “Lung cancer in Asia: the impact of climate change.” EClinicalMedicine, July 2024.
Sitthideatphaiboon P, Zaheed M, Co JL, Malik M, et al. “Stronger together: Implementing patient-reported symptom tool in routine cancer care in diverse Asia — A multi-national pilot feasibility study (PROMiSE-Pilot).” Journal of Clinical Oncology, August 2024.
Valiyaveettil D, Malik M. “Utility of PET-CT for assessment of response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, August 2024.
Malik M, Valiyaveettil D, Joseph D. “The Growing Burden of Cancer in Adolescent and Young Adults in Asia: A Call to Action.” Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology, June 2023.
Rai R, Malik M, Valiyaveettil D, Basalatullah M, et al. “Assessment of late treatment-related symptoms using patient-reported outcomes and various factors affecting return to work in survivors of breast cancer.” ecancermedicalscience, April 2023.
Lee DW, Kaori T, Permata M, Malik M, Stockler M, et al. “Creating a cancer advocacy program in Indonesia.” JCO Global Oncology, August 2023.
Valiyaveettil D, Joseph D, Malik M. “Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer Treatment: Causes and Mitigation.” Cancer Treatment and Research Communications, September 2023.
De Guzman R, Malik M. “Dual Challenge of Cancer and COVID-19: Impact on Health Care and Socioeconomic Systems in Asia Pacific.” JCO Global Oncology, November 2020.
Malik M, Valiyaveettil D, Joseph D. “Optimizing e-learning in oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.” Radiation Oncology Journal, December 2020.
Valiyaveettil D, Malik M, Kotwal SA, Joseph D, et al. “Prospective study to assess the survival outcomes of planned irradiation of ipsilateral subventricular and periventricular zones in glioblastoma.” ecancermedicalscience, March 2020.
De Guzman R, Malik M. “Global Cancer Burden and Natural Disasters: A Focus on Asia’s Vulnerability, Resilience Building, and Impact on Cancer Care.” Journal of Global Oncology, April 2019.
Valiyaveettil D, Malik M, Joseph D. “Effect of radiation dose to the periventricular zone and subventricular zone on survival in anaplastic gliomas.” ecancermedicalscience, July 2019.
Malik M, Valiyaveettil D, Kotwal SA, Joseph D, et al. “Prospective Study of Irradiation of Potential Stem Cell Niches in the Sub Ventricular Zone on Outcomes in Patients with Glioblastoma.” International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics, November 2018.
De Guzman R, Malik M, de Lima Lopes G, Dawood S, et al. “ASCO Leadership Development Program: International Perspectives.” Journal of Global Oncology, April 2018.
Valiyaveettil D, Malik M, Joseph D, Vijayasaradhi M, et al. “Effect of valproic acid on survival in glioblastoma: A prospective single-arm study.” South Asian Journal of Cancer, July 2018.
Malik M, Pillai L, Gogia N, Kumar R, et al. “Paraplegia due to extramedullary hematopoiesis in thalassemia treated successfully with radiation therapy.” Haematologica, March 2007
All information is sourced from publicly available materials.