Caitlin McMullen, MD

Cancer Focus:
Head and Neck Cancer, Oral Cavity or Throat Cancer, Throat Cancer, Thyroid Cancer

Dr. McMullen is a member of the Department of Head and Neck – Endocrine Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. She completed her medical school and residency training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. Subsequently, she completed a comprehensive fellowship in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Reconstruction at the University of Toronto. During her training, she received recognition for her clinical and research activities, including the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center Outstanding House Officer Award. She is committed to institutional and specialty service, with the goal of improving the quality of patient care delivered to head and neck cancer patients. Her clinical practice includes a broad range of head and neck oncologic issues, including ablative and reconstructive procedures, transoral laser surgery, thyroid and parathyroid disease, and salivary cancers.  

Dr. McMullen’s goal in conducting research is to improve the prognostication and treatment strategies for head and neck cancers to better balance oncologic outcomes and quality of life.

Dr. McMullen’s research interests include the use of new technologies in head and neck surgery; examining prognostic factors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients including co-morbidities and treatment factors; and the treatment of advanced thyroid cancers and subsequent therapy-related outcomes.

Education & Training

Fellowship:

• University of Toronto - Otorinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgical Oncology & Reconstruction

Residency:

• Montefiore Medical Center Albert Einstein College of Medicine - Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

Medical School:

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine - MD

Clinical Trial 23590
Randomized Phase III Trial of Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy with Response-Adapted Treatment versus Standard-Of-Care Treatment for Resectable Stage III/IV Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Condition: Multiple
Intervention: Cemiplimab (); REGN2810 (Cemiplimab); Radiotherapy ()
Status: Open

If you believe you are eligible for one of these trials or studies, please call
813-745-6100 or toll-free 1-800-679-0775.

• Chiba A, Möller MG, Cannada L, Shao JM, Ratnasekera A, Reyna CR, Tan SA, Alimi YR, Johnson HM, McMullen C, Altieri MS. It Takes a Village-Association of Women Surgeons' Comprehensive Initiative for Healthy Surgical Families for Practicing Surgeons. JAMA Surg. 2025 Sep.160(9):1012-1017. Pubmedid: 40736728.
• Qamar F, Hernandez AE, Cannada LK, McMullen C. Beyond Grit and Resilience: An AWS series on surgical culture change. Am J Surg. 2025 Apr.242:116065. Pubmedid: 39537448.
• Tarasova VD, Samuel K, McMullen C, Kushchayev S, Hernandez Prera JC, Veloski C. Thyroid Paraganglioma: A Rare Manifestation of Paraganglioma Syndrome Associated With Pathogenic Variant in SDHD. JCEM Case Rep. 2024 Sep.2(9):luae135. Pubmedid: 39156002. Pmcid: PMC11327117.
• McMullen C, Kejner A, Nicolli E, Abouyared M, Coblens O, Fedder K, Thakkar P, Patel R. Parental leave and family building experiences among head and neck surgeons in the United States: Career impact and opportunities for improvement. Head Neck. 2024 Oct.46(10):2524-2531. Pubmedid: 38511311.
• Bischoff LA, Ganly I, Fugazzola L, Buczek E, Faquin WC, Haugen BR, McIver B, McMullen CP, Newbold K, Rocke DJ, Russell MD, Ryder M, Sadow PM, Sherman E, Shindo M, Shonka DC, Singer MC, Stack BC, Wirth LJ, Wong RJ, Randolph GW. Molecular Alterations and Comprehensive Clinical Management of Oncocytic Thyroid Carcinoma: A Review and Multidisciplinary 2023 Update. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Mar.150(3):265-272. Pubmedid: 38206595.
• Russell MD, Shonka DC, Noel J, Karcioglu AS, Ahmed AH, Angelos P, Atkins K, Bischoff L, Buczek E, Caulley L, Freeman J, Kroeker T, Liddy W, McIver B, McMullen C, Nikiforov Y, Orloff L, Scharpf J, Shah J, Shaha A, Singer M, Tolley N, Tuttle RM, Witterick I, Randolph GW. Preoperative Evaluation of Thyroid Cancer: A Review of Current Best Practices. Endocr Pract. 2023 Oct.29(10):811-821. Pubmedid: 37236353.
• Echevarria MI, Yang GQ, Chen DT, Kirtane K, Russell J, Kish J, Muzaffar J, Otto K, Padhya T, McMullen C, Patel K, Chung CH, Caudell JJ. Phase 1 Dose Escalation of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Concurrent Cisplatin for Reirradiation of Unresectable, Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2023 Oct.117(2):341-347. Pubmedid: 37105404.
• Silver Karcioglu AL, Triponez F, Solórzano CC, Iwata AJ, Abdelhamid Ahmed AH, Almquist M, Angelos P, Benmiloud F, Berber E, Bergenfelz A, Cha J, Colaianni CA, Davies L, Duh QY, Hartl D, Kandil E, Kim WW, Kopp PA, Liddy W, Mahadevan-Jansen A, Lee KD, Mannstadt M, McMullen CP, Shonka DC, Shin JJ, Singer MC, Slough CM, Stack BC, Tearney G, Thomas G, Tolley N, Vidal-Fortuny J, Randolph GW. Emerging Imaging Technologies for Parathyroid Gland Identification and Vascular Assessment in Thyroid Surgery: A Review From the American Head and Neck Society Endocrine Surgery Section. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Mar.149(3):253-260. Pubmedid: 36633855.
• Quadri P, McMullen C. Oral Cavity Reconstruction. Otolaryng Clin N Am. 2023 Aug.56(4):671-686. Pubmedid: 37164898.
• 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. Pubmedid: 34918862.
• Beydoun AS, Koss K, Nielsen T, Holcomb AJ, Pichardo P, Purdy N, Zebolsky AL, Heaton CM, McMullen CP, Yesensky JA, Moore MG, Goyal N, Kohan J, Sajisevi M, Tan K, Petrisor D, Wax MK, Kejner AE, Hassan Z, Trott S, Larson A, Richmon JD, Graboyes EM, Wood CB, Jackson RS, Pipkorn P, Bruening J, Massey B, Puram SV, Zenga J. Perioperative Topical Antisepsis and Surgical Site Infection in Patients Undergoing Upper Aerodigestive Tract Reconstruction. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Jun.148(6):547-554. Pubmedid: 35476816. Pmcid: PMC9047735.
• Kejner AE, Harris BN, Patel R, McMullen C, Weir J, Dahshan BA, Carroll WR, Gillespie MB. Management of the parotid for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A review from the salivary section of the American Head and Neck Society. Am J Otolaryngol. 2022 Feb.43(2):103374. Pubmedid: 35158264.
• Miles BA, McMullen CP, Sweeny L, Zenga J, Li R, Divi V, Jackson R, Patel UA, Richmon JD. Practice patterns of virtual surgical planning: Survey of the reconstructive section of the American Head and Neck Society. Am J Otolaryngol. 2021 Sep.43(1):103225. Pubmedid: 34571439.
• Akakpo KE, Varvares MA, Richmon JD, McMullen C, Holcomb AJ, Rezaee R, Tamaki A, Curry J, Old MO, Kang SY, Graboyes EM, Gross J, Pipkorn P, Puram SV, Zenga J. The tipping point in oral cavity reconstruction: A multi-institutional survey of choice between flap and non-flap reconstruction. Oral Oncol. 2021 Sep.120:105267. Pubmedid: 33810989.
• Kejner AE, Sykes KJ, Patel R, McMullen C, Shnayder Y. Burnout in microvascular reconstructive otolaryngology - head and neck surgeons: Potential modifiable workplace factors. Head Neck. 2021 Nov.43(11):3522-3529. Pubmedid: 34459517.
• Chung CH, Bonomi M, Steuer CE, Li J, Bhateja P, Johnson M, Masannat J, Song F, Hernandez-Prera JC, Wenig BM, Molina H, Farinhas JM, McMullen CP, Wadsworth JT, Patel KB, Kish JA, Muzaffar J, Kirtane K, Rocco JW, Schell MJ, Saba NF. Concurrent Cetuximab and Nivolumab as a Second-Line or beyond Treatment of Patients with Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Results of Phase I/II Study. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Mar.13(5). Pubmedid: 33803335. Pmcid: PMC7967147.
• Stabenau KA, Akakpo KE, Richmon JD, McMullen C, Holcomb AJ, Graboyes EM, Gross J, Pipkorn P, Puram SV, Zenga J. Postoperative wound infections in head and neck surgery: The current state of antiseptic and antibiotic practices. Oral Oncol. 2021 Jul.118:105361. Pubmedid: 34083128.
• Patel R, Kejner A, McMullen C. Problematic Reporting of Gender Differences in Clinical Productivity Among Otolaryngologists. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Feb.147(2):221-222. Pubmedid: 33300965. Pmcid: PMC8381476.
• Shi LL, McMullen C, Vorwald K, Nichols AC, MacNeil SD, Wadsworth JT, Chung CH, Wang X, Patel KB. Survival outcomes of patients with subglottic squamous cell carcinoma : a study of the National Cancer Database. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Dec.278(12):4923-4932. Pubmedid: 33646344.
• McMullen CP, Ow TJ. The Role of Systemic Therapy in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Otolaryng Clin N Am. 2021 Apr.54(2):343-355. Pubmedid: 33583597.
• Caputo MP, Shabani S, Mhaskar R, McMullen C, Padhya TA, Mifsud MJ. Diabetes mellitus in major head and neck cancer surgery: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Head Neck. 2020 Oct.42(10):3031-3040. Pubmedid: 32652771.
• de Almeida JR, Noel CW, Forner D, Zhang H, Nichols AC, Cohen MA, Wong RJ, McMullen C, Graboyes EM, Divi V, Shuman AG, Rosko AJ, Lewis CM, Hanna EY, Myers J, Paleri V, Miles B, Genden E, Eskander A, Enepekides DJ, Higgins KM, Brown D, Chepeha DB, Witterick IJ, Gullane PJ, Irish JC, Monteiro E, Goldstein DP, Gilbert R. Development and validation of a Surgical Prioritization and Ranking Tool and Navigation Aid for Head and Neck Cancer (SPARTAN-HN) in a scarce resource setting: Response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer. 2020 Nov.126(22):4895-4904. Pubmedid: 32780426. Pmcid: PMC7436362.
• Patel RJ, Kejner A, McMullen C. Early institutional head and neck oncologic and microvascular surgery practice patterns across the United States during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID19) pandemic. Head Neck. 2020 Jun.42(6):1168-1172. Pubmedid: 32329923. Pmcid: PMC7264612.
• Martin-Gomez L, Giuliano AR, Fulp WJ, Caudell J, Echevarria M, Sirak B, Abrahamsen M, Isaacs-Soriano KA, Hernandez-Prera JC, Wenig BM, Vorwald K, McMullen CP, Wadsworth JT, Slebos RJ, Chung CH. Human Papillomavirus Genotype Detection in Oral Gargle Samples Among Men With Newly Diagnosed Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 May.145(5):460-466. Pubmedid: 30920604. Pmcid: PMC6537790.
• Lee DJ, McMullen CP, Foreman A, Huang SH, Lu L, Xu W, de Almeida JR, Liu G, Bratman SV, Goldstein DP. Impact of metformin on disease control and survival in patients with head and neck cancer: a retrospective cohort study. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Jul.48(1):34. Pubmedid: 31345259. Pmcid: PMC6659246.
• McMullen C, Chung CH, Hernandez-Prera JC. Evolving role of human papillomavirus as a clinically significant biomarker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn. 2019 Jan.19(1):63-70. Pubmedid: 30575409.
• Fancy T, Huang AT, Kass JI, Lamarre ED, Tassone P, Mantravadi AV, Alwani MM, Subbarayan RS, Bur AM, Worley ML, Graboyes EM, McMullen CP, Azoulay O, Wax MK, Cave TB, Al-Khudari S, Abello EH, Higgins KM, Ryan JT, Orzell SC, Goldman RA, Vimawala S, Fernandes RP, Abdelmalik M, Rajasekaran K, L'Esperance HE, Kallogjeri D, Rich JT. Complications, Mortality, and Functional Decline in Patients 80 Years or Older Undergoing Major Head and Neck Ablation and Reconstruction. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Dec.145(12):1150-1157. Pubmedid: 31600390. Pmcid: PMC6802247.
• McMullen CP, Garneau J, Weimar E, Ali S, Farinhas JM, Yu E, Som PM, Sarta C, Goldstein DP, Su S, Xu W, Smith RV, Miles B, de Almeida JR. Occult Nodal Disease and Occult Extranodal Extension in Patients With Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Primary Transoral Robotic Surgery With Neck Dissection. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019 Aug.145(8):701-707. Pubmedid: 31219521. Pmcid: PMC6587146.
• Noel CW, McMullen C, Yao C, Monteiro E, Goldstein DP, Eskander A, de Almeida JR. The fragility of statistically significant findings from randomized trials in head and neck surgery. Laryngoscope. 2018 Sep.128(9):2094-2100. Pubmedid: 29683494.
• Foreman A, Lee DJ, McMullen C, de Almeida J, Muhanna N, Gama RR, Giuliani M, Liu G, Bratman SV, Huang SH, O'Sullivan B, Song Y, Xu W, Goldstein DP. Impact of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Survival in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Oct.157(4):657-663. Pubmedid: 28849730.
• Xu JJ, Yu E, McMullen C, Pasternak J, Brierley J, Tsang R, Zhang H, Eskander A, Rotstein L, Sawka AM, Gilbert R, Irish J, Gullane P, Brown D, de Almeida JR, Goldstein DP. Patterns of regional recurrence in papillary thyroid cancer patients with lateral neck metastases undergoing neck dissection. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 May.46(1):43. Pubmedid: 28569186. Pmcid: PMC5452602.
• McMullen CP, Mehta V. Integrating Quality Improvement Into the Otolaryngology Morbidity and Mortality Conference. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Feb.143(2):140-141. Pubmedid: 27768161.
• McMullen C, Rocke D, Freeman J. Complications of Bilateral Neck Dissection in Thyroid Cancer From a Single High-Volume Center. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Apr.143(4):376-381. Pubmedid: 28097314.
• McMullen CP, Smith RV, Ow TJ, Tassler A, Schiff BA. Minimal Margin Extracapsular Dissection: A Viable Alternative Technique for Benign Parotid Lesions?. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2016 Nov.125(11):912-917. Pubmedid: 27456086.
• Schiff BA, McMullen CP, Farinhas J, Jackman AH, Hagiwara M, McKellop J, Lui YW. Use of computed tomography to assess volume change after endoscopic orbital decompression for Graves' ophthalmopathy. Am J Otolaryngol. 2016 Aug.36(6):729-735. Pubmedid: 26545461.
• Virbalas J, McMullen C, Cheng J. Injection laryngoplasty in children with cystic fibrosis and abnormal swallow. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2015 Nov.79(11):1856-1859. Pubmedid: 26365895.
• McMullen CP, Smith RV. Treatment/Comparative therapeutics: cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2015 Jul.24(3):521-545. Pubmedid: 25979398.
• McMullen CP, Frank DK, Smith LP. Backyard hazard: a case series of ingested grill brush bristles and a novel approach to extraction. Am J Otolaryngol. 2013 May.33(6):731-734. Pubmedid: 22917952.
• McMullen CP, Nguyen CV, Bent JP, Parikh SR. Comparison of early and late extubation following single-stage anterior laryngotracheoplasty. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Sep.74(9):1039-1042. Pubmedid: 20621366.

• Voted top doctor in Otolaryngology in Tampa Magazine's Top Doctors 2025
• Voted top doctor in Otolaryngology in Tampa Magazine's Top Doctors 2024
• Achieved the Adult Complex Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery Focused Practice Designation, which recognizes surgeons who dedicate a significant percentage of their practice to the care of patients with benign or malignant and functional or non-functional tumors of the thyroid and parathyroid glands