R. Grant Muller, MD

About Me

Dr. R. Grant Muller, an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) oncology surgeon at West Cancer Center & Research Institute,  joined West on August 1, 2024.

With a bachelor’s degree from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Dr. Muller earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of TN Health Science Center in 2018, completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Cleveland, OH followed by a Head and Neck Oncology & Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Education

• MD, University of Tennessee School of Medicine
• BS, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Residency

• Otolaryngology (Head & Neck Surgery) – Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals-Cleveland Medical Center

Fellowship

• Head & Neck Oncology – Northwestern University

Board Certification

• Otolaryngology

Honors & Awards

• Elected Society Memberships
  • Alpha Omega Alpha

• International/National/Regional
  • 2nd place H&N Microvascular Reconstruction Fellows Bootcamp Reconstruction Competition
  • 2nd Place Northeast Ohio Otolaryngology Association 2022 Resident Research Competition
  • Participant 2021 AAO-HNSF Annual Resident Academic Bowl

• University
  • Otolaryngology In-service Training Exam Award, CWRU/UHCMC Otolaryngology, 2021
  • 2nd Place 2020 CWRU/UHCMC Annual Temporal Bone Competition
  • 2018 UTHSC Faculty Academic Achievement Medal
  • 2016-2018 Albright Armstrong Rice Scholarship
  • 2015 American Medical Association Scholars Fund
  • 2013 Carolina Research Scholar

Presentations/Publications/Posters

• Marouf A, Cabrera C, Muller RG, Tamaki A. Risk Factors Associated With Delays In Adjuvant
  Radiotherapy In Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (2018-2020): A Quality Improvement Study.
  Oral presentation at the 11th International Conference on Head and Neck Cancer; July 2023; Montreal,
  QC
• Muller RG, Hamill CS, Pan Q. Chemoradiation versus surgery with adjuvant radiation in T1-T2 p16+
  OPSCC. CWRU/UHCMC Department of Otolaryngology Annual Research Day, June 2022; Cleveland,
  OH.
• Muller RG, Pan Q. What is the optimal treatment choice in T1-T2 p16+ OPSCC patients? University of
  Pittsburgh Medical Center Three Rivers Symposium, March 2022.
• Muller RG, Hamill CS, Pan Q. Does Definitive Treatment Choice Matter on the Long-term Prognosis of
  OPSCC Patients with Complete Response? CWRU/UHCMC Department of Otolaryngology Annual
  Research Day, June 2021; Cleveland, OH.
• Muller RG, Thuener JE, Clancy K, Scher M, Ascha M, Harrill K, Ahadizadeh E, Rezaee R, Fowler N,
  Lavertu P, Teknos T, Zender C. Implementation of Perioperative Pain Protocol on Opioid Prescribing
  Patterns. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Three Rivers Symposium, March 2019.
• Muller RG, Giurintano JP, Stocks RS. Transnasal Endoscopy Permits Complete Adenoid Removal in
  Complicated Patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing. University of Tennessee Health Science Center
  Department of Otolaryngology 19th Annual Edwin Cocke Otolaryngology Symposium, June 2017.
• Muller RG. The Parapharyngeal Space. CWRU/UHCMC Department of Otolaryngology Grand Rounds,
  November 2022.
• Muller RG. ENT Emergencies. Presentation to CWRU 3rd Year Medical students, August 2022.
• Muller RG, Patel N. Head and Neck Oncology for Primary Care Physicians, June 2022
• Muller RG, Bennett Z, Baglam T. Debate: Intracapsular Versus Extracapsular Tonsillectomy.
  CWRU/UHCMC Department of Otolaryngology Grand Rounds, December 2021.
• Muller RG, Rodriguez K. Appropriate Medical Therapy in Chronic Rhinosinusitis. CWRU/UHCMC
  Department of Otolaryngology Grand Rounds, March 2020.
• Muller RG, Frankel J, Ponsky D. Lip Reconstruction. CWRU/UHCMC Department of Otolaryngology
  Grand Rounds, May 2020
• Muller RG, Hamre KM. Drinking from the Wrong Bottle: Uncovering Novel Candidate Genes that
  Modulate Prenatal Ethanol Exposure using BXD Mouse Strains. University of Tennessee Health Science
  Center College of Medicine Annual Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship Symposium, August
  2015.

Peer-Reviewed Investigations

• Hentati F, Kocharyan A, Muller RG, Ruthberg J, Cabrera Cl, D’Anza B, Rodriguez K. The use of 0° and
  70° Endoscopes in Maxillary Antrostomy. Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 2022;0(0).
  doi:10.1177/00034894221119306.
• Muller RG, Patel N, Weidenbecher M, Abramovich CM, Ludlow D. Metastatic SMARCA4-deficient
  thoracosarcomatoid tumor presenting as a maxillary mass: case report and review of the literature.
  Otolaryngology Case Reports 2022;23:100397.
• Muller RG, Hamill CS, Vu B, Thuener J, Wasman J, Li S, Fowler N, Rezaee R, Lavertu P, Yao M,
  Burkitt K, Dorth J, Teknos TN, Pan Q, O’Neill WQ. Impact of AJCC 8th edition staging system and
  definitive treatment choice on the prognosis of complete responders with p16+ and p16- oropharyngeal
  squamous cell carcinomas. Oral Oncology 2022;128;105861.
• Muller RG, Weidenbecher M, Ludlow D. PET/CT versus triple endoscopy in initial workup of HPV+
  oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Head & Neck 2022;44(5):1165-1171.
• Hamill CS, Muller RG, Clancy K, Vu B, Gui S, Thuener JE, Wasman J, Li S, Fowler N, Rezaee RP,
  Lavertu P, Teknos TN, Pan Q, O’Neill WQ. Treatment failure patterns are similar between p16- and p16+
  oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
  2022;7(4):988-993..
• Muller RG, Mamidala MP, Smith SH, Smith A, Sheyn A. Incidence, epidemiology, and outcomes of
  pediatric tracheostomy in the United States from 2000-2012. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
  2019;160(2):332-338. doi: 10.1177/0194599818803598. Epub 2018 Oct 23. PMID: 30348050.
• Rhodes CB, Eid A, Muller RG, Kull A, Head T, Mamidala M, Gillespie MB, Sheyn A. Post-operative
  monitoring following adenotonsillectomy for severe obstructive sleep apnea. Annals of Otology,
  Rhinology and Laryngology 2018; 127(11):783-790. doi:10.1177/0003489418794700. Epub 2018 Sep 5.
  PMID: 30182728.
• Muller RG, Thimmappa V, Sheyn A. Post-operative pain control following pediatric otolaryngology
  surgery. Madridge Journal of Otorhinolaryngology 2018; 3(1):37-40. doi: 10.18689/mjol-1000107.
• Muller RG, Leventaki V, Thompson JW. Extra-nodal Rosai Dorfman Disease presenting as head and
  neck masses in children: 5 cases. Annals of Otolaryngology 2018; 2(1):007.
• Fish EW, Agoglia AE, Krouse MC, Muller RG, Robinson JE, Malanga CJ. Levetiracetam results in
  increased and decreased alcohol drinking with different access procedures in C57BL/6J mice. Behavioral
  Pharmacology 2014;25(1):61-70. doi: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000019. PMID: 24322822; PMCID:
  PMC3884554.

Books and Book Chapters

• Muller RG, Rodriguez K. Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis; chapter 36; Bailey’s
  Head and Neck Surgery: Otolaryngology; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Baltimore, MD; 2022; 6th
  Edition; (accepted)

Poster Presentations

• Politano SF, Georgiadi E*, Bonifer A, Muller RG, Ludlow D. In-Office Oropharyngeal Biopsies
  Significantly Improves Time-to-Treat. Poster presented at Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings,
  May 2024, Chicago, IL.
• Gutierrez JA*, Muller RG, Howard NS. A Case of Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the
  Supraglottic Larynx in a Patient with Previously Treated Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Glottic
  Larynx and Esophagus. Poster presented at The Fall Voice Conference; October 2021; Miami, FL.
• Hentati F*, Kocharyan A, Muller RG, Ruthberg J, Cabrera Cl, D’Anza B, Rodriguez K. 70-degree
  Endoscope in Maxillary Antrostomy. Poster presented at 67th Annual American Rhinologic Society
  meeting; October 2021; Los Angeles, CA.
• Muller RG*, Weidenbecher M, Ludlow D. PET versus Triple Endoscopy in Initial Workup of HPV+
  Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Poster presented at American Head & Neck Society 10th
  International Conference on Head & Neck Cancer; July 2021; Chicago, IL.
• Muller RG*, Hamill CS, Vu B, Thuener JE, Wasman J, Li S, Fowler NM, Rezaee RP, Lavertu P, Teknos
  TN, Pan Q, O’Neill WQ. What factors predict prognosis in OPSCC patients with complete treatment
  response? Poster presented at American Head & Neck Society 10th International Conference on Head &
  Neck Cancer; July 2021; Chicago, IL.
• Cabrera C*, Muller RG, Tamaki A, Barnholtz-Sloan JS, Thuener JE, Fowler N, Lavertu P, Teknos TN,
  Rezaee RP, Li S. Efficacy of adjuvant radiation in locally advanced laryngeal cancers with no nodal
  metastasis. Poster presented at American Head & Neck Society 10th International Conference on Head &
  Neck Cancer; July 2021; Chicago, IL.
• Hamill CS*, Muller RG, Clancy K, Vu B, Gui L, Thuener JE, Wasman J, Li S, Fowler N, Rezaee RP,
  Lavertu P, Teknos TN, Pan Q, O’Neill WQ. Treatment failure patters in p16+ and p16- oropharyngeal
  squamous cell carcinoma. Poster presented at American Head & Neck Society 10th International
  Conference on Head & Neck Cancer; July 2021; Chicago, IL.
• Hamill CS*, Muller RG, Ning A, Zender CA, Thuener JE. Complications of Completion Lymph Node
  Dissection after Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Melanoma. Accepted as poster
  presentation at the American Head & Neck Society 9th International Conference; July 2020; Chicago, IL
  (Cancelled due to COVID-19).
• Muller RG*, Fowler NM. Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma with Invasion of the Superior Vena Cava.
  Poster presented at American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery 2019 Annual
  Meeting; September 2019; New Orleans, LA.Muller RG*, Mamidala MP, Smith SH, Smith A, Sheyn A.
  Incidence, epidemiology, and characteristics of pediatric tracheostomy in the United States from
  2000-2012. Poster presented at 4th International Tracheostomy Symposium; February 2018; Dallas, TX.
• Muller, RG*, Giurintano JP, Stocks RS. Transnasal Endoscopy Permits Complete Adenoid Removal in
  Complicated Patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing. Poster presented at American Society of Pediatric
  Otolaryngology Annual Meeting; May 2017; Austin, TX.
• Muller RG*, Hamre KM. Uncovering Novel Candidate Genes that Modulate the Effects of Prenatal
  Alcohol Exposure on the CNS in BXD Mice. Poster presented at Research Society on Alcoholism Annual
  Scientific Meeting; June 2016; New Orleans, LA.
• Muller RG*, Fish EW, Agoglia AE, Krouse MC, Robinson JE, Malanga CJ. Levetiracetam and
  Intermittent Alcohol Drinking in C57BL/6J Mice. Poster presented at University of North Carolina
  Celebration of Undergraduate Research Annual Symposium; April 2012; Chapel Hill, NC.