Raya Saba, MD

Raya Saba, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained oncologist with Saint Luke’s Cancer Specialists. Dr. Saba is passionate about enhancing her patients’ quality of life during cancer treatment. Prior to completing a hematology and oncology fellowship, Dr. Saba worked as an internist caring for patients undergoing bone marrow transplant.
Dr. Saba has participated in various research projects in oncology. She enjoys identifying and enrolling her patients in clinical trials that match their unique clinical needs, providing them with access to novel therapies. Her clinical interests include lymphoma, leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, hematologic malignancy, and benign hematology.

Desai SH, Spinner MA, David K, Bachanova V, Goyal G, Kahl B, Dorritie K, Azzi J, Kenkre VP, Arai S, Chang C, Fusco B, Sumransub N, Hatic H, Saba R, Ibrahim U, Harris EI, Shah H, Murphy J, Ansell S, Jagadish D, Orellana-Noia V, Diefenbach C, Iyenger S, Rappazzo KC, Mishra R, Choi Y, Nowakowski GS, Advani RH, Micallef IN. Checkpoint inhibitor-based salvage regimens prior to autologous stem cell transplant improve event-free survival in relapsed/refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma. American Journal of Hematology. 2023 Mar;98(3):464-471. doi: 10.1002/ajh.26827. Epub 2023 Jan 11.
Menssen AJ, Khanna A, Miller CA, Srivatsan SN, Chang GS, Shao J, Robinson J, O’Laughlin M, Fronick CC, Fulton RS, Brendel K, Heath SE, Saba R, Welch JS, Spencer DH, Payton JE, Westervelt P, DiPersio JF, Link DC, Schuelke MJ, Jacoby MA, Duncavage EJ, Ley TJ, Walter MJ. Blood Cancer Discovery. 2022 Jul 6;3(4):330-345. doi: 10.1158/2643-3230.BCD-21-0155.
Alderuccio JP, Arcaini L, Watkins M, Beaven A, Shouse G, Epperla N, Spina M, Stefanovic A, Sandoval-Sus J, Torka P, Alpert A, Olszewski AJ, Kim S, Hess B, Gaballa S, Ayyappan S, Castillo J, Argnani L, Voorhees TJ, Saba R, Chowdhury SM, Vargas F, Reis IM, Kwon D, Alexander JS, Zhao W, Edwards D, Martin P, Cencini E, Kamdar M, Link BK, Logothetis CN, Herrera AF, Friedberg JW, Kahl BS, Luminari S, Zinzani PL, Lossos IS. An international analysis evaluating frontline bendamustine with rituximab in extranodal marginal zone lymphoma. Blood Advances. 2022 Feb 23;bloodadvances.2021006844. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021006844. Online ahead of print.
Alrifai T, Saba R, Rifai D, Pandit S, Kozma KE. Pneumothorax following combination chemotherapy with bevacizumab: A case report and review of the literature. Molecular and Clinical Oncology. Published online on: May 28, 2019. https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2019.1868. Pages 173-176.
Shah NN, Szabo A, Saba R, Strelec L, Kodali D, Vaughn JL, Esan O, Yang DT, Mato AR, Kanate AS, Olteanu H, Hamadani M, Fenske TS, Kenkre VP, Svoboda J, Cashen AF, Epperla N. Multicenter Analysis of Advanced Stage Grade 3A Follicular Lymphoma Outcomes by Frontline Treatment Regimen. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2019 Feb;19(2):95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2018.11.010. Epub 2018 Nov 12.
Duncavage EJ, Jacoby MA, Chang GS, Miller CA, Edwin N, Shao J, Elliott K, Robinson J, Abel H, Fulton RS, Fronick CC, O'Laughlin M, Heath SE, Brendel K, Saba R, Wartman LD, Christopher MJ, Pusic I, Welch JS, Uy GL, Link DC, DiPersio JF, Westervelt P, Ley TJ, Trinkaus K, Graubert TA, Walter MJ. Mutation Clearance after Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2018 Sep 13;379(11):1028-1041. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1804714.
Saba R, Bhamidipati PK, Cashen A. Not So Typical : Development of Atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in a patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukeia. DOI 10.1200/PO.17.00186JCO Precision Oncology – published online December 21, 2017.
Saba R, Halytskyy O, Saleem N, Oliff IA. Buccal Epithelium, Cigarette Smoking, and Lung Cancer: Review of the Literature. Oncology. 2017 Sep 9. doi: 10.1159/000479796. [Epub ahead of print].
Saleem N, Saba R, Maddika S, Weinstein M. Mycobacterium kansasii infection in a Patient Receiving Biologic Therapy-Not All Reactive Interferon Gamm Release Assays Are Tuberculosis. Am J Med Sci. 2017 Apr;353(4):394- 397. Doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2016.03.001. Epub 2016 Mar 14.
Saba R, Saleem N, Peace D. Long-term survival consequent on the abscopal effect in a patient with multiple myeloma. BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Apr 20;2016. pii: bcr2016215237. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-215237.
Saba R, Khreis M, Francisque F, Saleem N. Rare case of sarcoidosis presenting with pancytopenia, acute renal failure and hypercalcaemia. BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Mar 17;2016. pii: bcr2016214840. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-214840.
Saba R, Alsayed A, Zacny JP, Dudek AZ. The Role of Forkhead Box Protein M1 in Breast Cancer Progression and Resistance to Therapy. Int J Breast Cancer. 2016;2016:9768183. doi: 10.1155/2016/9768183. Epub 2016 Jan 31.
Khreis M, Saleem N, Saba R. Isolated case of left ventricular diverticulum; other aneurysmal structures of the left ventricle. BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Feb 29;2016. pii: bcr2016214826. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-214826.
Akanbi O, Saleem N, Maddika S, Saba R. Kaposi sarcoma: an unusual cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Feb 19; 2016. pii: bcr2016214664. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-214664.
Lee SL, Yu D, Wang C, Saba R, Liu S, Trpkov K, Donnelly B, Bismar TA. ERG Expression in Prostate Needle Biopsy: Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications. Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2014 Dec 16.
Saba R, Davis J, Balavenkataraman A, Mirrakhimov AE, Barbaryan A, Chalise S, Iroegbu N. Pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to ethanol sclerotherapy for renal artery embolization. Case Rep Crit Care. 2014; 2014:452452. doi: 10.1155/2014/452452. Epub 2014 Jun 15.
Mirrakhimov AE, Ali AM, Barbaryan A, Anusim N, Saba R, Kwatra SG, Hussain N, Zdune, T, Gilman AD. Pancytopenia in a 70-year-old african-american male: an unusual presentation of a rare disease. Case Rep Hematol. 2014;2014:354810. doi: 10.1155/354810. Epub 2014 Feb 16.
Saba R, Aronu GN, Bhatti RP, Mirrakhimov AE, Anusim N, Barbaryan A, Kwatra SG, Iroegbu N. Malignant mesothelioma after household exposure to asbestos. Case Rep Oncol Med. 2013;2013:570487. doi: 10.1155/2013/570487. Epub 2013 Oct 10.
Ali AM, Khan M, Kwatra SG, Barbaryan A, Hussain N, Saba R, Mirrakhimov AE. Unusual case of osteomyelitis and discitis in a drug user with a background of chronic back pain: do not miss the serious etiologies. Case Rep Infect Dis. 2013;2013:729812. doi: 10.1155/2013/729812. Epub 2013 Oct 2.
Nwankwo N, Barbaryan A, Ali AM, Hussain N, Saba R, Prueksaritanond S, Mirrakhimov AE, Zdunek T, Bucher N. Breast osteosarcoma 29 years after radiation therapy for epithelial breast cancer. Case Rep Oncol. 2013 Jul 11;6(2):367-72. doi: 10.1159/000353888. Print 2013 May.
Barbaryan A, Ali AM, Kwatra SG, Saba R, Prueksaritanond S, Hussain N, Mirrakhimov AE, Vladimirskiy N, Zdunek T, Gilman AD. Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the ascending colon. Rare Tumors. 2013 Jun 7;5(2):85-8. doi: 10.4081/rt.2013.e23. Print 2013 Apr 15.
Saba R, Senussi MH, Alwakkaf A, Brown H. Sinus pericranii in a young adult with chronic headache. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Jul 2;2013. Ppii: bcr2013010165. doi: 10.1136/bcr2013-010165.
Barbaryan A, Iyinagoro C, Nwankwo N, Ali AM, Saba R, Kwatra SG, Hussain N, Uzoka CC, Prueksaritanond S, Mirrakhimov AE. Ibuprofen-induced hemolytic anemia. Case Rep Hematol. 2013;2013:142865. doi: 10.1155/2013/142865. Epub 2013 Apr 21.
Saba R, Kwatra SG, Upadhyay B, Mirrakhimov AE, Khan FN. Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis presenting with papulonodular skin lesions and arthritis multilans. Case Rep Rheumatol. 2013;2013:201563. doi: 10.1155/2013/201563. Epub 2013 Mar 10.
Nwankwo N, Saba R, Mirrakhimov AE, Rao S. Non-healing pharyngeal ulcer in a middle-aged Caucasian man. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Mar 7;2013. pii: bcr2013008602. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-008602.
Mirrakhimov AE, Nwankwo N, Barbaryan A, Saba R, Ali AM, Kwatra SG, Hussain N, Senussi MH, Kho EV, Gilman AD. Left inguinal adenopathy two years after cytoreductive surgery: a rare sign of recurrence. Case Rep Oncol. 2013 Jan;6(1):31-5. doi: 10.1159/000346615. Epub 2013 Jan 18.
Saba R, Ali AM, Kwatra SG, Mirrakhimov, AE. New pulmonary nodules in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Feb 6;2013. pii: bcr2013008344. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-008344.
Saba R, Kwatra SG, Mohammedabdul M, Mirrakhimov AE. Metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon in a 21 year-old African-American woman. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Jan 28;2013. pii: bcr2012007787. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-007787.
Saba R, Kwatra SG, Ali AM, Mirrakhimove AE. Intra-abdominal haematoma. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Jan 21;2013. pii: bcr2013008075. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-008075.
Abstract Presentations
American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) 2022
“Outcomes of classic Hodgkin lymphoma, relapsed within one year of diagnosis, in the era of novel agents” Sanjal Desai, Michael A. Spinner, Kevin A. David, Veronika Bachanova, Gaurav Goyal, Raya Saba, Kathleen A. Dorritie, Jacques M. Azzi, Elyse Harris, Brendon Fusco, Nuttavut Sumransub, Haris Hatic, Uroosa Ibrahim, Siddharth Iyenger, Katherine C. Rappazzo, Firas Baidoun, Victor M. Orellana-Noia, Catherine S. M. Diefenbach, Ranjana H. Advani, Ivana N. M. Micallef
American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Annual Meeting (ASTCT) 2022  
“Engraftment Syndrome in Patients with Relapsed Refractory Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma who Received PD-1 Blockade Containing Therapy Followed by Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation” Raya Saba, Kristan Augustin, Meaghan Ryan, Nancy Bartlett, Amanda Cashen
American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting (ASH) 2021 
“Novel salvage regimens lead to improved response and survival in relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous stem cell transplant” Sanjal H. Desai, Michael A. Spinner, Sally Arai, Cheryl Chang, Kevin David, Brandon Fusco, Veronica Bachanova, Nuttavut Sumransab, Gaurav Goyal, Haris Hactic, Jacques Azzi, Uroosa Ibrahim, Kathleen Dorritie, Elyse I. Harris, Vaishalee Kenkre, Matthew Maurer, Nina Wagner-Johnston, Victor Orella-noia, Catherine Diefenbach, Raya Saba, Grzegorz S. Nowakowski, Ranjana H. Advani, Ivana N. Micallef
“Predictors of Relapse Following Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma” Marie Hu, Marcus Watkins, Raya Saba, David Russler-Germain, Veronika Bachanova, Todd Fehniger, Daniel Weisdorf 
American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting (ASH) 2019
“Impact of Novel Agents on Outcomes of Patients with Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Primary Treatment Failure” Narendranath Epperla, Luciano J. Costa, John L Vaughn, Walter Hanel, Saba Raya, Amanda F Cashen, Rehan Sarmad, Talha Badar, Mehdi Hamadani, Yang Liu, Stefan K. Barta, Paolo Caimi, Tarsheen K. Sethi, Nishitha Reddy, Madelyn Burkart, Reem Karmali, Celeste Bello, Julio C. Chavez, Shalin K. Kothari, Francisco J. Hernandez-Ilizaliturri, Hatcher J. Ballard, Jakub Svoboda, Lukas Emery, Frederick Lansigan, Martha Glenn, Michael C. Churnetski, Jonathon B. Cohen, Caryn Sorge, Ana C. Xavier
“Comparative Outcomes of Relapsed Follicular Lymphoma Patients Treated with Novel Agents: A Multi-Center Analysis” Allison M. Winter, Wei Wei, Emily C. Ayers, Daniel J. Landsburg, Saba Raya, Brad S. Kahl, Andrew Rogers, Kami J. Maddocks, Mohammad Khan, Adam S. Kittai, Alexey Danilov, Chaitra S. Ujjani, Ryan C. Lynch, Loretta J. Nastoupil, Melody R. Becnel, Luke Zurbriggen, Vaishalee P. Kenkre, Sheenu Sheela, Nilanjan Ghosh, Boyu Hu, Deborah M. Stephens, Amy Ayers, Jonathon B. Cohen, Brian T. Hill
American College of Physicians Northern Illinois Chapter Meeting (ACP) 2015
“Kaposi Sarcoma: a cause of gastrointestinal bleed in acquired immune deficiency syndrome” Olalekan Akanbi, Nasir Saleem, Srikanth Maddika, Raya Saba
Society of Hospital Medicine Annual Meeting (SHM) 2018
“Unusual Cause of Malignancy-Related Ascites in a Patient with a Remote History of Breast Cancer” Raya Saba, Oleksandr Halytskyy, Ravi Vij
American College of Physicians Northern Illinois Chapter Meeting (ACP) 2015
“Kaposi Sarcoma: a cause of gastrointestinal bleed in acquired immune deficiency syndrome” Olalekan Akanbi, Nasir Saleem, Srikanth Maddika, Raya Saba
United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology Annual Meeting (USCAP) 201
“ERG Immunohistochemistry Combined with CK5/6 and AMACR in Prostate Needle Biopsy Evaluation” Sandra L. Lee, Cheng Wang, Raya Saba, Shuhong Liu, Kiril Tripkov and Tarek A. Bismar
American College of Physicians Northern Illinois Chapter Meeting (ACP) 2013
“Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) progressing to cardiac amyloidosis: do we need closer follow up?” Raya Saba, Sarbajit Mukherjee, Shobhadarshini Gogoi, Alan D. Gilman
“Reducing 30-Day Readmission Rates among Medicare Patients – A Pilot Study” Anirban Bhattacharyya, Raya Saba, Muhammad Ali, Nasri Mansour, Sarah Oskin, Dana Rifai, Mourad Senussi, Sarbajit Mukherjee, Ravinder Bhatti, Kevin Day, Anirudh Kapoor, Shivani Kalu, Shyam Chalise, Prasuna Toomganti, Marina Schanks, Carol Schultz, Rohini Mendonca, Nkemakolam Iroegbu, Joel Spear, Shesh Rao