James Sheridan Lewis, Jr., M.D.

Professor

james.lewis@vumc.org
Faculty Appointments
Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Education
M.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, ArkansasB.A., Washington University, Saint Louis, Missouri
Office Address
Room 3020D - Surgical Pathology
1211 Medical Center Dr.
Nashville, TN 37232-7415
Research Description
My major focus is on the characterization of HPV-related/p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma including personalized prognostic prediction using quantitative digital image analysis. I also have a keen interest in squamous cell carcinoma variants and on HPV in other head and neck tumors, particularly those of the sinonasal tract.
Clinical Description
As a dedicated head and neck surgical pathologist, I focus on squamous cell carcinoma, including pre-cancers, early invasive lesions, and HPV-related tumors arising in the palatine tonsils and base of tongue. I have specific expertise in p16/HPV testing and co-chaired the College of American Pathologists' Expert Panel on HPV testing in head and neck carcinomas.

Web-Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29251996

Our clinical service covers head and neck pathology including sinonasal and skull based lesions, oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, and lip lesions, as well as salivary gland, neck, thyroid, and parathyroid gland pathology. It is diverse and complicated with many rare tumors that can be hard to differentiate from one another. Consultation cases are always welcomed (instructions for submission: https://www.vumc.org/pmi/consultative-services). We provide dedicated subspecialty expertise, open communication, and quick turnaround time. In addition, questions or consultations related to HPV testing of head and neck cancers welcomed. We have in house high risk HPV mRNA in situ hybridization available for when HPV-specific testing is necessary.
Research Keywords
Head and Neck Pathology; Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Human Papillomavirus; Sinonasal Tumors
Clinical Research Keywords
Head and Neck Tumors Pathology Human Papillomavirus
Publications
Shinn JR, Davis SJ, Lang-Kuhs KA, Rohde S, Wang X, Liu P, Dupont WD, Plummer D, Thorstad WL, Chernock RD, Mehrad M, Lewis JS. Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Discordant p16 and HPV mRNA Results: Incidence and Characterization in a Large, Contemporary United States Cohort. Am J Surg Pathol. 2021 Jul 7/1/2021; 45(7): 951-61. PMID: 33739785, PMCID: PMC8192336, PII: 00000478-202107000-00009, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000001685, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Saab-Chalhoub MW, Guo X, Shi Q, Chernock RD, Lewis JS. Low Grade Papillary Sinonasal (Schneiderian) Carcinoma: A Series of Five Cases of a Unique Malignant Neoplasm with Comparison to Inverted Papilloma and Conventional Nonkeratinizing Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2021 May 5/26/2021; PMID: 34041710, PII: 10.1007/s12105-021-01335-3, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-021-01335-3, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Koyuncu CF, Lu C, Bera K, Zhang Z, Xu J, Toro P, Corredor G, Chute D, Fu P, Thorstad WL, Faraji F, Bishop JA, Mehrad M, Castro PD, Sikora AG, Thompson LD, Chernock RD, Lang Kuhs KA, Luo J, Sandulache V, Adelstein DJ, Koyfman S, Lewis JS, Madabhushi A. Computerized tumor multinucleation index (MuNI) is prognostic in p16+ oropharyngeal carcinoma. J Clin Invest. 2021 Apr 4/15/2021; 131(8): PMID: 33651718, PMCID: PMC8075166, PII: 145488, DOI: 10.1172/JCI145488, ISSN: 1558-8238.

Keung ES, Souers RJ, Bridge JA, Faquin WC, Graham RP, Hameed MR, Lewis JS, Merker JD, Vasalos P, Moncur JT. Comparative Performance of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus RNA and DNA In Situ Hybridization on College of American Pathologists Proficiency Tests. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med [print-electronic]. 2019 Sep 9/4/2019; PMID: 31483999, DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2019-0093-CP, ISSN: 1543-2165.

Lewis JS, Beadle B, Bishop JA, Chernock RD, Colasacco C, Lacchetti C, Moncur JT, Rocco JW, Schwartz MR, Seethala RR, Thomas NE, Westra WH, Faquin WC. Human Papillomavirus Testing in Head and Neck Carcinomas: Guideline From the College of American Pathologists. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med [print-electronic]. 2018 May; 142(5): 559-97. PMID: 29251996, DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2017-0286-CP.

Mehrad M, Dupont WD, Plummer WD, Lewis JS. Expression and Significance of Cytokeratin 7, a Squamocolumnar Junction Marker, in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Dec 12/12/2017; PMID: 29235037, PII: 10.1007/s12105-017-0874-2, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-017-0874-2, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Bishop JA, Andreasen S, Hang JF, Bullock MJ, Chen TY, Franchi A, Garcia JJ, Gnepp DR, Gomez-Fernandez CR, Ihrler S, Kuo YJ, Lewis JS, Magliocca KR, Pambuccian S, Sandison A, Uro-Coste E, Stelow E, Kiss K, Westra WH. HPV-related Multiphenotypic Sinonasal Carcinoma: An Expanded Series of 49 Cases of the Tumor Formerly Known as HPV-related Carcinoma With Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma-like Features. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2017 Dec; 41(12): 1690-701. PMID: 28877065, PMCID: PMC5680105, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000944, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Lu C, Lewis JS, Dupont WD, Plummer WD, Janowczyk A, Madabhushi A. An oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma quantitative histomorphometric-based image classifier of nuclear morphology can risk stratify patients for disease-specific survival. Mod. Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Dec; 30(12): 1655-65. PMID: 28776575, PII: modpathol201798, DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2017.98, ISSN: 1530-0285.

Lewis JS, Shelton J, Kuhs KL, K Smith D. P16 Immunohistochemistry in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using the E6H4 Antibody Clone: A Technical Method Study for Optimal Dilution. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Nov 11/30/2017; PMID: 29190003, PII: 10.1007/s12105-017-0871-5, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-017-0871-5, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Shelton J, Purgina BM, Cipriani NA, Dupont WD, Plummer D, Lewis JS. P16 immunohistochemistry in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a comparison of antibody clones using patient outcomes and high-risk human papillomavirus RNA status. Mod. Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Sep; 30(9): 1194-203. PMID: 28621317, PII: modpathol201731, DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2017.31, ISSN: 1530-0285.

Gondim DD, Chernock R, El-Mofty S, Lewis JS. The Great Mimicker: Metastatic Breast Carcinoma to the Head and Neck with Emphasis on Unusual Clinical and Pathologic Features. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Sep; 11(3): 306-13. PMID: 27844410, PMCID: PMC5550388, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0768-8, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0768-8, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Zhang L, Lewis JS, El-Mofty SK, Gandhi M, Chernock RD. Nonkeratinizing Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract: An HPV-Related Entity. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Jun; 11(2): 152-61. PMID: 27492445, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0749-y, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0749-y, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Lewis JS, Chernock RD, Bishop JA. Squamous and Neuroendocrine Specific Immunohistochemical Markers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Tissue Microarray Study. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 May 5/20/2017; PMID: 28528398, PII: 10.1007/s12105-017-0825-y, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-017-0825-y, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Agaimy A, Hartmann A, Antonescu CR, Chiosea SI, El-Mofty SK, Geddert H, Iro H, Lewis JS, Märkl B, Mills SE, Riener MO, Robertson T, Sandison A, Semrau S, Simpson RH, Stelow E, Westra WH, Bishop JA. SMARCB1 (INI-1)-deficient Sinonasal Carcinoma: A Series of 39 Cases Expanding the Morphologic and Clinicopathologic Spectrum of a Recently Described Entity. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2017 Apr; 41(4): 458-71. PMID: 28291122, PMCID: PMC5354087, PII: 00000478-201704000-00004, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000797, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Westra WH, Lewis JS. Update from the 4th Edition of the World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumours: Oropharynx. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2017 Mar; 11(1): 41-7. PMID: 28247229, PMCID: PMC5340734, PII: 10.1007/s12105-017-0793-2, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-017-0793-2, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Lewis JS. Morphologic diversity in human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Catch Me If You Can!. Mod. Pathol. 2017 Jan; 30(s1): S44-S53. PMID: 28060372, PII: modpathol2016152, DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.2016.152, ISSN: 1530-0285.

Mehrad M, Trinkaus K, Lewis JS. Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Case-Control Study with Conventional Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2016 Dec; 10(4): 486-93. PMID: 27169400, PMCID: PMC5082051, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0727-4, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0727-4, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Mehrad M, Trinkaus K, Lewis JS. Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: A Case-Control Study with Conventional Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2016 Dec; 10(4): 486-93. PMID: 27169400, PMCID: PMC5082051, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0727-4, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0727-4, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Gondim DD, Chernock R, El-Mofty S, Lewis JS. The Great Mimicker: Metastatic Breast Carcinoma to the Head and Neck with Emphasis on Unusual Clinical and Pathologic Features. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2016 Nov 11/14/2016; PMID: 27844410, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0768-8, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0768-8, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Haughey BH, Sinha P, Kallogjeri D, Goldberg RL, Lewis JS, Piccirillo JF, Jackson RS, Moore EJ, Brandwein-Gensler M, Magnuson SJ, Carroll WR, Jones TM, Wilkie MD, Lau A, Upile NS, Sheard J, Lancaster J, Tandon S, Robinson M, Husband D, Ganly I, Shah JP, Brizel DM, O'Sullivan B, Ridge JA, Lydiatt WM. Pathology-based staging for HPV-positive squamous carcinoma of the oropharynx. Oral Oncol [print-electronic]. 2016 Nov; 62: 11-9. PMID: 27865363, PII: S1368-8375(16)30158-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2016.09.004, ISSN: 1879-0593.

Gondim DD, Haynes W, Wang X, Chernock RD, El-Mofty SK, Lewis JS. Histologic Typing in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A 4-Year Prospective Practice Study With p16 and High-Risk HPV mRNA Testing Correlation. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2016 Aug; 40(8): 1117-24. PMID: 27035614, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000650, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Gondim DD, Haynes W, Wang X, Chernock RD, El-Mofty SK, Lewis JS. Histologic Typing in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A 4-Year Prospective Practice Study With p16 and High-Risk HPV mRNA Testing Correlation. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2016 Aug; 40(8): 1117-24. PMID: 27035614, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000650, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Khwaja SS, Baker C, Haynes W, Spencer CR, Gay H, Thorstad W, Adkins DR, Nussenbaum B, Chernock RD, Lewis JS, Wang X. High E6 Gene Expression Predicts for Distant Metastasis and Poor Survival in Patients With HPV-Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys [print-electronic]. 2016 Jul 7/15/2016; 95(4): 1132-41. PMID: 27209503, PII: S0360-3016(16)00240-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.03.001, ISSN: 1879-355X.

Radkay-Gonzalez L, Faquin W, McHugh JB, Lewis JS, Tuluc M, Seethala RR. Ciliated Adenosquamous Carcinoma: Expanding the Phenotypic Diversity of Human Papillomavirus-Associated Tumors. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2016 Jun; 10(2): 167-75. PMID: 26411881, PMCID: PMC4838977, PII: 10.1007/s12105-015-0653-x, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-015-0653-x, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Lewis JS. Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Review with Emphasis on Emerging Histologic Subtypes and the Role of Human Papillomavirus. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2016 Mar; 10(1): 60-7. PMID: 26830402, PMCID: PMC4746138, PII: 10.1007/s12105-016-0692-y, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-016-0692-y, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Bishop JA, Lewis JS, Rocco JW, Faquin WC. HPV-related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: An update on testing in routine pathology practice. Semin Diagn Pathol [print-electronic]. 2015 Sep; 32(5): 344-51. PMID: 25724476, PII: S0740-2570(15)00014-3, DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2015.02.013, ISSN: 0740-2570.

Watson RF, Chernock RD, Zhang KH, Michel LS, Adkins DR, El-Mofty SK, Lewis JS. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Expression in Spindle Cell Carcinomas of the Head and Neck. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2015 Sep; 9(3): 360-8. PMID: 25563452, PMCID: PMC4542797, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-014-0604-y, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Shah AA, Mehrad M, Kelting SM, Lewis JS, Stelow EB. An uncommon primary lung tumour: hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma, salivary gland-type [letter]. Histopathology [print-electronic]. 2015 Aug; 67(2): 274-6. PMID: 25545688, DOI: 10.1111/his.12636, ISSN: 1365-2559.

Lewis JS, Chernock RD, Haynes W, El-Mofty SK. Low-grade papillary schneiderian carcinoma, a unique and deceptively bland malignant neoplasm: report of a case. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2015 May; 39(5): 714-21. PMID: 25634744, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000390, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Yang Z, Uppaluri R, Lewis JS. Ethmoid sinus mass. Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015 Apr; 141(4): 389-90. PMID: 25695742, PII: 2119039, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2015.22, ISSN: 2168-619X.

Miller DL, Davis JW, Taylor KH, Johnson J, Shi Z, Williams R, Atasoy U, Lewis JS, Stack MS. Identification of a human papillomavirus-associated oncogenic miRNA panel in human oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma validated by bioinformatics analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas. Am. J. Pathol [print-electronic]. 2015 Mar; 185(3): 679-92. PMID: 25572154, PMCID: PMC4348472, PII: S0002-9440(14)00688-9, DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.11.018, ISSN: 1525-2191.

Patel KR, Chernock RD, Sinha P, Müller S, El-Mofty SK, Lewis JS. Verrucous carcinoma with dysplasia or minimal invasion: a variant of verrucous carcinoma with extremely favorable prognosis. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2015 Mar; 9(1): 65-73. PMID: 24947053, PMCID: PMC4382478, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-014-0551-7, ISSN: 1936-0568.

Amacher AM, Goyal B, Lewis JS, El-Mofty SK, Chernock RD. Prevalence of a hobnail pattern in papillary, poorly differentiated, and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: a possible manifestation of high-grade transformation. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2015 Feb; 39(2): 260-5. PMID: 25321328, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000329, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Spencer CR, Gay HA, Haughey BH, Nussenbaum B, Adkins DR, Wildes TM, DeWees TA, Lewis JS, Thorstad WL. Eliminating radiotherapy to the contralateral retropharyngeal and high level II lymph nodes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is safe and improves quality of life. Cancer [print-electronic]. 2014 Dec 12/15/2014; 120(24): 3994-4002. PMID: 25143048, PMCID: PMC4257883, DOI: 10.1002/cncr.28938, ISSN: 1097-0142.

Goyal B, Duncavage EJ, Martinez D, Lewis JS, Chernock RD. Next-generation sequencing of salivary high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas identifies alterations in RB1 and the mTOR pathway. Exp. Mol. Pathol [print-electronic]. 2014 Dec; 97(3): 572-8. PMID: 25446844, PII: S0014-4800(14)00171-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2014.10.011, ISSN: 1096-0945.

Wong KS, Lewis JS, Gottipati S, Chernock RD. Utility of birefringent crystal identification by polarized light microscopy in distinguishing thyroid from parathyroid tissue on intraoperative frozen sections. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2014 Sep; 38(9): 1212-9. PMID: 24618617, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000204, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Murillo-Sauca O, Chung MK, Shin JH, Karamboulas C, Kwok S, Jung YH, Oakley R, Tysome JR, Farnebo LO, Kaplan MJ, Sirjani D, Divi V, Holsinger FC, Tomeh C, Nichols A, Le QT, Colevas AD, Kong CS, Uppaluri R, Lewis JS, Ailles LE, Sunwoo JB. CD271 is a functional and targetable marker of tumor-initiating cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget. 2014 Aug 8/30/2014; 5(16): 6854-66. PMID: 25149537, PMCID: PMC4196168, PII: 2269, DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2269, ISSN: 1949-2553.

Cimino PJ, Zhao G, Wang D, Sehn JK, Lewis JS, Duncavage EJ. Detection of viral pathogens in high grade gliomas from unmapped next-generation sequencing data. Exp. Mol. Pathol [print-electronic]. 2014 Jun; 96(3): 310-5. PMID: 24704430, PII: S0014-4800(14)00041-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2014.03.010, ISSN: 1096-0945.

Cai C, Chernock RD, Pittman ME, El-Mofty SK, Thorstad WL, Lewis JS. Keratinizing-type squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx: p16 overexpression is associated with positive high-risk HPV status and improved survival. Am. J. Surg. Pathol. 2014 Jun; 38(6): 809-15. PMID: 24698966, DOI: 10.1097/PAS.0000000000000183, ISSN: 1532-0979.

Onken MD, Winkler AE, Kanchi KL, Chalivendra V, Law JH, Rickert CG, Kallogjeri D, Judd NP, Dunn GP, Piccirillo JF, Lewis JS, Mardis ER, Uppaluri R. A surprising cross-species conservation in the genomic landscape of mouse and human oral cancer identifies a transcriptional signature predicting metastatic disease. Clin. Cancer Res [print-electronic]. 2014 Jun 6/1/2014; 20(11): 2873-84. PMID: 24668645, PMCID: PMC4096804, PII: 1078-0432.CCR-14-0205, DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-14-0205, ISSN: 1078-0432.

Lewis JS, Adams SB, Queen RM, DeOrio JK, Nunley JA, Easley ME. Outcomes After Total Ankle Replacement in Association With Ipsilateral Hindfoot Arthrodesis. Foot Ankle Int [print-electronic]. 2014 Mar 3/27/2014; 35(6): 535-42. PMID: 24677216, PII: 1071100714528495, DOI: 10.1177/1071100714528495, ISSN: 1944-7876.

Lewis JS, Chernock RD. Human papillomavirus and Epstein Barr virus in head and neck carcinomas: suggestions for the new WHO classification. Head Neck Pathol [print-electronic]. 2014 Mar; 8(1): 50-8. PMID: 24595417, PMCID: PMC3950388, DOI: 10.1007/s12105-014-0528-6, ISSN: 1936-0568.