Bio

Dr. Hehua "Hannah" Huang is an Anatomic Pathology (AP) board-certified pathologist with extensive clinical and research experience. She is currently a Molecular Genetic Pathology Fellow at Stanford University (2024-2025) and will pursue a Cytopathology Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital & Massachusetts General Hospital (BWH & MGH) in 2025.

Dr. Huang earned her M.D. from Sun Yat-Sen University of Clinical Medicine in Guangzhou, China, practiced internal medicine, and then earned an M.S. in Clinical Pharmacology from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China. She completed her Anatomic Pathology residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Her research experience includes Phase I clinical studies involving pharmacokinetics and developing and validating liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays. Her research interests encompass next-generation sequencing (NGS), precision medicine, molecular tumor profiling, liquid biopsy and fine needle aspiration (FNA) in cytopathology.

Graduate and Fellowship Programs

  • Molecular and Genetic Medicine (Fellowship Program)

All Publications

  • When Lymphoma Strikes the Pancreas: A Rare Presentation of Systemic Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Negative Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in a Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Patient. Journal of hematology Huang, H. H., Qing, X. 2023; 12 (5): 236-242

    Abstract

    Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an uncommon subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with pancreatic involvement being exceedingly rare and documented in only a handful of case reports. We present a unique case of a 31-year-old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive male with multisite ALK-negative ALCL, who initially presented with a buttock ulcer, leading to a suspicion of primary cutaneous ALCL or lymphomatoid papulosis. However, the discovery of multiple extracutaneous sites, including an atypical pancreatic head involvement, confirmed the diagnosis of systemic ALK-negative ALCL with cutaneous manifestation. The patient received six cycles of brentuximab vedotin + cyclophosphamide-doxorubicin-prednisone (BV + CHP) treatment, achieving a substantial reduction in the size of the pancreatic head mass and no detectable fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography (PET) scan. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges of ALK-negative ALCL in HIV-positive patients with extranodal presentations and demonstrates the potential effectiveness of targeted therapeutic strategies for such cases.

    View details for DOI 10.14740/jh1138

    View details for PubMedID 37936974

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10627364

  • Cytopathological Features of Extensive Bilateral Pleural Effusions in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Report of a Rare Case. Cureus Huang, H., Yap, C. 2024; 16 (4): e58597

    Abstract

    We report a rare case of a 59-year-old male with a history of metastatic prostate cancer presenting with acute onset dyspnea due to extensive bilateral pleural effusions. This case highlights the rarity of metastatic prostate cancer with pleural involvement and underscores the importance of accurate diagnosis using cytopathology and immunohistochemical staining.

    View details for DOI 10.7759/cureus.58597

    View details for PubMedID 38765351

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11102765

  • Unmasking the Silent Invader: A Rare Case of Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma With Skull Metastasis and an Uncommon KRAS Q61R Mutation. Cureus Huang, H. H., Ji, P., Peng, S. K. 2023; 15 (10): e47641

    Abstract

    Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is a noteworthy subtype of thyroid cancer known for its tendency to metastasize through the bloodstream, usually to the lungs and bones. This case report examines an exceptionally rare instance involving an 81-year-old female presenting with an unusual metastatic scalp lesion. Remarkably, this aggressive metastasis originated from a thyroid lesion as small as 0.7 cm. Lab findings, including suppressed TSH and elevated T3 levels, revealed subclinical hyperthyroidism, adding another layer of rarity to this FTC case. Molecular profiling identified a rare KRAS Q61R mutation, providing potential insight into the case's aggressive behavior and underscoring the importance of genetic assessment in FTC. This report emphasizes the critical role of comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, including histopathological assessments, in properly diagnosing and managing FTC, especially when clinical presentations defy conventional paradigms.

    View details for DOI 10.7759/cureus.47641

    View details for PubMedID 38021925

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10668626

  • Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Breast: A Case Report of a Rare Type of Invasive Carcinoma. Cureus Salehiazar, S., Huang, H., Aghighi, M., Venegas, R. 2022; 14 (9): e29231

    Abstract

    Lymphoepithelioma carcinoma (LELC) is an extremely rare type of mammary cancer. Based on the histology, it can be misdiagnosed with inflammatory lesions like mastitis and medullary carcinoma or other hematopoietic neoplasms like lymphoma in the breast. Since LELC has a good response to chemotherapy with a good prognosis, t is prognostically important to recognize LELC. We report a rare case of LELC in a 51-year-old pre-menopausal female with a left breast mass, diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), LELC type, treated with mastectomy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a disease-free interval of 10 months. Herein, we present the case with its clinical presentation, radiologic imaging, histopathological features, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) findings. The rarity of this type of breast tumor warrants studying the behavior of these uncommon tumors to avoid misdiagnosis and establish well-defined criteria for diagnosis.

    View details for DOI 10.7759/cureus.29231

    View details for PubMedID 36258934

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9573688

  • Internal energy deposition and ion fragmentation in atmospheric-pressure mid-infrared laser ablation electrospray ionization. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP Nemes, P., Huang, H., Vertes, A. 2012; 14 (7): 2501-7

    Abstract

    Mid-infrared laser ablation of water-rich targets at the maximum of the 2.94 μm absorption band is a two-step process initiated by phase explosion followed by recoil pressure induced material ejection. Particulates and/or droplets ejected by this high temperature high pressure process can be ionized for mass spectrometry by charged droplets from an electrospray. In order to gauge the internal energy introduced in this laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI®) process, we apply the survival yield method and compare the results with electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). The results indicate that LAESI yields ions with internal energies indistinguishable from those produced by ESI. This finding is consistent with the recoil pressure induced ejection of low micrometre droplets that does not significantly change the internal energy of solute molecules.

    View details for DOI 10.1039/c2cp23411d

    View details for PubMedID 22249858