Nelson J. Chao, MD, MBA
Cellular Therapy Specialist, Stem Cell Transplant Specialist
My Locations
Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
About Me
What makes Duke Health unique in bone marrow transplants is its holistic approach. We take care of the disease -- which is
- Donald D. and Elizabeth G. Cooke Cancer Distinguished Research Professor, Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy 2002
- Professor of Medicine, Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy 2001
- Professor in Integrative Immunobiology, Integrative Immunobiology 2001
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Adult Bone Marrow Transplant
- Autologous Transplant
- Allogeneic Transplant
- Syngeneic Transplant
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
My research interests are treatments for blood diseases, graft-versus-host disease, leukemia, and lymphoma.
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IIT: Ph2 Home Care Study Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationIRB# PRO00089697 , NCT# NCT03667599
- Aljurf, M., N. S. Majhail, M. B. C. Koh, M. A. Kharfan-Dabaja, and N. J. Chao. The comprehensive cancer center: Development, integration, and implementation, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82052-7.
- Morse, Michael A., David Rizzieri, Timothy T. Stenzel, Amy C. Hobeika, James J. Vredenburgh, Nelson J. Chao, Timothy M. Clay, Paul J. Mosca, and H Kim Lyerly. “Dendritic cell recovery following nonmyeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplants.” J Hematother Stem Cell Res 11, no. 4 (August 2002): 659–68. https://doi.org/10.1089/15258160260194802.
- McCune, Steven L., Jon P. Gockerman, Joseph O. Moore, Carlos M. Decastro, Adam J. Bass, Nelson J. Chao, Gwynn D. Long, et al. “Alemtuzumab in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia and prolymphocytic leukemia.” Leuk Lymphoma 43, no. 5 (May 2002): 1007–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/10428190290021597.
- Chen, Benny J., Xiuyu Cui, Congxiao Liu, and Nelson J. Chao. “Prevention of graft-versus-host disease while preserving graft-versus-leukemia effect after selective depletion of host-reactive T cells by photodynamic cell purging process.” Blood 99, no. 9 (May 1, 2002): 3083–88. https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.v99.9.3083.
- Alcantara, G., and N. J. Chao. “Administrative support.” In Comprehensive Cancer Center Development Integration and Implementation, 85–91, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82052-7_10.
- Frith, J., and N. J. Chao. “Oncology nursing care.” In Comprehensive Cancer Center Development Integration and Implementation, 57–62, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82052-7_7.
- Chao, N. J., and D. L. Confer. “The Role of the Transplant Program in a Nuclear Accident or Terrorism.” In Thomas Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Fifth Edition, 1–2:431–37, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118416426.ch38.
- Smith, Patrick J., Meagan Lew, Yen Lowder, Kristi Romero, Jillian C. Thompson, Lauren Bohannon, Alyssa Pittman, et al. “Cognitive impairment in candidates for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.” In Bone Marrow Transplant, 57:89–94, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-021-01470-z.
- Maung, Ko, Nelson Jen An Chao, Kelly Corbet, Ashley Morris Engemann, Cristina Gasparetto, Mitchell Horwitz, Yubin Kang, et al. “CLO20-049: Retrospective Study of Safety and Toxicity Profile Comparison for Propylene Glycol-Free Melphalan (Evomela®) and Generic Melphalan.” In Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 18:CLO20-049. Harborside Press, LLC, 2020. https://doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2019.7412.
- Schroeder, Kristin, Fatima Alvi, Hartlee Johnston, Nestory Andrew Masalu, and Nelson Jen An Chao. “Impact of a pilot patient navigator program on pediatric cancer outcomes in a low resource setting.” In Journal of Clinical Oncology, 37:e18152–e18152. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), 2019. https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2019.37.15_suppl.e18152.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- UHC Community Plan
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
Dr. Chao and his team treated me with excellent care.
Dr Chao is frank in delivering information but also compassionate. It can be tough to hear the truth, but I want to know what’s going on with my disease.
Dr. Nelson Chao is the best! A calming spirit
Excellent, life saving care provided by Dr. Chao.
My appointment was from a referral for potential BMT. I was very impressed with the staff and facilities. The Dr.'s were outstanding.
Superb RN assistance, as always on the BMT Staff. And Dr. Chao has been a bedrock of support during these past months while I haven't had the best health. Thank you so much Dr. Chao, for the privilege of your great care.
She was terrific, very caring and thoughtful
Excellent introduction to Duke. Very happy with my Duke team!