Niels Kokot, MD

Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

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Overview

Niels Kokot, MD, serves as professor of otolaryngology and the residency program director in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Kokot is trained in Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS), a minimally invasive technique allowing for the treatment of many head and neck tumors without requiring traditional open approaches.

Dr. Kokot’s clinical specialties encompass all aspects of head and neck surgery, including the management of tumors in the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, skull base, salivary glands, and thyroid gland, as well as microvascular surgery. He has a particular interest in conservation surgery of the larynx, which is designed to treat cancers of the larynx (voice box) without sacrificing speech or requiring permanent tracheostomy.

https://keck.usc.edu/otolaryngology/

Awards

  • Pasadena Magazine: Top Doctor, 2011
     – 2015

Publications

  • Cannabis use disorder and lung cancer risk: methodological considerations in interpretation – Reply to Letter to Editor. Lung Cancer. 2026 Aug; 218:109513.. View in PubMed
  • Persistent disparities in head and neck cancer survival in the United States. Cancer Causes Control. 2026 Jun 25; 37(7).. View in PubMed
  • Swab-Derived Viral Load as a Biomarker of Tumor Biology in HPV-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Head Neck. 2026 Apr 28.. View in PubMed
  • Association of cannabis use and lung cancer: a retrospective cohort study. Lung Cancer. 2026 Jun; 216:109421.. View in PubMed
  • Predictors of Recurrence in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2026 Jul; 175(1):126-135.. View in PubMed
  • Evolving Use of Circulating Tumor DNA for HPV+ Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: Consensus Recommendations From the California Head and Neck Consortium. JCO Oncol Pract. 2025 Dec 04.. View in PubMed
  • Enhanced glycolysis and nicotinamide metabolism in HPV-positive head and neck cancer. Sci Rep. 2025 Nov 28; 15(1):42714.. View in PubMed
  • Incidence and Outcomes of Head and Neck Cancer in Patients With Schizophrenia. OTO Open. 2025 Jul-Sep; 9(3):e70164.. View in PubMed
  • Cannabis Use and Benign Salivary Gland Neoplasms. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2025 Sep 01; 151(9):900-901.. View in PubMed
  • Characteristics of Cannabis Use Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2025 Aug; 10(4):e70244.. View in PubMed