Dr. Nassir is in a class entirely his own. I have never met a doctor like him…read more
My husband has faced more medical challenges than most people experience in a lifetime--cardiac arrest, heart transplant, dialysis, kidney transplant, strokes, prostate cancer, parasitic infection, diabetic wounds, spine, rib, and tibia fractures and surgery, amputations... and that's just the short list. We've grateful to have been blessed with excellent medical care over the years, but we have never encountered a physician like Dr. Nassir.
We were referred to him after more than 20 medical visits in a single month. My immunosuppressed husband had developed an aggressive squamous cell carcinoma that went from a tiny pimple to a 5 cm x 4 cm x 2 cm thick blackened, mushroom‑like mass on his right temple, extending under the skin to a large lump at his parotid gland and into the lymph nodes in his neck. After consultations at three premier medical centers, we were left with little hope. We were preparing to go home and make the best of what we thought would be his final days.
At a last visit with my husband's long‑time primary care doctor--someone we trust implicitly--he told us, "Not all the best doctors are at the premier medical centers," and said he knew the best oncologist in the area. He texted Dr. Nassir, explained the situation, and Dr. Nassir told us to come in at 9 AM THE NEXT MORNING. Not in two weeks. Not when convenient. The next day.
At that first visit, Dr. Nassir spent TWO FULL HOURS with us. He carefully reviewed my husband's extensive medical history and every test and consultation from the previous month. While we sat in his office, he called multiple physicians--including two who had already seen my husband and two nationally recognized experts. Every one of them picked up the phone. His assistant, Jose, worked seamlessly beside him, taking notes, pulling records, and preparing referrals in real time. What would normally take weeks happened in a single visit.
By the end of that visit, Dr. Nassir had a clear plan: urgent surgery, followed by concurrent radiation and chemotherapy. For the first time in weeks, we felt the fog lift. We left knowing exactly what needed to happen and who needed to be involved--including a radiation oncologist who has since been repeatedly confirmed to be the best in his field.
Throughout that visit, staff members quietly stepped in with urgent issues from other patients. Each time, Dr. Nassir gave them his full attention, then returned to us without missing a beat. The new‑patient paperwork had warned that wait times could be long. After that day, I knew I would never complain. If I ever wait to see him, it's because he is giving someone else the same life‑saving attention he gave us.
Since that February appointment, my husband has undergone successful surgery and is now nearing the end of a seven‑week treatment plan--five days a week of radiation at Cedars‑Sinai and two days a week at Dr. Nassir's nearby Cancer Care Institute (chemotherapy, IV fluids, labs, and nurse practitioner consultations). He is doing well, and we are hopeful he will beat this cancer. At the very least, we now have more time--time for his two young grandchildren to truly know and remember their grandpa.
The entire staff has been exceptional.
* Sona, the office manager, knows us personally and creates a supportive environment.
* Rosanna and Nana, the chemo nurses, are skilled and attentive.
* Mark and Madeleine, the nurse practitioners, ensure every concern is addressed and reviewed with Dr. Nassir.
* The front office team is constantly busy yet always available and kind.
I would not hesitate for a moment to refer any friend or family member facing cancer to Dr. Nassir. He and his team are in the business of saving lives, and they do it with expertise, urgency, and extraordinary humanity.
