Walter T. Lee, MD, MHS
Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor, Head and Neck Surgeon, Surgical Oncologist
My Locations
Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
About Me
I feel very blessed to have a profession that allows me to serve patients with both cancerous and non-cancerous diseases of the head and neck. As a head and neck surgeon, I carefully weigh the risks and benefits of treatment — working with our team to maximize the chance for cure while maintaining the highest quality of life. As a physician, my approach to patient care includes addressing one's physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs and well-being. My research endeavors strive to improve the care we provide to patients with head and neck cancers. I have had a research program in tumor immunotherapy. I am active in addressing global health needs, being involved with regular humanitarian mission trips throughout the world. I am also active in training the next generation of surgeons that are able to address and solve challenges in an ethical and virtuous way. I have, along with my colleagues, developed and instituted a virtue-based approach to residency training that will meet this need. When not at work, I enjoy spending time with my wife and four kids in a variety of activities.
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Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences
- Head & Neck Surgical Oncology
- Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Head & Neck Surgical Oncology 2023
- Professor in Radiation Oncology, Radiation Oncology 2020
- Affiliate, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke Global Health Institute 2019
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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
I have several areas of research which include immunotherapy, global health, medical device development and medical education.
- Otolaryngology Surgeon- Scientist career Path (OSSP) program awarded by National Institutes of Health 2022 - 2027
- Lee, Walter T., Chunrui Tan, Gary Koski, Suyu Shu, and Peter Cohen. “Immunotherapy using allogeneic squamous cell tumor-dendritic cell fusion hybrids.” Head Neck 32, no. 9 (September 2010): 1209–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.21323.
- Cho, Edward I., Chunrui Tan, Gary K. Koski, Peter A. Cohen, Suyu Shu, and Walter T. Lee. “Toll-like receptor agonists as third signals for dendritic cell-tumor fusion vaccines.” Head Neck 32, no. 6 (June 2010): 700–707. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.21241.
- Bennett, Kristi L., Walter Lee, Eric Lamarre, Xiatong Zhang, Rahul Seth, Joseph Scharpf, Jennifer Hunt, and Charis Eng. “HPV status-independent association of alcohol and tobacco exposure or prior radiation therapy with promoter methylation of FUSSEL18, EBF3, IRX1, and SEPT9, but not SLC5A8, in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.” Genes Chromosomes Cancer 49, no. 4 (April 2010): 319–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/gcc.20742.
- Doublestein, B. A., W. T. Lee, and R. M. Pfohl. “Professionalism competence: Its role in bringing about high-value care - a case study.” In Evaluating Challenges and Opportunities for Healthcare Reform, 232–47, 2020. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-2949-2.ch011.
- Doublestein, B. A., W. T. Lee, and R. M. Pfohl. “Overview of professionalism competence: Bringing balance to the medical education continuum.” In Evaluating Challenges and Opportunities for Healthcare Reform, 215–31, 2020. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-2949-2.ch010.
- Lee, Walter T. “Dendritic cell-tumor cell fusion vaccines.,” 713:177–86, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0763-4_11.
- Watts, Tammara L., Katerine Gonzalez, Xiangfeng Shen, Layne Rogers, Nosa Osazuwa-Peters, Gina D. Jefferson, Cecilia G. Clement, et al. “Abstract PR004: Differential gene expression analysis comparing Black and White patients with HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma reveals suppressed immune response and higher rates P16/HPV DNA discordance in Black patients.” In Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 33:PR004–PR004. American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2024. https://doi.org/10.1158/1538-7755.disp24-pr004.
- Osazuwa-Peters, Nosayaba, Judith Mwobobia, Laura J. Fish, Margaret Falkovic, Revital Benvenisti, Walter T. Lee, Ross Brownson, Donald L. Rosenstein, and David B. Goldston. “Clinicians' perspectives of barriers and facilitators of suicide screening in head and neck cancer care.” In JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Vol. 42, 2024.
- Osazuwa-Peters, Nosayaba, Jeehye Rose Lee, Maia Kotelanski, Leslie Ballew, Colton Ortiz, Madeline Garcia, Alexandra Bennion, et al. “A qualitative analysis of religious coping and participation in patients with head and neck cancer.” In JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Vol. 42, 2024.
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
- 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.
External Relationships
- CareGuideAI LLC
- Duke -National Univeristy of Singapore
- International Phronesis Institute LLC
- Resource Exchange International
- Vivo Surgical