Maun R. Baral, MD, joined the Section of Hospital Medicine after completing his internal medicine residency in 2023. His clinical responsibilities focus on caring for acutely ill patients admitted to the oncology and malignant hematology services. He has a strong interest in solid tumors, particularly thoracic and gastrointestinal malignancies, as well as lymphoma, with an emphasis on the evolving role of immunotherapy and the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression and treatment response. He is committed to advancing oncology care through clinical excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, scholarly engagement, and initiatives focused on patient safety and the quality of inpatient care. He is also passionate about lifestyle medicine and the role of nutrition, sleep, and exercise in supporting long-term health in people living with cancer.
Education
- Medical Degree: Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Nepal (2017)
- Residency, Internal Medicine: Danbury Hospital/Nuvance Health, Danbury, CT (2023)
Board Certifications
- American Board of Internal Medicine
- American College of Lifestyle Medicine
Clinical/Research Interests
Thoracic oncology; gastrointestinal oncology; lymphoma; integrative approaches to cancer prevention and survivorship
Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts
Baral MR, Bhandari S, Morgensztern D, McEvoy C, Guarin G, Ranganathan P. Risk of intensive care unit admission after immune checkpoint inhibitor use in cancer. Semin Oncol. 2026;53(4):152499. doi:10.1016/j.seminoncol.2026.152499. PMID: 42102588.
Khamis MM, Shirani Lapari M, Alkharabsheh O, Baral MR, Sahin IH, Archwamety A, Firwana B, Patel GK, Singh A, Al Diffalha S, Manne U, Khushman M. Prognostic significance of KRAS G12C versus non-G12C RAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oncologist. 2026;31(7):oyag219. doi:10.1093/oncolo/oyag219.
Baral MR, Abushukair H, Abdelrahim M, Abdullah E, Al Diffalha S, Manne U, Singh AP, Patel GK, Bhandari S, Khushman M. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene alterations as biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immunotherapy. 2025;17(16):1157-1166. doi:10.1080/1750743X.2025.2590474. PMID: 41267618.
Baral MR, Bhandari S. Approach to hyperleukocytosis and leukostasis: inpatient management strategies. J Hosp Med. 2026;21(5):534-538. doi:10.1002/jhm.70199. PMID: 41058090.
Bhandari S, Zickuhr L, Baral MR, Bhalla S, Jones H, Bucelli R, Sen D. A review of MDA-5 dermatomyositis and associated interstitial lung disease. Rheumato. 2024;4(1):33-48. doi:10.3390/rheumato4010004.
Bhandari S, Baral MR, Barbery M, Rudinskaya A, Sostin O. Hematologic side effects of biologics and kinase inhibitors used in rheumatologic diseases: a review of the current evidence. Ann Hematol. 2022;101(9):1897-1904. doi:10.1007/s00277-022-04896-7.
Shrestha S, Shrestha S, Baral MR, Bhandari S, Vaidya N, Prajapati BK, Shrestha S, Pradhan S, Dhakal P. Evaluation of inhalation technique in patients using a dry powder device (DPI) at the chest clinic in Dhulikhel Hospital–Kathmandu University Hospital and the effect of patient education on it. Clin Med (Lond). 2019;19(Suppl 3):S64-S66. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.19-3s-s64. PMCID: PMC6752387.
Case Reports
Bhandari S, Baral MR, Yeasmin S. Chromhidrosis. Brown Hospital Medicine. 2022;1(3). doi:10.56305/001c.37030.
Baral MR, Bhandari S, Rudinskaya A. Gastric antral vascular ectasia in limited systemic sclerosis. Brown Hospital Medicine. 2022;1(3). doi:10.56305/001c.37033.
Baral MR, Bhandari S, Contreras RA. A couple with false hellebore poisoning. Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases. 2022;1(10). doi:10.7326/aimcc.2022.0715.
Bhandari S, Baral MR, Zanatta JA. Possible aripiprazole-induced hypothermia: an “icy” side effect? Cureus. Published online November 2021. doi:10.7759/cureus.19855.
Bhandari S, Baral MR, Yu M. Iatrogenic pneumocephalus resolved by oxygen therapy. Cureus. Published online November 2021. doi:10.7759/cureus.19830.
Bhandari S, Baral MR, Schmidt CE. Thrombolytic therapy in the oldest old: successful alteplase administration in a 105-year-old female with ischemic stroke. Cureus. Published online November 2021. doi:10.7759/cureus.19346.
Abstracts and Presentations
Baral MR, Bhandari S, Guarin G, McEvoy C, Morgensztern D, Ranganathan P. Risk of ICU admission after immune checkpoint inhibitor use: real-world data analysis at a national level. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2025;13. Abstract 1068. doi:10.1136/jitc-2025-SITC2025.1068.
Tiger YK, Zuber C, Kaduluri VPS, Kujawa T, Reese M, Baral MR, et al. Consolidation and maintenance approaches in primary central nervous system lymphoma after high-dose methotrexate induction in transplant-ineligible patients. Abstract abs25-13895. Category 626A: Aggressive Lymphomas. 2025.
Baral MR. Evolving role of PET/MRI in oropharyngeal cancers. J Nucl Med. 2025;66(Suppl 1):251511. Abstract.
Singh CB, Baral MR. PET radiotracers other than 18F-FDG for assessment of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. J Nucl Med. 2025;66(Suppl 1):252247. Abstract.
Knapp B, Cittolin Santos GF, Wu N, Baral MR, et al. Prognostic impact of clinical stage on nonsurgical patients with pleural mesothelioma. J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(16 Suppl):e20096. doi:10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.e20096.
Khushman M, Abushukair HM, Modekurty S, Baral MR, et al. The association between different molecular alterations in Wnt/β-catenin signaling and response to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumors. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2024;12. Abstract 169. doi:10.1136/jitc-2024-SITC2024.0169.
Baral MR, Abushukair HM, Abdelrahim M, et al. The association between alterations in the ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 2024;12. Abstract 151. doi:10.1136/jitc-2024-SITC2024.0151.
Dandwani M, Thomas T, Baral MR, Hanmantgad M, Sandeep F. PB1901: Not all variants of APML are resistant to retinoids. HemaSphere. 2023;7:e861978c. doi:10.1097/01.HS9.0000974428.86197.8c.
Baral MR, Bhandari S. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: possibly COVID vaccine related. Chest. 2022;161(6):A517. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2022.04.051. Poster.
Baral MR, Bhandari S. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: accelerated by COVID? Chest. 2022;161(6):A524. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2022.04.058. Poster.
Baral MR, Bhandari S. Biventricular failure as the first presentation of cardiac sarcoidosis. Chest. 2022;161(6):A588. doi:10.1016/j.chest.2022.04.122. Poster.
Bhandari S, Baral MR. “Twisting of the points”: a hemodynamically unstable ventricular scare. Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians. 2022. Poster.
Bhandari S, Baral MR. Infectious discitis or flare-up of spondyloarthropathy? A real head-scratcher! National American College of Physicians. 2022. Poster.
Bhandari S, Baral MR. Paroxysmal hemicrania mimicking giant cell arteritis. Congress of Clinical Rheumatology. 2022. Poster.
Weerasoorya N, Bhandari S, Baral MR. Dermatomyositis associated with lung neuroendocrine tumor. Congress of Clinical Rheumatology. 2022. Poster.
Baral MR, Alvarez M, Bhandari S. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy complicated by left ventricular thrombus: “Octopus in the POT.” Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Cardiology. 2022. Poster.