Medical Oncology

At Montefiore Einstein Medical Oncology, we are committed to preventing cancer and using the most advanced screening to detect cancer early and save lives. We offer cancer screenings and prevention, as well as educational resources, including programs targeting specific types of cancer. Our personalized, state-of-the-art, patient-friendly screening methods are designed to help you learn about cancer prevention, lower your cancer risk and detect cancer as early as possible.

We are at the forefront of advanced cancer screening, having earned the prestigious Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center and Lung Cancer Screening Center designations from the American College of Radiology and helped develop virtual colonoscopy—computed tomography (CT) colonography—a minimally invasive screening test for the early detection of colorectal cancer. We also developed a novel human papillomavirus (HPV) screening test to more accurately detect hard-to-find cervical cancers that Papanicolaou (Pap) tests often miss.​​ Our landmark research on primary HPV screening and molecular cervical cancer screening in women living with HPV has contributed to national guidelines on cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination.

We use state-of-the-art technologies, such as the latest 3D mammography for breast cancer. Our Lung Cancer Screening Program and Follow-up ASsessmenT of Lung Nodules Clinic (FAST-Clinic) use artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and track patients at increased risk of lung cancer and have contributed to reducing the incidence of stage 4 lung cancers in the Bronx by nearly 12%. When cancer is diagnosed in its earliest stages, treatment is more effective. At Montefiore Einstein Medical Oncology, we offer a robust variety of cancer screening programs and strive to make them accessible to everyone.

We use the most advanced imaging and screening technologies, including:

• 3D and 4D ultrasound
• 3D mammography
• CT
• CT colonography
• High-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scans

We perform minimally invasive, image-guided biopsies to help diagnose and treat cancer. Our team also uses AI, machine learning and advanced genetic testing, including next-generation sequencing, to assess hereditary cancer risk, develop treatment plans and support genetic counseling and family planning.

We use advanced bone marrow aspiration and biopsy techniques and incorporate digital morphology and AI-driven assessments to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of identifying pathologic bone marrow and blood cells. Our in-house American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics-accredited immunology lab offers state-of-the-art histocompatibility, immunology and immunogenetics testing, including the latest human leukocyte antigens typing and antibody and cross-match testing techniques to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients who are candidates for allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

For prenatal diagnosis, we also offer advanced noninvasive prenatal screening tests and work together with specialists from our Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women's Health who specialize in performing chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis and cordocentesis for the collection of circulating fetal cells, as well as sophisticated blastocyst biopsy for preimplantation embryo diagnostics. In certain cases, pretreatment fertility preservation techniques such as cryopreservation are also offered.

We use the latest treatments, targeted therapies and combination therapies, from chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapies to hormone therapy, personalized cancer vaccines and precision medicine approaches based on each individual’s biology and tumor-specific genetic mutation to determine the optimal course of treatment. We also use novel immunotherapies, which harness the power of your immune system to fight cancer, including CAR T-cell therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies for hard-to-treat solid tumors and blood cell cancers. Other novel targeted therapies we offer include small-molecule targeted agents, bispecific antibodies, antibody–drug conjugates and gene therapy.

We collaborate with our world-renowned radiation and surgical oncology teams to develop personalized treatment plans, including combination therapies, to enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy and/or surgery when needed. Our surgical specialists use the latest open, minimally invasive and robotic surgical approaches.

As pioneers in bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapies, our Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program is accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy, providing a full array of transplant options, including autologous, matched-related, matched-unrelated and haploidentical (half-matched) transplants. Our program performs hundreds of transplants and CAR T-cell therapies annually. At the forefront of CAR T-cell therapies, we are one of the most experienced Centers of Excellence for CAR T-cell therapy in the U.S. and were instrumental in helping this groundbreaking treatment receive FDA approval. We are also one of the first to pioneer the use of CAR T-cell therapy for the treatment of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related lymphoma.

We are leading collaborative research and spearheading numerous studies and clinical trials, translating novel scientific discoveries into new diagnostics and treatments to help improve clinical outcomes and change lives. 

At the forefront of cancer-focused research, we have a long history of paradigm-shifting basic, translational and clinical research contributions and seminal discoveries, many of which have been published in high-impact journals. We continue to establish new standards of care in oncology and have been involved in multiple trials that have led to the FDA approval of novel medications. Through our clinical trials, our patients can access emerging technologies and innovative treatments that are otherwise unavailable to the general public. 

Our researchers actively conduct basic, translational and clinical research to advance our understanding and treatment of a broad spectrum of blood cancers, and solid tumors, from investigating cancer cell dormancy and metastasis, the molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance and the development of novel biomarkers to exploring ways to improve outcomes and reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapy and studying the molecular pathogenesis of various cancers, such as MDS, to identify targetable treatment pathways groundbreaking. We are internationally recognized for developing novel immunotherapies, including CAR T-cell therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies for hard-to-treat solid tumors and blood cell cancers and were instrumental in securing FDA approval for these treatments. We are also one of the few centers in the nation with an active phase 1 clinical trial program using cell therapies to treat patients with solid tumors.

At Montefiore Einstein Medical Oncology, we are focused on the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. You can place your trust in our multidisciplinary team of world-renowned experts. Our Comprehensive Cancer Center offers a full range of traditional and holistic care, from screening and diagnosis to survivorship. This includes care navigation, mental health and wellness services and other supportive programs like financial counseling and rehabilitation.

All of our patients benefit from highly specialized, coordinated and compassionate care that focuses on the whole person. We are here to address your complex medical needs and improve your quality of life.

One of the largest programs of its kind, with approximately 30 trainees at any given time, our three-year Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited Hematology/Oncology Fellowship provides trainees with comprehensive exposure to a wide range of patients and pathologies in a collegial learning environment. Our trainees are provided extensive clinical and research opportunities, structured didactics and mentorship from some of the world’s preeminent hematology/oncology investigators and clinicians. With an emphasis on clinical, translational and basic hematology and oncology research, our postdoctoral fellows receive training in clinical practice, clinical investigation and laboratory science. This includes formal instruction on creating, executing and interpreting clinical trials focusing on thrombosis, hemoglobinopathy, hematologic malignancies, hematopoietic stem cells and phase 1 studies, as well as breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, lung and other malignancies. Our goal is to foster the careers of our trainees, preparing them for modern academic and clinical practice.

We are one of the few centers in the nation awarded an NCI-funded K12 training and career development grant to train the next generation of clinical oncology scholars. There is a special emphasis on conducting clinical and translational oncology research and investigating and addressing health inequities in diverse Bronx communities. Our program includes coordinated mentoring, a comprehensive formal curriculum and research projects with an interdisciplinary, collaborative design focusing on community outreach and engagement. A formal curriculum has been developed in conjunction with the Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research featuring a Master of Science degree in clinical research methods and includes two mandatory Calabresi-centered courses, one on clinical trial development in the era of personalized cancer medicine and immunotherapy, and another on comparative effectiveness therapeutic research.

Additional courses and workshops are offered in biostatistics and grant writing. The grant supports up to four scholars for two to three years to promote career development as cancer researchers. The principal investigators are Amit Verma, MD, Chair, Department of Oncology, and Yvonne Saenger, MD, Director, Immunotherapy Program, Co-Leader, Cancer Therapeutics Program. Since receiving our first PCACO grant in 2010, we have enrolled 24 scholars, 22 of whom remain committed to academic careers in oncology.