Robert J. Cerfolio, MD
The Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University (NYU) Langone Health, a National Cancer Institute–designated center, has announced the creation of a new interdisciplinary center bringing together new and existing programs to study, diagnose, treat, and prevent the nation’s leading cancer: lung cancer. Robert J. Cerfolio, MD, who recently joined NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center as Chief of Clinical Thoracic Surgery, is the Founding Director of its new Lung Cancer Center.
The new Lung Cancer Center includes a team of internationally renowned laboratory researchers, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, geneticists, and others—all committed to improving outcomes in patients with this often-fatal disease. Its mission is not only to bring new discoveries faster and more efficiently to the clinical setting, but also to improve clinical collaboration and community outreach, aided by the latest advances in 21st century technology, such as robotic surgery and telemedicine. The center’s strong research impetus will focus on the molecular events important in lung cancer, with the goal of improving early detection and therapy for the disease.
Experienced in Robotic Lung Procedures
“Dr. Cerfolio brings new strengths to our rapidly expanding lung cancer program. Patients who turn to us can rest assured they will have access to the finest clinical care and treatments and the latest cutting-edge laboratory and clinical research,” said Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, Director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center.
Dr. Cerfolio has performed more than 17,000 robotic lung procedures and trained 1,200 surgeons, anesthesiologists, and their teams worldwide in his four-arm robotic approach to treating patients requiring lung cancer excisions, removal of cancerous esophageal tumors, and tumor resections within the thoracic region. Dr. Cerfolio previously served at the University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham as the James H. Estes Family Lung Cancer Research Endowed Chair and Chief of Thoracic Surgery. He also is Director of the American Association of Thoracic Surgery’s Robotic Graham Fellowship. ■
