Alan B. Astrow, M.D.

Dr. Alan Astrow is Chief of Hematology and Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. An expert in the medical management of breast and ovarian cancer, Dr. Astrow has always shown special interest in improving physician-patient communication, supporting patients through treatment, and addressing human concerns as they relate to cancer care.Dr. Astrow has been practicing hematology and medical oncology for over 30 years. He earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Yale University. Following his residency in internal medicine, at the Boston City Hospital, he completed a fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at New York University Medical Center. He subsequently joined the attending staff of St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center in lower Manhattan and was soon named program director for its hematology/medical oncology fellowship training program. He later was appointed Chief of Clinical Oncology at St. Vincent’s and Associate Medical Director of the St. Vincent’s Cancer Center. In 2005, he was recruited to join Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn as Director of Hematology and Medical Oncology and was promoted to the rank of Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.Dr. Astrow was recently one of the lead investigators in an NIH-funded study on teaching medical oncologists how better to communicate with their patients about survivorship concerns. He has also devised an innovative survey instrument that distinguishes between psychosocial, spiritual, and religious needs of patients with cancer. He has reported at national cancer meetings on the way these needs influence a patient’s satisfaction with medical care.He is the author of many research publications and other essays in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association and the social science publication, Society.Dr. Astrow served on the Executive Committee for the New York Metropolitan Breast Group, in addition to the Program Committee. He is also a member of the New York Gynecologic Oncology Group. He has also chaired several educational conference sessions at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO).He currently serves on the editorial advisory committee for the Art of Oncology section of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.At NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist he plans to work with hospital leadership to develop a premier patient-centered outpatient cancer center, with subspecialty oriented care, access to the latest clinical trials through Weill Cornell, psychosocial services, and a women’s health center.Dr. Astrow was born in Queens, New York. He is married and has two grown children and lives in New York City.