Ashok R. Shaha, MD, FACS - MSK Head and Neck Surgeon

I am an interventional radiologist — a physician who uses imaging guidance (CT, MR, ultrasound, and fluoroscopy) to do minimally invasive procedures. By using imaging, we can in many cases avoid the need for an operation, thus speeding the patient’s recovery and enhancing quality of life. The types of procedures we perform include venous access, drainages of abscesses, fluid collections and obstructed systems, peripheral angiography, and tumor embolization.

I am a urologic surgeon with expertise in the treatment of urologic tumors — which include bladder, urethral, and kidney cancers. I am currently heading clinical trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering to evaluate new therapies for the treatment of high-risk superficial bladder cancer in patients who are resistant to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy, the standard treatment. I also have expertise in nerve-sparing radical cystectomy followed by bladder reconstruction.

My clinical expertise reflects an interest in lung cancer survivorship, but I am also interested in helping people who have incidental radiographic findings other than lung cancer. Many people who undergo chest x-rays or CT scans, for instance, learn that they have subtle abnormalities, such as small nodules, that are too small for biopsy.