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John Ames, MD, is a radiation oncologist at Northwell Health Imbert Cancer Center and the Center for Advanced Medicine. He treats lesions of the brain and spine with stereotactic radiosurgery, a highly precise form of treatment. He also manages head and neck tumors with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. In addition, he specializes in stereotactic body radiation therapy-high doses of radiation delivered in a few treatment sessions-to help patients with lung cancer avoid surgery. Other malignancies he manages include rectal, esophageal, stomach, bladder, prostate, breast and gynecologic cancers.Enrolling eligible patients in clinical trials to evaluate new approaches to radiation therapy is an important part of his work. Dr. Ames also supports complementary approaches that help patients cope with diagnosis and treatment, such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, reiki, and nutrition.He first became interested in medicine in high school while volunteering in a transplant immunology research lab at Stanford University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. While at George Washington University School of Medicine, he saw how radiation therapy had the potential to help patients with cancer achieve remission, so he pursued a residency in radiation oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and Fox Chase Cancer Center.At Northwell Health, Dr. Ames values a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care. He routinely collaborates with medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, and other specialists to create comprehensive, personalized treatment plans. "Our subspecialists communicate really well with one another to provide the best possible care," he says.Dr. Ames is an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, mentoring many types of healthcare trainees. He is a member of the American Society of Radiation Oncology, the Suffolk County Medical Society, and the New York State Medical Society.For Dr. Ames, one of the best parts of his job is making himself readily available to his patients. "The psychological piece of care is one of the most important parts of a patient's treatment plan," he says. "I take my time to provide patients and their loved ones with the emotional support they need."

Gary Deutsch, MD, MPH, FACS, FSSO is a board-certified surgeon and surgical oncologist specializing in robotic surgery. His focus is on pancreatic and hepatobiliary cancers as well as upper-gastrointestinal malignancies and is the only surgeon at Northwell performing robotic Whipple procedures. He completed his residency at North Shore University Hospital, serving as chief resident, and was fellowship-trained at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Named a surgeon of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation, Dr. Deutsch says about 90% of the abdominal surgeries he's performed were done with robotics. In fact, he's performed more robotic Whipple surgeries than any other surgeon within Northwell Health.He recently received a grant to explore how readily available wearable technology, like the Apple Watch, can be used to measure the quality of a surgeon's hand movements and operative skill during surgery. He is also heavily involved in clinical trials, serving as the principal investigator on an important national trial in pancreas cancer.His highly technical work is balanced by his warm, genuinely caring demeanor. "The connection you make with the patient as a surgeon is unmatched," he says. "People trust you with what is most important, most prized in their life: their health and livelihood." He makes sure to never bury himself in his notes while speaking with a patient, and instead immerses himself in their experience. "I want them to feel like they are family." He is fully committed to holistic oncology care.As he takes the time to get to know his patients, he is supported by his entire team, including other physicians, physician extenders and nurse practitioners. "When you make it about the team, the outcomes are ultimately better," he says. He encourages everyone to contribute when going over a case, leaving no stone unturned for his patients. For those of his patients who are dealing with aggressive, incurable cancers, Dr. Deutsch refuses to stand on the sidelines. Because of this, he is proudly working with the Canopy Cancer Collective on streamlining the supportive care process, all with the goal of finding the best ways for patients to maintain a better quality of life, which can include surgery to help manage specific symptoms. He is just as invested in the future of his patients as he is in the future of health care in general. Because of this, he started a complex general surgical oncology fellowship at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, one of only 33 programs in the US, helping to train the next generation of surgeons right here at Northwell.

Gerardo Jerry Vitiello, MD, joined Northwell Health as an academic surgical oncologist in 2023. He specializes in treating liver, bile duct, gallbladder, pancreas and stomach cancer, as well as melanoma and soft tissue sarcomas including gastrointestinal stromal tumor. An avid baseball player growing up, Dr. Vitiello started medical school at Emory University thinking he'd go into orthopedics, but surgical oncology clicked for him during his third year. I liked the critical thinking aspect of being a surgical oncologist; it wasn't 'can we do more?' but rather 'when and how can we optimize treatment for this person?' I also liked approaching care in terms of the whole body, not just one specific location. After completing a residency at NYU Langone Health and a fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he was drawn to the Northwell Health Cancer Institute for its one-stop approach to cancer treatment. All consultations and appointments are set up in one visit, which streamlines the process for patients, he says. And our team meets weekly to get multi-disciplinary feedback on each patient case so that everyone is on the same page and next steps are expedited.Dr. Vitiello has published more than 30 research manuscripts and is working with other oncologists and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists to study the role of systemic immune and metabolic responses to cancer. "I really enjoy finding information to push the field forward. How can I improve the lives of my patients and everyone else too? Cancer therapy is dynamic, and we're always learning more."In addition to research, empowering his patients is what inspires Dr. Vitiello day to day. When someone learns they have cancer, their biggest fear is the loss of control. Feeling at the mercy of the disease and being overwhelmed with information is very stressful. In my first meeting with a patient, I focus on creating a clear and simple plan regarding next steps and things that they can control. He works with patients on holistic aspects of care such as diet and exercise, referring them to specialists if necessary. The idea is to get them in the best possible shape to fight the cancer and tolerate the treatment, he says. At the end of the day, my goal is to get to the post-operative conversation with good news. The thrill of saying, 'We did the right things and here's the proof', that's what really drives me.