Radiation oncology is often a key component in the fight against cancer. Radiation therapy targets malignant cells with controlled doses of high-energy radiation, destroying cancer or slowing its growth without harming healthy nearby cells.
Radiation therapy may be administered from an external machine or by placing radioactive material inside the body near the cancer cells.
Why Choose Us
Why Choose UsThe radiation oncology teams at our two top-tier cancer centers, the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center of New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Weill Cornell Medicine Meyer Cancer Center, have formed a dynamic partnership to bring patients the highest quality, most compassionate and personalized care. These exceptional physician-scientists are advancing the field with groundbreaking research on the benefits of radiation treatment for cancer with approaches that regard the unique genetics of a patient's tumor and spare as much nearby tissue as possible.
Your multidisciplinary care team creates a comprehensive care plan tailored to your unique disease and genetic profile. From the very first screening through recovery, our goal is to provide you with the safest and most effective therapy, delivered quickly to cure your cancer and maximize your quality of life.
Our Cutting-Edge Radiation Oncology Technology
Our TechnologyAt NewYork-Presbyterian, we are continually committed to incorporating the latest evidence-based radiation treatment technologies into your care. Many of our doctors are international leaders on the advancement of these technologies to improve your treatment outcomes. We offer:
Cancers We Treat
Cancers We TreatAll of our radiation oncologists specialize in a particular disease site, such as:
Our Approach to Care
Our Approach to CareAt NewYork-Presbyterian, our radiation oncology centers are experienced in providing radiation therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.
Multidisciplinary care
At NewYork-Presbyterian, our radiation oncologists work closely with internationally recognized researchers and clinicians to bring together the best approaches for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of many types of cancer, all in one hospital.
Experts in surgery, hematology, medical oncology, neuro-oncology, urological oncology, radiation therapy, pathology, nursing, social work and psychology strive to meet the needs of each patient to create a personalized treatment plan. We collaborate on multidisciplinary tumor boards for every disease site, enabling us to pool our expertise and customize your care to your personal needs.
Radiotherapy is often combined with other cancer treatments. We offer a full range of treatment options for various forms of cancer, including:
- Radiation therapy - Our radiation oncologists have advanced training in adult and pediatric cancer care.
- Chemotherapy - Often combined with radiation therapy, chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. It can be administered by an IV drip or in pill form.
- Surgery - Our goal is to use minimally invasive surgery for faster recovery times and to preserve your quality of life.
- Stem cell and bone marrow transplantation - For adults, teens, and children with cancerous blood disorders such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, sick cell anemia, and more.
- Targeted medical therapy - Aims directly at cancer cell proteins, interfering with their ability to grow, divide, and spread.
- Immunotherapy - Utilizing specialized medicines, immunotherapy can empower your own immune system to fight and destroy cancer cells.
- Focused ultrasound - Columbia has clinical trials that use focused ultrasound to open up the natural barrier in the brain to let the chemotherapy better penetrate and work with the radiation to improve outcomes for adult and pediatric brain cancers.
Whole person care during radiation therapy treatment
The goal at NewYork-Presbyterian is to treat the whole individual, not just the cancer. We'll create a treatment plan specific to your unique disease and genetic profile. In addition to our radiation oncologists, multidisciplinary care, and tumor boards, our compassionate nurses, patient navigators, and staff are here to support your mind, body, and spirit.
Radiation therapy can last for weeks. Your cancer care team will work to make the experience as comfortable as possible. If necessary, we can connect you with other experts—dietitians, physical therapists, and speech pathologists to help manage radiation oncology side effects. For children, Child Life specialists are also available.
Comprehensive patient support services
Our patient support services go beyond radiation treatments. During your recovery and remission, we offer psychological counseling, support groups, pain management tips, and medical advice on healthy habits, exercise, and nutrition.
We offer patient web portals offering easy access to test results, appointments, and follow-up care.
Convenient radiation treatment closer to home
In addition to NewYork-Presbyterian locations in Manhattan, our doctors also treat patients at NewYork-Presbyterian locations in Queens, Brooklyn, and Westchester. We have an integrated system for reviewing each case as one team to offer world-class radiation care locations closer to home.
Latest Research
Latest ResearchNewYork-Presbyterian is propelling the radiation oncology field forward by researching the latest treatments. Our latest investigations include:
- FLASH radiotherapy - An ultra-high dose of radiation is delivered a thousand times quicker than conventional radiotherapy. Columbia is one of the few centers with a FLASH radiotherapy machine and partners with Cornell on research to advance this field.
- Radiation therapy and immunotherapy - A promising combination of treatment in which localized radiation is used on a tumor to stimulate an immune attack against itself and other metastases.
- Stereotactic MR-guided online adaptive radiation therapy (SMART) - A new, non-invasive treatment for oligometastatic disease, a type of metastasis where cancer has spread to 1 to 5 additional sites throughout the body.
- Ethos™ Adaptive Radiation Linear Accelerator - This new technology leverages artificial intelligence to provide adaptive radiation treatments in less than 30 minutes per treatment for cancers of the anus, bladder, cervix, head and nexk, endometrium, esophagus, pancreas, prostate and rectum.
- Focused ultrasound-Columbia has clinical trials that use focused ultrasound to open up the natural barrier in the brain to let the chemotherapy better penetrate and work with the radiation to improve outcomes for adult and pediatric brain cancers.
- Clinical trials - Our radiation oncologists conduct clinical trials to further our understanding of rapidly developing radiation technologies and treatment approaches for cancers in children and adults. Your cancer team will assess if you qualify for innovative cancer treatment.
Awards & Recognition
Dr. Lisa Kachnic, Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Chu H. Chang Professor at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and radiation oncologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, is the past president of the American Board of Radiology, the American Board of Medical Specialties governing organization of all board-certified radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists in the United States. She is the director of the National Cancer Institute’s Community Oncology Research Program at HICCC and is an international leader in radiation care for patients with anal and rectal cancer.
Dr. Sally Amundson, Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a senior scientist in the Department's Center for Radiological Research, is the current president of the Radiation Research Society, the largest and oldest Radiation Research Society, worldwide.
The Center for Radiological Research has been awarded a five year $27M grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate biomarkers of prior radiation exposure, as well as a $2.5M equipment grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for a charged-particle accelerator booster, to study a new approach for treating brain tumors and pancreatic tumors with heavy charged particles. Following on from this award, the CRR has been awarded two further NCI grants totaling $4.5M to perform pre-clinical studies with this new machine.
The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medicine Meyer Cancer Center in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian are both recognized with accreditation by the American College of Radiology (ACR), which provides a third-party, impartial peer review and evaluation of patient care.
Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Radiation Oncology Care
At NewYork-Presbyterian, we offer unparalleled resources for superior cancer patient care. Our radiation oncologists closely collaborate in multidisciplinary teams to create the safest and most effective treatment plan for your cancer. Combined with NewYork-Presbyterian's comprehensive patient support services, you receive superior care that meets your individualized needs and your lifestyle. If you or a loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, don't hesitate to reach out to us.