Business & Tech

Two Additional Cancer Specialists Join Sloan-Kettering in Basking Ridge

Two specialists who also practice in Manhattan now also taking appointments in Basking Ridge.

The addition of surgical oncologist Sam Yoon, MD, and thoracic surgeon Robert Downey, MD, FACS at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's outpatient treatment center in Basking Ridge now offers area residents the opportunity to make pre- and post-surgical appointments in a location closer to home, the hospital announced last week.

The outpatient center in Basking Ridge allows New Jersey residents to see cancer surgery experts at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in their home state.

“We are pleased to offer our New Jersey residents more complete care in their local community,” Ephraim Casper, MD, Interim Medical Director for Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Regional Care Network, said in a news release. “In addition to surgery, which remains a primary treatment for many cancers, there is often a need for chemotherapy or radiation, follow-up care, and support services — all of which we offer at our Basking Ridge facility."

Patients now are able to meet with an entire care team; surgeon, medical oncologist, and radiation oncologist, all in one visit, Caspar said.

Drs. Yoon and Downey will be seeing patients in both Basking Ridge and Manhattan, where all surgeries are performed, the release said..

About Sam Yoon, MD

The release said Dr. Yoon is a surgical oncologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, melanomas, and sarcomas.

In addition, because of his surgical expertise, he often performs more general surgeries such as removing the colon and repairing hernias, the release said.

The physician is said touse minimally invasive and robotic techniques whenever feasible to perform colectomies, gastrectomies, small bowel resections, distal pancreatectomies, splenectomies, adrenalectomies, intra-abdominal node biopsies, and incisional hernia repairs, according to Sloan Kettering.

Dr. Yoon is the principal investigator of a translational research laboratory that examines the role of tumor blood vessels in controlling the growth, metastasis, and radiation response of gastroesophageal cancers and sarcomas, the release said. He has authored numerous articles on the outcomes of patients with various gastrointestinal cancers and sarcomas and has led several clinical trials examining new treatment strategies and biomarkers.

He received his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine and completed his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, the release said. Previously a surgical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Yoon was recruited back to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, where he completed his fellowship, in 2003 to join the Gastric and Mixed Tumor Service. 

About Robert Downey, MD, FACS

Dr. Downey is a thoracic surgeon specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the chest cavity, according to Sloan Kettering.

He treats patients with lung cancer, cancers that have spread to the lung from other sites, or tumors that arise from structures in the chest other than the lung, such as the thymus gland or the chest wall, the release said. His focus in treating lung cancer includes mediastinal tumors, mesothelioma, pulmonary metastases, pulmonary and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and tracheobronchial and esophageal stents.

Outside of the operating room, Dr. Downey focuses on administering Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Surgical Advanced Care Unit, which provides a heightened level of postoperative monitoring and care for patients who either have undergone extensive operations, or who present with significant debilities prior to surgery, according to Sloan-Kettering.

Dr. Downey also conducts research to investigate whether adult cancers arise from the stem cells that all adults have in their bodies. He received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. He has been with Memorial Sloan-Kettering since 1995.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Basking Ridge provides the same care that Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York provides, while minimizing the need to travel to Manhattan, according to the hospital. A broad spectrum of services for adults with cancer are offered, including screening, diagnostics, chemotherapy, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and supportive care. For more information or to make an appointment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Basking Ridge, please call 908-542-3000 or visit www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/suburban-outpatient/mskcc-basking-ridge


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