Memorial Sloan Kettering surgeon Julio Garcia-Aguilar

Julio Garcia-Aguilar, MD, PhD

Colorectal Surgeon

4.9 | 373 reviews

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

Colon cancer
Rectal cancer

My Specialties

Minimally invasive surgery
Laparoscopic surgery
Robotic surgery

View all

Request an Appointment

Our Care Advisors can answer many of your questions. They will connect you with the best healthcare provider for your needs.

English

Get to Know Me

I have dedicated my career to the surgical care of people with colon and rectal cancer, and am an expert in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic techniques for performing these surgeries.

In addition to having treated thousands of patients over the years, I have a keen interest in research, particularly in examining ways to improve outcomes for peoples with colon and rectal cancers. I have led National Cancer Institute–sponsored studies aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with rectal cancer by performing smaller operations and identifying individuals who might avoid surgery altogether through sufficient elimination of tumors with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

I am also interested in identifying biomarkers that could predict rectal cancer response to radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and in examining racial disparities in outcomes for people with colorectal cancer.

I joined Memorial Sloan Kettering as Chief of the Colorectal Service in 2012, after serving in leadership positions at various institutions, including as chair of the Department of Surgery at the City of Hope in California and chief of the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center.

Over the course of my career, I have contributed to the wider medical knowledge of these cancers, having published more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, abstracts, editorials, and reviews. I have penned chapters for a spectrum of textbooks on surgical therapy for the myriad manifestations of colorectal disease, and also wrote a book for a patient audience titled Fast Facts – Colorectal Cancer (Health Press, 2010).

I have served as associate editor for such publications as Annals of Surgical Oncology, as co-editor of Diseases of the Colon and Rectum, and as an ad-hoc reviewer on a spectrum of journals including the Lancet Oncology and the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

I have lectured extensively on the advances in colorectal surgery both nationally and around the world, from grand rounds at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to the Harvard Medical School Postgraduate Course in General Surgery. My participation in continuing medical education courses extends back to the mid-1990s, when I served as a lecturer on the principles of colon and rectal surgery at the University of Minnesota.

Outside of my clinical responsibilities, I am proud to have received various honorary memberships from professional societies over the years, and am a long-time member of the Research Foundation of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. I have served as president of the organization since 2010.

I left my native country of Spain in 1985, after earning my medical degree and completing my surgery residency at the Complutense University in Madrid. I completed my training in general surgery at Harvard University’s Beth Israel Hospital and did a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School. I also did a clinical fellowship in colorectal surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

What I Do at MSK

A colorectal (KOH-loh-REK-tul) surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the colon and rectum.

Chief, Colorectal Service
Benno C. Schmidt Chair in Surgical Oncology

Conditions I Treat

Colon cancer
Rectal cancer

My Specialties

Minimally invasive surgery
Laparoscopic surgery
Robotic surgery
Biomarker testing

Education

MD, Universidad Complutense

Residencies

General Surgery - Beth Israel Hospital

Fellowships

Colon & Rectal Surgery - University of Minnesota

Board Certifications

General Surgery
Colon and Rectal Surgery

Awards and Honors

Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2025)
Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctors (2023)
Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2015-2020)

Insurance Information

Make an Appointment

New Patients

Scheduling an appointment is easy. Click or call 646-497-9065— we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Make an Appointment

Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging in to MSK MyChart or calling your Care Team. If you are not enrolled in MSK MyChart, ask your Care Team to send you an invitation. You can also go to MSK MyChart and select “Sign up now.”

Contact and Location

Dr. Garcia-Aguilar sees patients at one location.

Office Phone

212-639-5117

Location

New York, NY

Rockefeller Outpatient Pavilion

160 East 53rd Street New York NY 10022

Get Directions

Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.

Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

See all Co-Directors doctors

See all Surgery doctors

See all Colorectal Service doctors

Clinical Trials

Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

Search clinical trials

Research and Publications

Books
Fast Facts: Colorectal Cancer. 3rd ed. Taylor I, Garcia-Aguilar J, Ward R, eds. Oxford, UK: Health Press; 2010.

Book Chapters
“Local treatment of rectal cancer.” Rothenberger DA, Garcia-Aguilar J. In: Current Therapy of Colorectal Disease. Fazio V, Church J, eds. Philadelphia: Mosby; 2001.

“Tecnicas de anastomosis en cirugia colorectal.” Garcia-Aguilar J, Hernandez de Anda E. In: Colon, Recto y Ano: Enfermedades Medico Quirurgicas. Takahashi T, ed. Mexico: ETM Editores; 2002: 631-639.

“Management of cancer in a polyp.” Rothenberger DA, Garcia-Aguilar J. Colorectal Cancer: Multimodality Management. Saltz L, ed. New York: Humana Press; 2002.

“Poliposis y cancer colorectal.” Garcia-Aguilar J, Guerrero V. In: Cirugía AEC: manual de la Asociación Española de Cirjuanos/directores. Parrilla Paricio P, Jaurrieta Mas E, Moreno Azcoita M, eds. Madrid: Medica Panamericana; 2004.

“Managing anismus.” Garcia-Aguilar J, Rhoads K. In: Complex Anorectal Disorders: Investigations and Management. Zbar AP, Pescator M, Wexner SD, eds. London: Springer-Verlag; 2006.

“Rectal cancer: local treatment.” Rothenberger D, Garcia-Aguilar J. In: Current Therapy for Colon and Rectal Cancer. Philadelphia: Mosby; 2006.

“Surgical treatment of rectal cancer.” Bleday R, Garcia-Aguila J. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Textbook of Colon and Rectal Surgery. Wolf BG, Fleshman JW, Beck DE, Pemberton JH, Wexner SD, eds. New York: Springer; 2006: 413-436.

“Radical resections versus local excision for early rectal cancer.” Garcia-Aguilar J. ACS Surgery: Principles and Practice. 6th ed. New York: WebMD; 2008.

“Clinical trials.” Rhoads K, Garcia-Aguilar J. In: Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery: Principles and Practice. Cataldo P, Buess G, eds. New York: Springer; 2008.

“Partial sacrectomy.” Ho J, Garcia-Aguilar J. In: Essential Techniques in Operative Neurosurgery. Jandial R, McCormick P, Black P, eds. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2010.

“Partial sacrectomy.” Chen M, Garcia-Aguilar J. In: Maingot’s Abdominal Operations. 12th ed. Jandial R, McCormick PC, Black PM, eds. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2013.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Garcia-Aguilar’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Patient Reviews

Your trust is our main concern

We strive to keep reviews trustworthy, honest and fair. Learn more about our patient experience reviews.

4.9 373 reviews

4.8 Provider's Explanations Easy to Understand
4.9 Trusts Provider with Care
4.9 Provider Listened Carefully
4.9 Likelihood of Recommending Provider

Mar 17, 2025

Dr Garcia is magnificent. He is caring and knowledgeable But it was a horrible nightmare where I had my mri

Mar 17, 2025

Dr Agular is absolutely the best. Not only is he an excellent surgeon, he is a kind, warm man. I can't say enough about how wonderful I feel about him. I am very fortunate to have to have him come into my life! His staff is always the best too! Beatrice his would nurse took great care of me during my visit And she was exceptional too! I feel very lucky to have been treated at MSK! It is truly a wonderful place!

Mar 12, 2025

I know I am in good hands and very grateful for the opportunity to work with this team. Thank you

Mar 12, 2025

I was treated with respect and a lot of love from you guys. Definitely I highly recommend it and I'm very, very happy with Mr. Julio Garcia-Aguilar and also with all the staff in the hospital. They really make you feel very comfortable and all of them are very nice and very, very friendly and very, very helpful. I give you 20 stars, not even five, 20. You guys are the best.

Mar 10, 2025

Connivence of meeting

View more +

Ratings and Comments Powered by NRC Health

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Julio Garcia-Aguilar discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

Intuitive Surgical Inc.
Equity; Professional Services and Activities

If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at ecoi@mskcc.org.

View all disclosures