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Monica Morrow, MD, FACS -- Chief, Breast Service, Department of Surgery; Anne Burnett Windfohr Chair of Clinical Oncology

Monica Morrow, MD, FACS

Breast Surgeon

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Benign and pre-cancerous breast conditions
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Dr. Morrow's Office Information
Languages: English
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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Chief, Breast Service, Department of Surgery
  • Anne Burnett Windfohr Chair of Clinical Oncology
Get To Know Me

I am a surgical oncologist with a practice dedicated to the care of people with breast cancer. I treat all types of the disease and most stages, except metastatic breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and lymph nodes.

My goal is to make sure that my patients and their loved ones understand their treatment options by taking the time to answer all their questions. I help them make informed decisions that will lead to the best possible outcomes. It’s important that they feel confident about their treatment plan and the devoted team of specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who will take care of them.

When patients first come to see me, they are often scared because they have been told they have a potentially life-threatening disease, or perhaps because they are afraid of being disfigured. Many newly diagnosed patients are also confused because there is so much information out there about breast cancer, some of which is incorrect, that it is hard for them to figure out what applies to them and what does not.

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I truly believe that knowledge is power, and it’s important to distinguish between what is scientific fact and what may be someone else’s personal experience. My goal is to provide people with the information they need to understand their disease and face the challenge of treatment. We also cannot know every treatment a person will need based only on a biopsy that shows breast cancer, so I explain that the treatment process unfolds step-by-step. I try to allay the sense of panic that often comes with diagnosis to allow people to be more comfortable as their treatment journey unfolds.

The way we treat breast cancer began to change dramatically during my training to become a surgical oncologist. It’s been wonderful to be able to offer patients improved, less radical surgical approaches. Breast cancer is a common disease that affects people of all ages and races and ethnicities. It runs the spectrum, from very aggressive to very slow-growing. Understanding how best to treat each individual and their cancer is a challenge that has kept me dedicated to clinical care and research throughout my career.

My research has focused on how to apply advances from clinical trials to daily surgical practice. I am currently investigating how treatment choices for breast cancer surgery are made — such as how well patients understand their options and when it is more beneficial for a person newly diagnosed with breast cancer to have chemotherapy before surgery to reduce the extent of the operation.

I have co-chaired two joint committees of the American College of Surgeons, American College of Radiology, and College of American Pathologists: Standards for Breast Conserving Therapy for Invasive Breast Cancer (2002), and Standards for Breast Conserving Therapy in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) (2007). I also co-chaired committees for the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) and American Society for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to develop standards for margins for lumpectomy in invasive breast cancer (2013) and DCIS (2015), and I have served as an Associate Editor of JAMA Oncology since 2014.

I am the surgical editor of the textbook Diseases of the Breast and a co-author of Breast Cancer for Dummies. I was the 2012–13 President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the professional organization for surgeons who specialize in cancer treatment.

My Role at MSK

A breast surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on breasts.

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Benign and pre-cancerous breast conditions
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Jefferson Medical College

Residencies

  • General Surgery - Medical Center Hospital of Vermont

Awards and Honors

  • Castle Connolly: Exceptional Women in Medicine (2024)
  • Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
  • Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
  • Exceptional Women in Medicine Award, Castle Connolly (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
  • Charles M. Balch Distinguished Service Award, Society of Surgical Oncology (2022)
  • Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2008-2021)
  • John Wayne Clinical Research Award, Society of Surgical Oncology (2019)
  • St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Award (2019)
  • Impact Award, Breast Cancer Society of Taiwan (2016)
  • Susan G. Komen Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Clinical Research (2016)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Vienna Breast Surgery Conference, University of Vienna (2015)
  • Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (2012)
  • Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow (2005)

Fellowships

  • General Surgical Oncology - Memorial Sloan Ketttering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Surgery

Insurance Information

Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA and NYC retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Anthem BCBS and other BCBS licensee plans

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

See updates

Anthem BCBS Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Anthem Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

See updates

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

See updates

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

See updates

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage (Medicare Choice PPO Network and VIP Prime Network Only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

See updates

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

Make an Appointment

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Current Patients
Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. Morrow sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center
300 East 66th Street Floors 1 - 4 New York NY 10065
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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. I work closely with nurse practitioner Jennifer Baranello and registered nurse Karen Crisol. We combine our expertise to provide comprehensive care to our patients at every step of their cancer journey.        

See all Breast Service doctors

See all Surgery doctors

Clinical Trials

Smiling doctors in the lab
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

Selected Books and Book Chapters

“Uncommon presentations of cancer affecting the breast.” Miller ME, Morrow M. In: A Companion to Specialist Surgical Practice Breast Surgery 6e. Dixon, JM, Barber MD, eds. Elsevier. 2019

“Surgical margins in breast-conserving surgery.” Mantani A, Corben AD, Morrow M. In: Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery, 2nd Edition. Urban C. Rietjens M, El-Tamer M, Sacchini VS, eds. Springer. New York, 2016.

“Mastectomy.” Morrow M, Golshan M..Chapter 34: In: Diseases of the Breast. 5th ed. Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne CK, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2014.

“Breast-conserving therapy.” Chapter 36: Morrow M, Harris JR. In: Diseases of the Breast. 5th ed. Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne K, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia. 2014.

“Malignant tumors of the breast.” Burstein MJ, Harris JR, Morrow M. In: Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 9th ed. Devita V, Lawrence T, Rosenberg S, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2011: 1392-1400.

“Breast cancer in the elderly.” Wiechmann L, Morrow M. In: Principles and Practice in Geriatric Surgery. 2nd ed. Rosenthal RA, Zenilman ME, Katlic MR, eds. NewYork: Springer; 2011: 479-92.

“DCIS and microinvasive carcinoma.” Morrow M, Harris JR. In: Diseases of the Breast. 4th ed. Harris, Lippman, Morrow, Osborne, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010: 349-62.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Morrow’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

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.

Monica Morrow discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

No disclosures meeting criteria for time period


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 [email protected].


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