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Leonard Saltz, MD -- Chief,, Gastrointestinal Oncology Service; Head, Colorectal Oncology Section

Leonard Saltz, MD

Gastrointestinal Medical Oncologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Colon cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Gastrointestinal cancers and conditions
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Dr. Saltz's Office Information
Languages: English
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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Executive Director for Clinical Value & Sustainability
  • Head, Colorectal Oncology Section
Get To Know Me

I have been on the faculty of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center since 1989, and over the years, I have treated thousands of people with common as well as rare gastrointestinal cancers.

I have expertise in managing cancers of the colon and rectum, as well as rare tumors of the digestive tract such as carcinoid and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and other digestive tract cancers such as liver, pancreas, stomach, and esophagus cancers. I also treat other neuroendocrine tumors such as adrenal cancers and pheochromocytomas.

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Much of my career has also been dedicated to developing new drug therapies and treatment strategies for colorectal cancer, and I have tapped the vast resources of Memorial Sloan Kettering — from various clinical departments to the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, the Sloan Kettering Institute, and The Rockefeller University — to create an integrated translational research program.

I served as Chief of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Service for 5 years. I am Chair of the hospital’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and co-leader of the Colorectal Disease Management Team. I am also a Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Nationally, I serve on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Rectal and Anal Cancer Task Force and am co-leader of the Alliance NCI Cooperative Research Group efforts in colon and rectal cancers. I also serve on three National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines committees: colorectal cancers, neuroendocrine cancers, and unknown primary cancers.

Since 1990 I have authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles on the development of new treatments for colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers. I have also written numerous books, book chapters, monographs, and reviews on current and future treatment strategies for these diseases.

I am honored to have received various teaching and research awards over the years, as well as recognition for my work from such organizations as the American Cancer Society (Career Development Award) and Gilda’s Club (Advancement of Cancer Medicine Award).

My Role at MSK

A gastrointestinal (GAS-troh-in-TES-tih-nul) medical oncologist is a cancer doctor who specializes in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. This includes anal, colorectal, esophageal, gastric (stomach), liver, and pancreatic cancers, as well as GI stromal tumors and neuroendocrine tumors.

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Colon cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Gastrointestinal cancers and conditions
  • Neuroendocrine tumors
  • Liver cancer and conditions
  • Pancreatic cancer and conditions
  • Stomach (gastric) cancer
  • Esophageal cancers and conditions
  • Cancer of unknown primary origin (CUP)
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Yale University

Residencies

  • Internal Medicine - New York Hospital

Awards and Honors

  • 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 (2005-2008, 2011-2020)

Fellowships

  • Hematology/Oncology - New York Hospital/Cornell University Medical Center

Board Certifications

  • Internal Medicine
  • Medical Oncology
  • Hematology

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. Saltz sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
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 Gastrointestinal Oncology Service doctors

Clinical Trials

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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

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Saltz’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.

Leonard Saltz discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Optimal Cancer Care Alliance (OCCA)
    Fiduciary Role / Position

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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