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Michael A. Postow, MD

Michael A. Postow, MD

Melanoma Oncologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Melanoma
  • Clinical Trials of New Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Therapeutic Agents
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Dr. Postow's Office Information
Languages: English

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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Chief, Melanoma Service
  • Co-Director, Melanoma Disease Management Team
Get To Know Me

I am the Chief of the Melanoma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where my practice is devoted solely to the care of people with melanoma. It is my privilege to lead an outstanding group of medical oncologists, nurses, and researchers with world-leading expertise in the treatment and management of melanoma.

Many FDA-approved therapies for patients with melanoma were developed by our team, including the combination of nivolumab (Opdivo®) and ipilimumab (Yervoy®). The regimen has since been recognized as a major scientific advance in melanoma by The American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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Our service not only takes great pride in offering our patients the latest and best interventions available, but also in affording access to drugs in development when standard approaches might not be helping. People with melanoma have more therapeutic opportunities than ever before, and I believe that we as a field can do even better. To that end, I have spent my professional life working with oncologists from around the world to expand the portfolio of melanoma treatments, and I am glad to provide fellow doctors with advice when they reach out to me with questions on the optimal approaches or how to manage side effects.

As a board-certified medical oncologist, I spend most of my time with patients. Creating close, trusting relationships with patients and their families as we craft treatment plans tailored to their unique needs is one of the most gratifying aspects of my work. I appreciate that a diagnosis of melanoma can understandably make one feel nervous, and I believe that it is critical to take care of the whole person and their support network in a friendly and personal way. I look forward to caring for you and your loved ones as if you are one of my family members.

In my free time, I enjoy skiing, hiking, and trying to keep up with my toddlers and triathlete wife.

My Role at MSK

A melanoma oncologist is a cancer doctor with special training in melanoma. This includes superficial spreading, nodular, lentigo maligna, and acral lentiginous melanomas, as well as eye, mucosal, and rare skin melanomas.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Melanoma
  • Clinical Trials of New Immunotherapeutic and Targeted Therapeutic Agents
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, New York University School of Medicine

Residencies

  • Internal Medicine - Harvard University/Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Awards and Honors

  • Solid Tumor Teacher of the Year Award, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2022, 2019)
  • Best Teaching Service Award (Melanoma, 2022)
  • 40 Under 40 in Cancer Award, The Lynx Group (2020)
  • Julia Zelmanovich Young Alumni Award, New York University Grossman School of Medicine

Fellowships

  • Medical Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Medical Oncology - Weill Cornell Medical College

Board Certifications

  • Internal Medicine
  • Medical Oncology

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 retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.

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

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

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

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

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

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

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

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

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

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

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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New Patients

Scheduling an appointment is easy. Click or call 646-497-9067— we’re available Monday through Friday, to (Eastern time)
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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. Postow 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 Melanoma Service doctors

Clinical Trials

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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

Postow MA, Goldman DA, Shoushtari AN, Betof Warner A, Callahan MK, Momtaz P, Smithy JW, Naito E, Cugliari MK, Raber V, Eton O, Nair SG, Panageas KS, Wolchok JD, Chapman PB. Adaptive Dosing of Nivolumab + Ipilimumab Immunotherapy Based Upon Early, Interim Radiographic Assessment in Advanced Melanoma (The ADAPT-IT Study). J Clin Oncol. 2022 Apr 1;40(10):1059-1067. doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.01570. Epub 2021 Dec 20. PMID: 34928709; PMCID: PMC8966970.

Postow MA, Knox SJ, Goldman DA, Elhanati Y, Mavinkurve V, Wong P, Halpenny D, Reddy SK, Vado K, McCabe D, Ramirez KA, Macri M, Schwarzenberger P, Ricciardi T, Ryan A, Venhaus R, Momtaz P, Shoushtari AN, Callahan MK, Chapman PB, Wolchok JD, Subrahmanyam PB, Maecker HT, Panageas KS, Barker CA. A Prospective, Phase 1 Trial of Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, and Radiotherapy in Patients with Advanced Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2020 Jul 1;26(13):3193-3201. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-3936. Epub 2020 Mar 23. PMID: 32205463; PMCID: PMC7959513.

Postow MA, Sidlow R, Hellmann MD. Immune-Related Adverse Events Associated with Immune Checkpoint Blockade. N Engl J Med. 2018 Jan 11;378(2):158-168. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1703481. PMID: 29320654.

Postow MA, Chesney J, Pavlick AC, Robert C, Grossmann K, McDermott D, Linette GP, Meyer N, Giguere JK, Agarwala SS, Shaheen M, Ernstoff MS, Minor D, Salama AK, Taylor M, Ott PA, Rollin LM, Horak C, Gagnier P, Wolchok JD, Hodi FS. Nivolumab and ipilimumab versus ipilimumab in untreated melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2015 May 21;372(21):2006-17. doi: 10. PMID: 25891304

Pocket Oncology. Drilon AE, Postow MA eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014.

Publications on PubMed

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

Michael A. Postow discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Cancer Expert Now, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Chugai Pharmaceuticals
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Intellisphere, LLC
    Professional Services and Activities
  • MJH Associates
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Merck & Co Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Nektar Therapeutics
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Pfizer, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Physicians' Education Resource
    Professional Services and Activities
  • UptoDate
    Intellectual Property Rights
  • WebMD
    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 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, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). 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].


View all disclosures

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