Avi Leader, MD
We post reviews for MSK healthcare providers who have at least 30 patient experience surveys completed. If you do not see reviews for a provider, it may be because they do not yet have enough survey responses, or the provider may not be part of the group of healthcare providers included in the survey.
Only outpatient providers are included in the survey. Healthcare providers who only work in the hospital or in urgent care are not included in the survey. Pathologists or researchers who do not provide direct care to patients do not have reviews.
Areas of Expertise
Conditions I Treat
- Blood disorders and hemoglobinopathies
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary embolism
My Specialties
- Hematology
- Managing symptoms of cancer treatment
- Anticoagulation
Get to Know Me
I am a hematologist specializing in the evaluation and treatment of benign (non-cancerous) blood disorders. This includes:
- Abnormalities in blood counts such as anemia and platelets (low or elevated counts)
- Bleeding disorders, and
- The prevention and treatment of blood clots, among other disorders
These abnormalities and disorders are especially common among people with cancer. Sometimes they are pre-existing; in other cases, they are a result of cancer and its treatment. Although they are not malignant (cancerous), these conditions may impact the cancer journey and even prognosis. For example, abnormal blood counts may prevent patients from receiving life-saving cancer therapy, including surgery.
I often care for people with cancer who have a blood clot in their lungs and/or legs. Blood clots can be life-threatening if they are not appropriately treated with blood thinners and may reduce a patient’s quality of life. Because blood clots occur frequently in patients with cancer, some patients can benefit from low-dose blood thinners to prevent clots from happening in the first place.
While I have vast experience in treating people without cancer, I have special expertise in managing these conditions in patients with cancer. My job is to make sure that the blood disorders that cancer and its treatment can cause don’t impact a person’s cancer care or quality of life. This allows our patients and their world-leading providers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to focus on curing cancer.
When I meet with patients, I not only try to put myself in their shoes, but also try to understand their unique values and preferences. I am a strong believer in shared decision-making. This means that in addition to providing my professional opinion, I take the time to explain the disorder and the pros and cons of all the therapeutic options. This enables us to make a shared decision regarding the treatment path that best fits the patient.
In addition to caring for patients with benign blood disorders, I study the treatment of clots in people with cancer who are at high risk of bleeding from blood thinners, such as patients with brain cancer and low platelet counts. I have led and published multinational studies in this field. I am also developing a strategy to prevent blood clots in certain types of blood cancers. I currently serve as a Co-Chair of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Inc.’s (ISTH) subcommittee on hemostasis and thrombosis. Through research and leadership in professional organizations dedicated to thrombosis, I hope to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer-associated thrombosis.
When I am not working, I can be found watching my favorite English football team on TV and spending time with my family exploring the parks and streets of the city. Yoga is also an important part of my lifestyle, giving me balance, focus, and energy.
I'm a hematologist (HEE-muh-TAH-loh-jist), which is a doctor with special training in blood disorders.
- Assistant Attending Physician
Conditions I Treat
- Blood disorders and hemoglobinopathies
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary embolism
- Anemia and cancer
- Blood clots and cancer
- Thrombocytopenia and other bleeding disorders
- Pulmonary conditions
- Complications of cancer
- Quality of life
My Specialties
- Hematology
- Managing symptoms of cancer treatment
- Anticoagulation
Education
- MD, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School
Residencies
- Internal Medicine, Meir Medical Center (Tel Aviv University)
Fellowships
- Hematology, Rabin Medical Center (Tel Aviv University)
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.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
HMO
City Employee Health Plans (Gold and Gold Care)
In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental
In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
TBD
In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
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
Contact and Location
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.
Clinical Trials
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 trialsResearch and Publications
Soff G, Leader A, Al-Samkari H, Falanga A, Maraveyas A, Sanfilippo K, Wang TF, Zwicker J. Management of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia: guidance from the ISTH Subcommittee on Hemostasis and Malignancy. J Thromb Haemost. 2023 Oct 11:S1538-7836(23)00734-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jtha.2023.09.031. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37827380.
Leader A, Mendelson Cohen N, Afek S, Jaschek R, Frajman A, Itzhaki Ben Zadok O, Raanani P, Lishner M, Spectre G. Arterial Thromboembolism in Patients With AF and CHA2DS2-VASc Score 0-2 With and Without Cancer. JACC CardioOncol. 2023 Jan 17;5(2):174-185. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccao.2022.08.014. PMID: 37144112; PMCID: PMC10152191.
Falanga A, Leader A, Ambaglio C, Bagoly Z, Castaman G, Elalamy I, Lecumberri R, Niessner A, Pabinger I, Szmit S, Trinchero A, Ten Cate H, Rocca B. EHA Guidelines on Management of Antithrombotic Treatments in Thrombocytopenic Patients With Cancer. Hemasphere. 2022 Jul 13;6(8):e750. doi: 10.1097/HS9.0000000000000750. PMID: 35924068; PMCID: PMC9281983.
Leader A, Dagan N, Barda N, Goldberg I, Raanani P, Spectre G, Balicer R, Gafter-Gvili A. Previously undiagnosed cancer in patients with arterial thrombotic events - A population-based cohort study. J Thromb Haemost. 2022 Mar;20(3):635-647. doi: 10.1111/jth.15600. Epub 2021 Dec 8. PMID: 34818468.
Leader A, Hamulyák EN, Carney BJ, Avrahami M, Knip JJ, Rozenblatt S, Beenen LFM, Yust-Katz S, Icht O, Coppens M, Raanani P, Middeldorp S, Büller HR, Zwicker JI, Spectre G. Intracranial hemorrhage with direct oral anticoagulants in patients with brain metastases. Blood Adv. 2020 Dec 22;4(24):6291-6297. doi: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003238. PMID: 33351124; PMCID: PMC7756985.
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Leader’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 PubMedPatient Reviews
Your trust is our main concern
We strive to keep reviews trustworthy, honest and fair. Learn more about our patient experience reviews.
Disclosures
Members of the MSK Community 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. These activities outside of MSK further our mission, provide productive collaborations, and promote the practical application of scientific discoveries.
MSK requires doctors, faculty members, and leaders 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. Not all disclosed interests and relationships present conflicts of interest. MSK reviews all disclosed interests and relationships to assess whether a conflict of interest exists and whether formal COI management is needed.
Avi Leader discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
-
Pfizer, Inc.
Professional Services and Activities
-
UptoDate
Intellectual Property Rights
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, 2024 through disclosure submission in spring 2025). 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].