Behfar Ehdaie, MD, MPH

Throughout my career, I have been dedicated to improving the use of technology and surgical skill to achieve the best outcomes for every patient. I am committed to serving my patients and their families and am focused on reducing the side effects of treatment.

Patients often want to know how soon they should have their cancer treated. In many cases prostate cancer is not fast growing or aggressive. This provides us with an opportunity to guide patients to make a decision at their pace. No one should ever feel pressured to make a decision. My goal is to partner with you and your family to help you choose the best care plan that aligns with your needs, values, and goals.

No single treatment strategy is right for everybody and it should be based on the specifics of your cancer. If surgery is your choice, we help prepare you physically and mentally to achieve the best outcomes. You can take some time to get your life and work in order, exercise and lose weight, and get support without rushing into surgery. We will guide and support you before, during, and after treatment.

Like my clinical practice, my research is focused on achieving cures while preserving quality of life. I pioneered a new treatment called focal therapy that destroys small tumors inside the prostate and spares healthy prostate tissue. I led the landmark clinical trial that reported the benefits and risks of focal therapy as a viable treatment option for men with less-advanced prostate cancer or tumors that are present inside the prostate gland. This targeted technology precisely treats only those areas containing prostate cancer cells without surgical incisions or radiation therapy. This allows us to deliver a treatment that reduces side effects, such as incontinence or erectile dysfunction.

At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), we are fortunate to have access to multiple advanced technologies, giving patients a range of options. These include focal therapy using high intensity frequency ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, and irreversible electroporation (IRE).

My work also focuses on eliminating side effects from overtreatment of men with prostate cancer that is at low risk of spreading to other parts of the body. I lead one of the largest active surveillance programs in the world. Our dedicated team of advanced practice providers (APPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) closely observes men with disease that is at low-risk of spreading to other parts of the body. This allows patients to delay treatment until we detect changes in their cancer that signal therapy is needed. We are also studying the use of specialized blood tests and advanced imaging to monitor men with prostate cancer, which could reduce the burden of prostate biopsies.

I am an internationally recognized authority on prostate cancer and lead courses in the U.S. designed to teach physicians minimally-invasive techniques to treat prostate cancer. I enjoy my role as an educator and have accepted invitations as a visiting professor at academic medical centers and professional societies in the U.S. and around the world. In addition, I am a member of national committees that shape guidelines for the treatment of men with prostate cancer.

I’ve published more than 150 peer-reviewed studies. I also serve on the editorial boards or am a reviewer for prestigious journals, such as The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Urology, European Urology, the Annals of Surgical Oncology, Cancer, and the British Journal of Urology International.

I have always liked using my hands to do things like build model ships and cars and learn new technology. My interest in surgery grew from there. It has developed into what has become a fulfilling career in which I use my hands to care for people with cancer. 

Outside of work, I love being a dad and keeping up with my two young boys. I also enjoy reading books on philosophy and spending as much time as possible outdoors.