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David Paul Kelsen, MD -- Edward S. Gordon Chair in Medical Oncology

David Paul Kelsen, MD

Gastrointestinal Medical Oncologist

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Colorectal, Esophageal, Gallbladder, Pancreatic, and Other Gastrointestinal Cancers
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Unknown Primary Tumors
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Dr. Kelsen's Office Information
Languages: English
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About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Edward S. Gordon Chair in Medical Oncology
Get To Know Me

I am a board-certified medical oncologist with clinical and research interests in the field of gastrointestinal malignancies. My clinical practice includes care of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, neuroendocrine tumors, and cancers of unknown primary site.

I am an attending physician on the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service, which I was privileged to lead as Chief from 1991 to 2011. I also serve on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Research Council, which oversees our clinical research portfolio, among other committees.

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My research is focused on upper gastrointestinal cancers, particularly pancreatic and gastroesophageal cancers. Our group’s clinical and translational studies are designed to develop a better understanding of the driving factors in the development of these malignancies, particularly on the genomic level. Our research suggests that gastroesophageal and pancreas cancers are not one disease and that by characterizing the different subtypes, we will be able to develop better prevention, early diagnosis, staging, and treatment strategies. For example, I lead our registry to study inherited BRCA mutation-related pancreas cancer. Our translational research includes projects aimed at the identification of new biomarkers, based on molecular profiling of the different subtypes, which could help in choosing the specific treatment for individual patients. I have been the Principal Investigator of national phase II and III clinical trials. My research has been supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the Lustgarten Foundation.

Nationally, I have served as a member of the Oncology Drug Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration, the GI Committee of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group, and the Investigational Drugs Steering Committee of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program of the National Cancer Institute. I am currently the co-chair of the Clinical Trials subcommittee of the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

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

My Specialties

  • Colorectal, Esophageal, Gallbladder, Pancreatic, and Other Gastrointestinal Cancers
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors
  • Unknown Primary Tumors
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Hahnemann University School of Medicine

Residencies

  • Temple University 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)

Fellowships

  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

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 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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New Patients
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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. Kelsen sees patients at two locations.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Montvale, NJ
Rockefeller Outpatient Pavilion
160 East 53rd Street New York NY 10022
Get Directions
Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen
225 Summit Avenue Montvale NJ 07645
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. Kelsen’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.

David Paul Kelsen discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • AbbVie
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Acrotech Biopharma
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Aummune
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Blueprint Medicines
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Daiichi Sankyo
    Professional Services and Activities
  • GlaxoSmithKline
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Guardant Health, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Incyte
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Merck Sharp & Dohme
    Professional Services and Activities
  • NeoTX Therapeutics Ltd.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Oncopeptides AB
    Professional Services and Activities
  • TG Therapeutics, Inc
    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 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].


View all disclosures