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Memorial Sloan Kettering pediatric oncologist Filemon Dela Cruz

Filemon Dela Cruz, MD

Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Pediatric cancers
  • Pediatric sarcomas
  • Pediatric Ewing sarcoma

My Specialties

  • Pediatric cancer care
  • Clinical trials
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Dr. Dela Cruz's Office Information
Languages: English
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Get to Know Me

I am a pediatric oncologist who cares for children with sarcomas, including Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and desmoplastic small round cell tumors.

I am also actively involved in the Pediatric Translational Medicine Program we are developing at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Through this program, we use new technologies to gather information about the biology and genetics of each patient’s tumor. That information helps guide treatment decisions, and we can use it to create new treatments that specifically target an individual’s cancer. Our goal is not only to cure more children, teens, and young adults but to improve our patients’ quality of life by reducing the side effects that traditional treatments can cause.  

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I work with research groups at MSK and others across the nation (through the Children’s Oncology Group) to develop and use laboratory models to learn more about the biology of various cancers. These models are genetic replicas of a patient’s tumor. They allow us to identify and test new treatments without having to involve the patient. I am also involved in leading clinical trials of new treatments for cancer, particularly pediatric sarcomas.

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer can create an unimaginably difficult journey for children, teens, and young adults, as well as their parents and caregivers. I continue to be inspired by the relationships among these families as they face these challenges together. It is my job to make sure they know that we are here to guide them through treatment, and that we will provide world-class care to achieve the best possible outcome. 

What I Do at MSK

A pediatric hematologist-oncologist is a doctor who treats cancers and blood diseases in children, adolescents and young adults.

  • Assistant Attending Pediatrician
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Pediatric cancers
  • Pediatric sarcomas
  • Pediatric Ewing sarcoma
  • Pediatric rhabdomyosarcomas
  • Desmoplastic round cell tumors
  • Pediatric Ewing sarcoma

My Specialties

  • Pediatric cancer care
  • Clinical trials
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, University of California, Davis

Residencies

  • University of California, San Francisco

Fellowships

  • Columbia University Medical Center

Board Certifications

  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Hematology/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

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

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

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

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

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Metroplus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

City Employee Health Plans (Gold and Gold Care)

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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Contact and Location

Dr. Dela Cruz sees patients at one location.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
1275 York Avenue New York NY 10065
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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 Pediatrics doctors

Clinical Trials

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

Characterization of a novel fusion gene EML4-NTRK3 in a case of recurrent congenital fibrosarcoma. Tannenbaum-Dvir S, Glade Bender JL, Church AJ, Janeway KA, Harris MH, Mansukhani MM, Nagy PL, Andrews SJ, Murty VV, Kadenhe-Chiweshe A, Connolly EP, Kung AL, Dela Cruz FS. Cold Spring Harbor molecular case studies. 2015; 1(1):a000471.

A case study of an integrative genomic and experimental therapeutic approach for rare tumors: identification of vulnerabilities in a pediatric poorly differentiated carcinoma. Dela Cruz FS, Diolaiti D, Turk AT, Rainey AR, Ambesi-Impiombato A, Andrews SJ, Mansukhani MM, Nagy PL, Alvarez MJ, Califano A, Forouhar F, Modzelewski B, Mitchell CM, Yamashiro DJ, Marks LJ, Bender JL, Kung AL. Genome medicine. 2016; 8(1):116.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Dela Cruz’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.

Filemon Dela Cruz discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Biosplice Therapeutics
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Daiichi Sankyo
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Day One Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Eisai
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Jazz Pharmaceuticals
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Kronos Bio, Inc
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Sanofi US Services Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Shasqi
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)

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

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