Jonathan S. Fainberg, MD, MPH
Urologic Surgeon
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Areas of Expertise
My Specialties
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Biopsy
- MRI Image-Guided Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures
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About Me
- Assistant Attending Surgeon
I am a urologic surgeon who specializes in the diagnosis, surveillance, and treatment of localized prostate cancer.
Cancer can be a life-changing diagnosis, and men diagnosed with prostate cancer are often stressed about what their diagnosis means for them. Biopsies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and the thought of radical treatment can be overwhelming, in part because there is so much information available. Often, this makes it difficult to know what specifically matters for you. My specialty is helping you understand the complexities of a prostate cancer diagnosis while outlining the options that are best for you.
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I am particularly interested in image-guided interventions to diagnose and treat prostate cancer and gained expertise on their application in this disease during my fellowship training. As imaging of the prostate with MRI and PET scans has improved, so has our ability to use these methods to diagnose and treat prostate cancer. The better the quality of the imaging, the more confident urologic surgeons like me can be in recommending specific treatments to our patients.
Partial gland ablation (also called focal therapy) is an evolving image-guided treatment option, and it is one of my specialties. This type of therapy is available to a subset of men with cancer in one part of the prostate. We use an MRI to view and treat the part of the prostate gland affected by cancer without harming the surrounding, non-cancerous areas. Partial gland ablation allows us to control the cancer while minimizing the side effects associated with radical treatment. When a patient is interested in partial gland ablation, I typically perform a “confirmatory biopsy” to validate the location and the pathology of the tumor prior to therapy. I do this even if you have had a biopsy done outside of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).
I am also interested in active surveillance for men with low- or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer. This type of prostate cancer is unlikely to spread or affect your life expectancy and quality of life. In these cases, the best approach is active surveillance — keeping a close eye on the cancer to monitor it for changes. We have used active surveillance for years at MSK, and with our robust surveillance protocols, you can rest assured that low or intermediate-risk prostate cancer will not be a problem for you.
Prostate biopsy is one of my areas of expertise. Since a prostate biopsy can be uncomfortable, I have trained in several techniques to improve the biopsy process. I have extensive experience in performing transrectal and transperineal prostate biopsies, and I offer a variety of anesthesia options to make patients feel more comfortable. I am a firm believer that it does not need to be a distressing experience for my patients.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife, who is an OBGYN (obstetrics and gynecology), and daughters. I am an active guy who likes gardening, cooking, playing sports, and watching football (go Pats).
A urologic surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the genitourinary (jeh-nih-toh-YOOR-ih-nayr-ee) (GU) system. This includes the bladder, kidney, penis, prostate, and testicles.
My Specialties
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Biopsy
- MRI Image-Guided Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures
- Minimally Invasive Robotic-Assisted Techniques
Education
- MD, Tufts University School of Medicine
- MPH, Tufts University School of Public Health
Residencies
- General Surgery (Intern) - Weill Cornell Medicine
- Urology (Resident) - Weill Cornell Medicine
Fellowships
- Advanced Prostate Imaging and Procedures - Weill Cornell Medical Center
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, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
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
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN
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
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
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, 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.
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New Patients
Current Patients
Contact and Location
Dr. Fainberg sees patients at two locations.
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
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Fainberg’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.
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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.
Jonathan S. Fainberg discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
No disclosures meeting criteria for time period
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].