Memorial Sloan Kettering Mohs surgeon Kishwer Nehal

Kishwer S. Nehal, MD

Mohs Surgeon

Titles

Director, Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery

Clinical Expertise

Early-Stage Melanoma; Lentigo Maligna Melanoma; Basal Cell Carcinoma; Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer; Dermatologic Surgery; Mohs Micrographic Surgery; Cutaneous Reconstruction; Laser Surgery

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646-608-2312
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., (Eastern time)
Accepted Insurance Providers

Dr. Nehal accepts the following list of insurance providers. Select your insurance provider to see more details.

Aetna

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (City of NY retirees only, starting 7/1/23)

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Carrum Health

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental

Cigna

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem Essential

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Fidelis

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

First Health

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Healthfirst

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Magnacare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental

MVP

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

Payor Type: Other
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

Payor Type:
In Network Coverage Type(s): TBD

Oscar

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO/EPO

Oxford

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, EPO

Qualcare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

Straight NJ Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Tricare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

UMR

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS

United Healthcare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Contact and Location

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Find a Convenient Location

Memorial Sloan Kettering has locations throughout New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester. These locations offer many services, including screening, chemotherapy, and medical testing.

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About Me

Education

MD, Boston University School of Medicine

Residencies

Dermatology - New York University Medical Center

Fellowships

Dermatologic Surgery - New York University Medical Center

Board Certifications

Dermatology

As Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery, I lead a team of highly accomplished Mohs surgeons who are experts in treating skin cancers. We care for people with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, early-stage melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, and other complex skin cancers. Our Mohs surgery program includes dedicated nurses and a highly specialized and experienced Mohs lab. We offer reconstruction after skin cancer removal, laser surgery, and other dermatologic surgery procedures. The whole team pays very close attention to each aspect of our patients’ care.  

I also lead MSK’s Multidisciplinary Skin Cancer Management Program, which brings together multiple specialists to care for skin cancers that are difficult to treat due to size, location, or other high-risk features. Our experienced team has the resources and the expertise to handle the most complex cases — and we do not shy away from challenges.

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For many years, skin cancers were considered to be less concerning than other cancers. But with the dramatic rise in diagnoses worldwide, skin cancer is receiving more serious attention. At MSK, we have always emphasized skin cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatments. Fortunately, the overall prognosis is usually very good, but since most skin cancers occur in delicate areas of the face, this requires a precise and thoughtful surgical approach. We also recognize that the treatment decisions we make today can affect a person years later. This important understanding helps guide the treatment and reconstruction recommendations that I discuss with my patients. I strive to support my patients through each step of their care, tailoring surgical options to meet their needs and focusing on their quality of life now and in the future.

Along with caring for patients, I conduct clinical research on noninvasive imaging techniques, such as confocal microscopy. New technologies are helping us reduce unnecessary biopsies, find skin cancers sooner, and map skin cancer margins to guide surgery while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible. I also study melanomas that occur on the face to look for ways to improve treatment. With two decades of study, we published the first dedicated book on lentigo maligna melanoma to help physicians in managing this difficult skin cancer.

I serve on national committees working to improve the care of people with skin cancer. I work with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network to develop guidelines on managing skin cancers. I have also helped the American Joint Committee on Cancer to develop staging criteria for squamous cell carcinomas of the skin that have the potential for spread. I have shared my expertise at national and international meetings and written numerous journal articles and book chapters to improve our knowledge of challenging skin cancers. I also work with the Dermatology Foundation, an organization that awards grants to young dermatologists doing innovative research to advance patient care.

I knew from a young age that I was interested in medicine. But it wasn’t until medical school that I discovered the multifaceted nature of skin cancers and became intrigued by the challenges of Mohs and reconstructive surgery. I have been fortunate to have mentors who were passionate about improving skin cancer treatments and also caring and thoughtful in their approach to patients. These formative experiences shaped me as a physician and inspired me to be a dedicated mentor to tomorrow’s skin cancer specialists.

In my free time, I enjoy being with my family and friends, traveling, and exploring the great outdoors.

Awards and Honors

  • Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
  • Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2014-Present)

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 Dermatology 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.

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Research and Publications

Update on Keratinocyte Carcinomas. Nehal KS, Bichakjian CK. N Engl J Med. 2018 Jul 26;379(4):363-374.

Modernizing the Mohs Surgery Consultation: Instituting a Video Module for Improved Patient Education and Satisfaction. Newsom E, Lee E, Rossi A, Dusza S, Nehal K. Dermatol Surg. 2018 Jun;44(6):778-784.

Guidelines of care for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, Kozlow JH, Mittal B, Moyer J, Olenecki T, Rodgers P. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Mar;78(3):560-578.

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Guidelines of care for the management of basal cell carcinoma. Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, Kozlow JH, Mittal B, Moyer J, Olencki T, Rodgers P. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2018 Mar;78(3):540-559.

Correlation of Handheld Reflectance Confocal Microscopy With Radial Video Mosaicing for Margin Mapping of Lentigo Maligna and Lentigo Maligna Melanoma. Yélamos O, Cordova M, Blank N, Kose K, Dusza SW, Lee E, Rajadhyaksha M, Nehal KS, Rossi AM. JAMA Dermatol. 2017 Dec 1;153(12):1278-1284.

Reflectance confocal microscopy of skin in vivo: From bench to bedside. Rajadhyaksha M, Marghoob A, Rossi A, Halpern AC, Nehal KS. Lasers Surg Med. 2017 Jan;49(1):7-19.

Assessment of intraoperative pain during Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS): An opportunity for improved patient care. Connolly KL, Nehal KS, Dusza SW, Rossi AM, Lee EH. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 Sep;75(3):590-594.

Biopsy site selfies—a quality improvement pilot study to assist with correct surgical site identification. Nijhawan RI, Lee EH, Nehal KS. Dermatol Surg. 2015 Apr;41(4):499-504.

Melanoma of the lentigo maligna subtype: diagnostic challenges and current treatment paradigms. McGuire LK, Disa JJ, Lee EH, Busam KJ, Nehal KS. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2012 Feb;129(2):288e-299e.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Nehal’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.

Kishwer S. Nehal 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 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, 2021 through disclosure submission in spring 2022). 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].


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