
Mahmoud B. El-Tamer, MD
Breast Surgeon
Titles
Attending Surgeon
Clinical Expertise
Oncoplastic Breast Surgery
We post reviews for MSK healthcare providers who have at least 30 patient experience surveys completed. If you do not see reviews for a provider, it may be because they do not yet have enough survey responses, or the provider may not be part of the group of healthcare providers included in the survey.
Only outpatient providers are included in the survey. Healthcare providers who only work in the hospital or in urgent care are not included in the survey. Pathologists or researchers who do not provide direct care to patients do not have reviews.
New Patient Appointments
Scheduling a visit is easy. Click below or call us to get started.
Dr. El-Tamer accepts the following list of insurance providers. Select your insurance provider to see more details.
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO, DSN
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): Federal Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO/OAP
Payor Type: Other
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): TBD
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO/EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Contact and Location
- 646-888-4753 Office Phone
- Speaks English, Arabic, and French

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.
See all locationsAbout Me
Education
MD, American University of Beirut
Residencies
General Surgery - American University of Beirut Medical Center; Surgery - SUNY Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn
Fellowships
Surgical Oncology and Reconstruction - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certifications
Surgery
I am a breast surgeon with more than 25 years of experience in caring for people with breast cancer. I have particular expertise in performing oncoplastic procedures. I combine my oncologic and plastic surgery training to offer the most-effective procedures for my patients, while also maintaining and even enhancing their physical appearance.
I care for more than 350 people with breast cancer each year.
My research interests include different aspects of breast cancer and the quality of surgical care. I am currently working with several other cancer centers around the country to explore the possibility of no longer using radiation therapy for people with low-risk breast cancer who have had breast preservation surgery. If we can treat them without the possible side effects of radiation, they can achieve a better quality of life after breast cancer surgery. I am also looking at using smaller, less-invasive procedures for people whose breast cancer responds very well to chemotherapy. I have been the principal or co-principal investigator on grants from the Avon Foundation for Women, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and the American College of Surgeons. I have written or co-authored more than 90 book chapters, manuscripts, and editorials on breast cancer. I have also published a textbook to help other breast surgeons improve the cosmetic outcome of breast cancer surgeries. I am a reviewer for and sit on the editorial boards of several leading medical journals. I am an active member of many leading professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. When people with cancer first come to see me, they often have many concerns about the outcome, their options, and the final result of their procedure: Will I survive? What shall I do? How will I look? Will I be able to get back to my normal daily life? My personal approach is to explain each surgery in detail and serve as a guide in helping them choose the option that is best for them. At the end of each appointment, my goal is that the people I care for feel reassured that they will receive the best care possible.
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
Colleagues
Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. I work closely with nurse practitioner Liza L. Lagdamen. We combine our expertise to provide comprehensive care to our patients at every step of their cancer journey.
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials Co-Investigated by Dr. El-Tamer
- A Phase II Study of Breast-Conserving Surgery without Radiotherapy for Women with Breast Cancer: the PRECISION Trial
- A Phase III Study Comparing the Usual Treatment of Radiation Therapy and Hormonal Therapy versus Hormonal Therapy Alone for the Treatment of Low-Risk, Early-Stage Breast Cancer

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
Books
Principles and Techniques in Oncoplastic Breast Cancer Surgery. El-Tamer M, ed. Singapore: World Scientific Press; 2013.
Book Chapters
“The potential of the electronic health record in the breast center.” Hughes KS, El-Tamer M, Hughes S, Drohan B, Sharko J, Lawrence C, Loberg A, Grinstein G. In: Breast Surgical Techniques and Interdisciplinary Management. Dirbas FM, Scott-Conner C, eds. New York: Springer; 2011.
“Breast cancer in men.” El-Tamer MB, Pocock B. In: Breast Surgical Oncology. Kuerer H, ed. New York: McGraw Hill; 2010:237-241.
“Patterns of recurrences in breast cancer.” Winchester DP, Winchester DJ, El-Tamer MB. In: The Breast: Comprehensive Management of Benign and Malignant Disorders. 4th ed. Bland KI, Copeland EM, eds. St Louis: Saunders; 2009: 417-26.
Read more
“Patterns of recurrences in breast cancer.” Winchester DP, Winchester DJ, El-Tamer MB. In: The Breast: Comprehensive Management of Benign and Malignant Disorders. 3rd ed. Bland KI, Copeland EM, eds. St Louis: Saunders; 2003: 413-21.
“Male breast cancer.” El-Tamer MB, Kim L. In: Breast Cancer: A Guide to Detection and Multidisciplinary Therapy. Torosian MH, ed. Totowa, NJ: Humana; 2002: 183-192.
“Appendiceal tumors.” El-Tamer MB, Bradley T, Schulsinger A. In: Integrated Cancer Management: Surgery, Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy. Torosian MH, ed. New York: Dekker; 1999:133-145.
“Wound management in spinal surgery.” El-Tamer MB, Chaglassian T. Tumors of the Spine: Diagnosis and Clinical Management. Sundaresan N, Schmidek HH, Schiller AL, Rosenthal DI, eds. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1990.
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. El-Tamer’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 PubMedPatient Reviews
At MSK, we’re committed to delivering the best care to every patient. We use feedback from our patients to continue to improve our care. We also post patient reviews online to help you make healthcare choices. Learn more about our patient experience reviews.
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.
Mahmoud B. El-Tamer 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].