Michael P. La Quaglia, MD, FACS, FRCS
Pediatric Surgical Oncologist
Titles
Joseph H. Burchenal Chair in Pediatrics
Clinical Expertise
Pediatric Surgical Oncology; Wilms' Tumor; Neuroblastoma; Sarcomas; Neuroectodermal Tumors; Thyroid Cancer; Genitourinary Malignancies; Ovarian and Testicular Tumors; Kidney Cancers; Hepatic Tumors; Congenital Anomalies
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New Patient Appointments
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Dr. La Quaglia 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
- 212-639-7002 Office Phone
- Speaks English
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, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Residencies
General Surgery - Massachusetts General Hospital; Pediatric Surgery - Children's Hospital Medical Center
Fellowships
Cardiothoracic Surgery - Regional Thoracic Centre; Vascular Surgery - Massachusetts General Hospital; Surgery - Harvard Medical School
Board Certifications
Surgery; Pediatric Surgery
I am a pediatric surgeon who is committed to the treatment of children and adolescents with cancer, and I am rewarded every day by my experiences with my patients and their families. I take care of children with Wilms’ tumors, neuroblastoma, liver tumors, desmoplastic small round cell tumors, sarcomas, melanomas and thyroid tumors.
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I am proud to be part of a team that performs more pediatric cancer surgeries than any other institution in the world; more than 500 procedures each year, in patients as young as newborn to young adults. We have special expertise in performing large, complicated surgeries, with exceptional experience in surgery for neuroblastoma and desmoplastic small round cell tumors as well as complex liver surgery and thyroid surgery.
Whenever possible, my colleagues and I apply minimally invasive surgical approaches, such as thoracoscopy and laparoscopy, to the treatment of childhood cancers. These approaches help speed the recovery of our patients and their return to their normal activities.
In my research, I am collaborating with my colleagues to assess a class of drugs called histone deacetylase inhibitors as anticancer agents. These novel drugs work against cancer by turning off an enzyme the cancers need to grow. I have studied the mechanisms by which cancers metastasize (spread), and I am working with other investigators to study the role of angiogenesis — the development of blood vessels tumors need — in this process. Since metastasis is what ultimately causes patients to succumb to cancer, learning how to halt this process will be enormously beneficial.
I also lead clinical trials, such as one assessing radioimmunotherapy for desmoplastic small round cell tumors. My work supports the banking of tumor tissue, particularly for neuroblastoma and sarcoma — the study of which can benefit future patients with cancer. I also teach and mentor surgical fellows and residents.
Nationally, I serve as Chairperson of the Surgical Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group. I am a member and past chairman of the Pediatric Surgical Association Cancer Committee. I have received the Willet F. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence from Memorial Sloan Kettering and am a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. I hold the Joseph H. Burchenal Chair in Pediatrics, which is named for an esteemed pioneer in the treatment of cancer in children. The National Cancer Institute also gave me an award for my work on the Pediatric Physician Data Query (PDQ) information summaries, which provide up-to-date cancer information for healthcare professionals and parents/patients.
My greatest satisfaction, however, comes from working with children. I enjoy my interactions with them tremendously and find them extremely rewarding. I feel immensely grateful to be able to help someone get better, especially when I can do something that others say they cannot. When your child is with me in the operating room, you can be assured that I will treat him or her as my own.
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
- Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2002-2020)
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
Selected Book Chapters
“Childhood tumors.” La Quaglia MP. In: Greenfield’s Surgery: Scientific Principles and Practice. Mulholland MW, Lillemoe KD, Doherty GM, Maier RV, Upchurch GR Jr, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2006: 1956-1981.
“Neuroblastoma and other adrenal tumors.” La Quaglia MP, Rutigliano DN. Carachi R, Grosfeld JL, Azmy AF, eds. In: The Surgery of Childhood Tumors. 2nd ed. Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag; 2008: 201-226.
“Peripheral neuroectodermal tumors.” La Quaglia MP. In: Reoperative Pediatric Surgery. Teich S, Caniano DA, eds. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 2008:427-434.
“Surgical management of pediatric tumors.” La Quaglia MP. In: Cancer in Children and Adolescents. Carroll W, Finlay J, eds. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2009: 113-122.
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“Hepatic tumors in childhood.” Sri Paran T, La Quaglia MP. In: Pediatric Surgery: Diagnosis and Management. Puri P, Hollwarth M, eds. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 2009: 727-736.
“Wilms’ tumor.” Wolden SL, La Quaglia MP. In: Leibel and Phillips Textbook of Radiation Oncology. 3rd ed. Hoppe RT, Phillips TL, Roach M, eds. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2010: 1203-1214.
“Childhood tumors.” Rich BS, La Quaglia MP. In: Greenfield’s Surgery: Scientific Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Mulholland MW, Lillemoe KD, Doherty GM, Maier RV, Simeone DM, Upchurch GR Jr, eds. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010: 1956-1982.
“Hepatic tumors.” Prasad J, La Quaglia MP. In: Newborn Surgery. 3rd ed. Prem Puri, ed. New York: Oxford UP; 2011: In press.
“Neuroblastoma.” Rich BS, La Quaglia MP. In: Pediatric Surgery. 7th ed. Coran AG, Adzick NS, Krummel TM, Laberge JM, Shamberger RC, Caldamone AA, eds. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2012: 441-458.
“Hepatic tumors in childhood.” Rich BS, La Quaglia MP. In: Blumgart’s Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract, and Pancreas. 5th ed. Blumgart LH, Jarnagin WR, Belghiti J, et al., eds. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2012: 1328-1343.
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. La Quaglia’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
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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.
Michael P. La Quaglia 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].
