Meet Michael Wu: Head and Neck, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon at MSK

Dr. Michael Wu treats people with head and neck cancers at MSK in Manhattan and MSK Bergen, using advanced surgery and reconstruction to preserve function and quality of life.
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 Dr. Michael Wu

Michael Pei-hong Wu, MD

Head and Neck Surgeon & Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Head and neck cancers
  • Mouth (oral) cancers and conditions
  • Throat cancers and conditions

My Specialties

  • Head and neck surgery
  • Head and neck reconstruction
  • Robotic surgery
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Dr. Wu's Office Information
Languages: English
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Get to Know Me

I am a fellowship-trained surgeon who specializes in head and neck cancers and also benign (non-cancerous) tumors of the head and neck. These include head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, salivary gland cancer, skin cancers, and thyroid cancers.

In addition to surgical removal of these tumors, I also perform complex head and neck reconstruction. I am an expert in surgical and reconstruction techniques, including microvascular free tissue transfer and transoral robotic surgery. Transoral robotic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses a robot to remove tumors in the throat and mouth.

I see patients at the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City, and MSK Bergen in New Jersey.

People with a new diagnosis of head and neck cancer often ask how this will affect their quality of life. My goal is to help them not only understand their treatment options, but also what these treatments mean for important functions of the head and neck, including appearance, speaking, eating, and breathing.

I love being a surgeon because of the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.  I feel a tremendous responsibility and opportunity to provide the best surgical care possible to my patients.

With dual training in head and neck surgical oncology and reconstruction, my goal is to achieve the best results while preserving or reconstructing normal structures to maintain function and quality of life. I trained in robotic surgery during my fellowship and I’m also able to offer transoral robotic surgery as a treatment option for patients with throat cancers. This helps reduce negative side effects from treatment.

Many people with head and neck cancer require multiple types of treatment, such as surgery followed by radiation or chemotherapy, or treatments such as immunotherapy that help the immune system fight cancer. I strongly believe in a team-based approach to cancer care and work closely with experts across teams who are involved in a patient’s care. It is a privilege to be part of an expert team at MSK working to deliver the best patient care possible.

My research focuses on the quality of life of head and neck cancer survivors. Outside of the hospital, I enjoy running and spending time with my wife and two sons.

What I Do at MSK

I’m a head and neck surgeon, which is a doctor with special training in surgery on the head and neck. This includes the tonsils, tongue, mouth, lips, larynx, nose, sinuses, salivary glands, and thyroid gland.

I'm a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, which is a doctor with special training in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. These procedures make your body work better or look better.

  • Assistant Attending Surgeon
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Head and neck cancers
  • Mouth (oral) cancers and conditions
  • Throat cancers and conditions
  • Salivary gland tumors
  • Skin cancer and conditions
  • Thyroid cancer and conditions

My Specialties

  • Head and neck surgery
  • Head and neck reconstruction
  • Robotic surgery
This list shows some key areas of focus, but it may not cover all expertise. When making an appointment, you will be matched with the best healthcare provider for your needs.
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Harvard Medical School/Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program

Residencies

  • Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard/Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Fellowships

  • Head and Neck Surgical Oncology and Microvascular Reconstruction, Washington University in Saint Louis

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.

Learn more about the insurance plans that participate with MSK.

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.

Health plans can change at any time. Call the number on the back of your insurance card to see what your plan covers. Make sure it covers the MSK location where you’ll get care.

If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.

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Current Patients
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Contact and Location

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
Montvale, NJ
David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
530 East 74th Street New York NY 10021
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen
225 Summit Avenue Montvale NJ 07645
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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.

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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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Disclosures

Members of the MSK Community 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. These activities outside of MSK further our mission, provide productive collaborations, and promote the practical application of scientific discoveries.

MSK requires doctors, faculty members, and leaders 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. Not all disclosed interests and relationships present conflicts of interest. MSK reviews all disclosed interests and relationships to assess whether a conflict of interest exists and whether formal COI management is needed.

Michael Pei-hong Wu 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, 2025 through disclosure submission in spring 2026). 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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