
Paul Russo, MD, FACS
Urologic Surgeon
Titles
Attending Physician
Clinical Expertise
Urologic Oncology; Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer)
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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
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Dr. Russo 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
- 646-422-4391 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, Columbia University
Residencies
General Surgery - Washington University Medical Center; Urologic Surgery - Washington University Medical Center
Fellowships
Urologic Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certifications
Urology
I am a urologic surgeon who specializes in caring for people with kidney (renal cell) cancer. I treat people with all stages of the disease, from small localized tumors to larger, more-advanced kidney cancers that have spread. I have more than 30 years of experience and perform about 250 major operations each year.
Read more
People who have been newly diagnosed with cancer can understandably be anxious about their illness and what lies ahead. My goal is to reassure the people who meet with me, to let them know that they are in excellent hands. I want them to be bolstered by the knowledge that my experienced team and I will customize their care to achieve the best possible outcome.
My area of expertise includes partial nephrectomy for people with smaller kidney tumors. In this surgery, we remove the tumor but leave the vast majority of the kidney alone. This approach preserves renal function and can prevent or delay the onset of chronic kidney disease and related cardiovascular problems.
I also perform complete removal of the kidney (radical nephrectomy) for people with large tumors that have destroyed most of the kidney. This procedure is for those with more-advanced cancers that have spread to the lymph nodes or the major veins that carry blood into the heart.
I often work with my colleagues in medical oncology to make these types of operations part of clinical trials. Through studies we can find out if new chemotherapies given before or after surgery can improve people’s outcomes.
In addition to caring for patients, I am known for my academic work in the field. I lead a research team at MSK with surgeons, oncologists, epidemiologists, pathologists, molecular biologists, and radiologists. We work diligently on both basic science and clinical aspects of kidney cancer. Members of our team publish many academic papers and present at national and international meetings. We are invited as visiting professors to many centers in the United States and abroad. Our research program attracts talented medical students and residents who are interested in an academic career.
I come from a family of doctors, including a father who was a urologist. I was drawn to oncology by the desire to help people with cancer. I believe that research into the biology of the disease will lead to better outcomes and renewed hope for people with cancer — something that I gratefully witness every day here at MSK.
In my free time, I love spending time with my kids and my wife (who is also a surgeon), playing golf, cooking, and reading. I also enjoy traveling around the world and teaching as a visiting professor in many countries, including Cuba, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, among others.
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
- Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2002, 2009, 2011-2012, 2015-2020)
- Kidney Cancer Association: Andrew Novick Award for Excellence in Kidney Surgery (2015)
- Nominee, MSK Junior Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2015)
- US News & World Report: New York City Best Doctors (2004–2018)
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. Russo’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.
Paul Russo 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].