
Robert J. Motzer, MD
Medical Oncologist
Titles
Section Head, Kidney Cancer, Genitourinary Oncology Service; Jack and Dorothy Byrne Chair in Clinical Oncology
Clinical Expertise
Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer); Immunotherapy
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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. Motzer 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
- 646-888-4722 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 Michigan Medical School
Residencies
Internal Medicine - North Shore University Hospital/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Fellowships
Medical Oncology/Hematology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Board Certifications
Internal Medicine; Medical Oncology
I am a medical oncologist who is dedicated to improving the lives of people with genitourinary cancer. My primary area of expertise is kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). In particular, I care for people who have cancer that has spread to other parts of the body or who are at high risk for cancer spreading. For more than 30 years, I have provided high-quality and compassionate care for MSK patients with kidney cancer and other advanced genitourinary cancers. As Kidney Cancer Section Head, I lead a group of experts who are dedicated to researching and treating this disease.
Read more
I have led more than 75 clinical trials in people with kidney cancer and testicular cancer. These have included national and international multicenter clinical trials. My research has helped identify ten groundbreaking targeted drugs that are effective treatments for people with advanced kidney cancer.
On both a national and international level, I work to improve the quality and delivery of care for people with kidney cancer. I developed a risk-based system to help predict treatment outcomes for people taking medications for advanced kidney cancer. This system is used by doctors around the world to guide patient care. I also chair the Kidney Cancer Guidelines Panel for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
I have published more than 500 scientific articles, reviews, and chapters. I have given lectures throughout the world, from Japan and China, to Russia and Turkey, to Germany, Spain, and Brazil. I am a recipient of a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Willet F. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence from Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the Eugene P. Schonfeld Award from the Kidney Cancer Association.
For more than 30 years, I have provided high-quality and compassionate care for people with cancer at MSK.
-Dr. Motzer
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. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials Investigated by Dr. Motzer
- A Phase III Study of Belzutifan and Pembrolizumab Immunotherapy versus Pembrolizumab Alone After Kidney Cancer Surgery in People with Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer
- A Phase III Study of MK-6482 plus Lenvatinib versus Cabozantinib as Second-line or Third-line Treatment of Advanced Kidney Cancer Persisting after Immunotherapy
- A Phase III Study of Tivozanib in Combination with Nivolumab versus Tivozanib Alone in People with Renal Cell Carcinoma that Grew after Immunotherapy
- Clinical Trials Co-Investigated by Dr. Motzer
- A Phase 3 Study Assessing Pembrolizumab Immunotherapy plus Belzutifan and Lenvatinib, or MK-1308A plus Lenvatinib, versus Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib as Initial Treatment for Advanced Kidney Cancer
Read more
- A Phase I Study of DFF332, Alone or with Everolimus or Other Anticancer Drugs, to Treat Advanced Kidney Cancer
- A Phase I Study of XL092 with Immunotherapy in People with Solid Tumors
- A Phase IB/II Study of Immunotherapy and Targeted Combination Therapies in Patients with Kidney Cancer
- A Phase II Study of Nivolumab Immunotherapy plus Cabozantinib in Patients with Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer
- A Phase III Study of Savolitinib plus Durvalumab versus Sunitinib and Durvalumab Alone in People with MET-Driven Inoperable and Advanced Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma

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. Motzer’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.
Robert J. Motzer discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
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Aveo
Provision of Services -
Clinical Care Options
Provision of Services -
Eisai
Provision of Services -
Evicore
Provision of Services -
Merck & Co Inc.
Provision of Services -
PeerView Institute for Medical Education (PVI)
Provision of Services
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Research to Practice
Provision of Services -
Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Provision of Services -
Targeted Oncology
Provision of Services -
Total CME
Provision of Services -
WebMD
Provision of Services
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].