Robert J. Motzer, MD
Genitourinary Medical Oncologist
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About Me
- Section Head, Kidney Cancer, Genitourinary Oncology Service
- Jack and Dorothy Byrne Chair in Clinical 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.
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I have led more than 80 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.
A genitourinary (jeh-nih-toh-YOOR-ih-nayr-ee) medical oncologist is a cancer doctor who specializes in genitourinary (GU) cancers. This includes bladder, kidney, penis, prostate, and testicular cancers.
My Specialties
- Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer)
- Immunotherapy
Education
- MD, University of Michigan Medical School
Residencies
- Internal Medicine - North Shore University Hospital/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
- Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
Fellowships
- Medical Oncology/Hematology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Board Certifications
- Internal Medicine
- Medical Oncology
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Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
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Contact and Location
Dr. Motzer sees patients at one location.
Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.
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 2 Study of V940 Plus Pembrolizumab Immunotherapy to Treat Kidney Cancer
- Clinical Trials Co-Investigated by Dr. Motzer
- A Phase 1b Study of HC-7366 and Belzutifan in People With Advanced Kidney Cancer
- A Phase 2 Study of NKT2152 Plus Palbociclib in People With Advanced Kidney Cancer
- A Phase 3 Study of XL092 and Nivolumab Immunotherapy Compared to Sunitinib in People With Kidney 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
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
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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.
Robert J. Motzer discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
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E-vate Ltd
Professional Services and Activities -
Exelixis
Professional Services and Activities -
Incyte
Professional Services and Activities
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Merck & Co Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
MJH Life Sciences
Professional Services and Activities
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, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). 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].