Karim A. Touijer, MD

Karim A. Touijer, MD, MPH

Urologic Surgeon

My Role at MSK

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Urologic Oncology
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Kidney Cancer

Request an Appointment

Our Care Advisors can answer many of your questions. They will connect you with the best healthcare provider for your needs.
English
Share

About Me

What I Do at MSK
  • Attending Surgeon
Get To Know Me

I am a board-certified surgeon who specializes in caring for patients with genitourinary cancers, including cancers of the prostate, kidney, bladder, and adrenal glands. I have been practicing at MSK for more than 13 years. My primary focus is on the use and development of innovative minimally invasive surgical techniques — such as laparoscopy, robot-assisted laparoscopy, and image-guided therapies — to treat genitourinary cancers.

This provider is part of a team that was ranked #1 in the nation for Urology Cancer Care this year by U.S. News & World Report.
Read more

I am committed to offering all my patients personalized care with the objective of providing the right treatment for the right cancer in the right patient at the right time.

To achieve this goal in prostate cancer, I use modern risk-assessment tools such as nomograms; multiparametric MRI, which evaluates the extent of disease; repeat biopsies; and highly sophisticated genomic testing of tumors. In addition, I strive to provide the best outcome for each one of my patients through careful surgical planning, meticulous surgical technique, and selective use of multimodality therapy.

I work closely with my colleagues in medical and radiation oncology to determine the best approach for men with high-risk prostate cancer who have metastases to the lymph nodes.

In men with low-risk prostate cancer, I often recommend active surveillance (also known as watchful waiting) to avoid unnecessary treatment and to help patients enjoy their quality of life to the fullest extent possible.

I perform approximately four to six prostate cancer surgeries a week and about 150 to 200 each year. I’m an expert in laparoscopic and robot-assisted nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy with thorough pelvic lymph node dissection. I also have vast experience in laparoscopic and robot-assisted salvage radical prostatectomies for men whose cancer has recurred after initial radiation therapy.

For the treatment of kidney cancer — and in partnership with my patients — I use a risk/benefit strategy based on state-of-the-art imaging, predictive modeling and, when appropriate, needle biopsy data to determine the optimal management of their disease. Treatment options we consider include active surveillance; ablative therapies in which extreme cold or heat are used to destroy a tumor; partial nephrectomy, meaning that only the part of the kidney with cancer is removed, leaving as much healthy kidney as possible; or radical nephrectomy, in which the entire kidney is removed.  

Minimally invasive partial nephrectomy represents close to 90 percent of the kidney surgeries I perform. To do these surgeries successfully, I have developed with my colleagues at MSK a novel anatomical risk assessment tool to help inform patients about the complexity of the procedure and provide surgeons with a roadmap for the actual operation itself.

My clinical research focuses on improving surgical quality and introducing new techniques to improve both the performance and outcomes of surgery. From a translational research perspective, I’ve been actively working with my colleagues on MSK’s Nuclear Medicine Service and in our Nanotechnology Center to develop novel molecular imaging tracers that can visualize and distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. This is an important step forward in allowing surgeons to see microscopic deposits of cancer cells and ensure their complete removal during surgery. We’re currently conducting two clinical trials of this exciting new technique.

I am a member of the Society of Urologic Oncology, the American Urological Association, the European Association of Urology, and other national and international societies. I teach advanced laparoscopic and robotic surgery to members of the European Association of Urology and the American Association of Urology. In addition, I serve on the editorial board and as a reviewer for a number of peer-reviewed urology and cancer journals and lecture internationally on the role of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of prostate and kidney cancers.

My Role at MSK

A urologic surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the genitourinary (jeh-nih-toh-YOOR-ih-nayr-ee) (GU) system. This includes the bladder, kidney, penis, prostate, and testicles.

Areas of Expertise

My Specialties

  • Urologic Oncology
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Kidney Cancer
  • Adrenal Cancer
  • Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery
  • Nerve Sparing Surgery
Education & Honors

Education

  • MPH, Harvard School of Public Health
  • MD, Universite Hassan II

Residencies

  • Urology - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
  • Family Medicine - University of Kansas Medical Center
  • General Surgery - University of Kansas Medical Center
  • Urology - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Fellowships

  • Urologic Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Advanced Laparoscopy - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Urology

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.

Aetna

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (MTA retirees only)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Carrum Health

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

Cigna

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.

Connecticare

In Network Coverage Type
POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.

Emblem Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Fidelis

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

First Health

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Healthfirst

In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

In Network Coverage Type
PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

In Network Coverage Type
HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

In Network Coverage Type
PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

In Network Coverage Type
EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Magnacare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

In Network Coverage Type
Supplemental

MVP

In Network Coverage Type
PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

In Network Coverage Type
TBD

Oscar

In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO

Oxford

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

In Network Coverage Type
State Government

Qualcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO

UMR

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS

United Healthcare

In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO

Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.

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.

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

Make an Appointment

Current Patients

Request an appointment by logging on to MyMSK or calling your doctor’s office. If you aren’t registered for MyMSK, call 646-227-2593 for your Enrollment ID.

Contact and Location

Dr. Touijer sees patients at two locations.

Office Phone
Location
New York, NY
West Harrison, NY
500 Westchester Avenue West Harrison NY 10604

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.

See all Urology Service doctors

Clinical Trials

Smiling doctors in the lab
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.

Search clinical trials

Research and Publications

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Touijer’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 PubMed

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.

Karim A. Touijer discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Elucida Oncology
    Intellectual Property Rights

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, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). 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].


View all disclosures