Richard J. Wong, MD, FACS
Head and Neck Surgeon
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Areas of Expertise
My Specialties
- Thyroid Cancer Surgery
- Oral Cavity Cancer
- Salivary Tumors
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About Me
- Chief, Head and Neck Service
- Jatin P. Shah Chair in Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology
I am a surgeon who has worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering for over 20 years to care for people with thyroid and head and neck cancers. I have a particular expertise and interest in the surgical removal of thyroid cancer, nodal metastases from thyroid cancer, and recurrent thyroid cancer.
I also have a strong interest in treating oral cancer, salivary gland tumors, melanoma, parathyroid adenomas, and other cancers involving the head and neck region.
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As Chief of MSK’s Head and Neck Service, it is my privilege to lead a team of thirteen expert surgeons who perform all aspects of head and neck oncologic surgery. We are committed to providing our patients with the optimal treatment for their cancer, while also focusing on maximizing their quality of life. We collaborate closely with a renowned multidisciplinary team of physicians from endocrinology, nuclear medicine, radiation oncology, medical oncology, plastic surgery, dentistry, thoracic surgery and other disciplines to individualize each patient’s treatment plan for their particular condition.
I am the principal investigator of a grant from the National Cancer institute supporting the training of head and neck surgeons at MSK. My research laboratory is also funded by the National Cancer Institute. We focus on developing a better understanding of the complex molecular and cellular interactions between tumors and nerves. Our team is working to identify novel molecular targets that may be treated to improve outcomes for our patients.
A head and neck surgeon is a doctor with special training in surgery on the head and neck. This includes the larynx, lips, mouth, nose, salivary glands, and throat.
My Specialties
- Thyroid Cancer Surgery
- Oral Cavity Cancer
- Salivary Tumors
- Neck Tumors
- Melanoma
- Parathyroid Tumors
- Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Cancers
- Sinus and Skull Base Tumors
- Vocal Cord Medialization
Education
- MD, Harvard Medical School
Residencies
- Otolaryngology - Harvard Medical School
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 (digital guide, 2016-2023)
- America's Top Doctors (book series): 12th Edition, 13th Edition, 14th Edition
- Top Doctors: New York Metro Area (book series): 16th Edition, 17th Edition, 18th Edition
- New York Magazine: Top Doctors (2012-2022)
- America's Top Doctors for Cancer (book series): 8th Edition, 9th Edition, 10th Edition
- Top Doctors New York Metro Area (digital guide, 2016-2022)
- Castle Connolly America's Top Doctors for Cancer (digital guide, 2016-2021)
Fellowships
- Head and Neck Surgical Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certifications
- Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
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.
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New Patients
Current Patients
Contact and Location
Dr. Wong 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. Wong
- A Phase 2 Study of Lenvatinib Before Surgery in People with Thyroid 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
- Deborde S, Gusain L, Powers A, Marcadis A, Yu Y, Chen CH, Frants A, Kao E, Tang LH, Vakiani E, Amisaki M, Balachandran V, Calo A, Omelchenko T, Jessen KR, Reva B, Wong RJ. Reprogrammed Schwann cells organize into dynamic tracks that promote pancreatic cancer invasion. Cancer Discov. 2022; Jul 26; CD-21-1690. PMID: 35881881.
- Chernichenko N, Omelchenko T, Deborde S, Bakst RL, He S, Chen C-H, Gusain L, Vakiani E, Katabi N, Hall A, Wong RJ. Cdc42 mediates cancer cell chemotaxis in perineural invasion. Mol Cancer Res. 2020;18(6):913–925. PMCID: PMC7272295
- Deborde S, Yu Y, Marcadis A, Chen CH, Fan N, Bakst RL, Wong RJ. An in vivo murine sciatic nerve model of perineural invasion. J Vis Exp. 2018;134:56857. PMCID: PMC5965264
- Bakst RL, Xiong H, Chen CH, Deborde S, Lyubchik A, Zhou Y, He S, McNamara W, Lee SY, Olson OC, Leiner IM, Marcadis AR, Keith JW, Al-Ahmadie HA, Katabi N, Gil Z, Vakiani E, Joyce JA, Pamer E, Wong RJ. Inflammatory monocytes promote perineural invasion via CCL2-mediated recruitment and cathepsin B expression. Cancer Res. 2017;77(2):6400–6414. PMCID: PMC5831809
- Deborde S, Omelchenko T, Lyubchik A, Zhou Y, He S, McNamara WF, Chernichenko N, Lee SY, Barajas F, Chen CH, Bakst RL, Vakiani E, He S, Hall A, Wong RJ. Schwann cells induce cancer cell dispersion and invasion. J Clin Invest. 2016;126(4):1538–1554. PMCID: PMC4811155
- He S, He S, Chen CH, Deborde S, Bakst RL, Chernichenko N, McNamara WF, Lee SY, Barajas F, Yu Z, Al-Ahmadie HA, Wong RJ. The chemokine (CCL2-CCR2) signaling axis mediates perineural invasion. Mol Cancer Res. 2015;13(2):380-390. PMCID: PMC4336839
- He S, Chen CH, Chernichenko N, He S, Bakst RL, Barajas F, Deborde S, Allen PJ, Vakiani E, Yu Z, Wong RJ. GFRα1 released by nerves enhances cancer cell perineural invasion through GDNF-RET signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111(19):E2008–17. PMCID: PMC4024863
- Bakst RL, Lee N, He S, Chernichenko N, Chen CH, Linkov G, Le HC, Koutcher J, Vakiani E, Wong RJ. Radiation impairs perineural invasion by modulating the nerve microenvironment. PLoS One. 2012;7(6):e39925. PMID: 22768171
- Gil Z, Cavel O, Kelly K, Brader P, Rein A, Gao SP, Carlson DL, Shah JP, Fong Y, Wong RJ. Paracrine regulation of pancreatic cancer cell invasion by peripheral nerves. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010;102(2):107–118. PMCID: PMC2911041
- Gil Z, Rein A, Brader P, Li S, Shah JP, Fong Y, Wong RJ. Nerve-sparing therapy with oncolytic herpes virus for cancers with neural invasion. Clin Cancer Res. 2007; 13(21):6479-85. PMID: 17975160
Selected Book Chapters
“Cancer of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.” Wong RJ, Kraus DK. In: American Cancer Society Atlas of Clinical Oncology: Cancer of the Head and Neck. Shah JP, ed. London: BC Decker; 2001: 204-224.
“Incidence, etiology, diagnosis and staging of head and neck cancer.” Wong RJ, Shah JP. In: The Practice of General Surgery. Bland KI, ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2002: 249-256.
“Morphophysiology of the salivary glands.” Wong RJ, Randolph G. In: Otolaryngology: Basic Science and Clinical Review. Van de Water TR, ed. New York: Thieme; 2005: 634-642.
“How to evaluate surgical margins in mandibular resections.” Wong RJ. In: Pearls and Pitfalls in Head and Neck Surgery. Cernea CR, ed. New York: Karger; 2008: 64-66.
“How to evaluate surgical margins in mandibular resections.” Wong RJ. In: Pearls and Pitfalls in Head and Neck Surgery: Practical Tips to Minimize Complications. 2nd ed. Cernea CR, ed. New York: Karger, 2012.
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Wong’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.
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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.
Richard J. Wong 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, 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].
