Dr. Rebecca Gao cares for people with head and neck cancers at MSK in Manhattan and MSK Monmouth, specializing in reconstructive surgery to restore function and appearance.
Long before I became a doctor, I was a journalist, drawn to people’s stories of struggle and resilience. But I realized I wanted to do more than tell stories. I wanted to help change them.
Hi, I’m Dr. Rebecca Gao, a head and neck cancer surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I specialize not only in removing cancer, but also in restoring what matters most: your function, your appearance, and your humanity.
A cancer diagnosis of the head and neck can feel especially overwhelming because it may affect how you eat, speak, and how you present yourself to the world. I have expertise in using advanced techniques such as robotic surgery and microvascular reconstruction. That’s where I transplant healthy tissue and blood vessels to help rebuild after cancer surgery. My goal is to give you the best chance at recovering your quality of life.
At MSK, you’ll never face cancer alone. Here, an extraordinary team surrounds you with compassion, innovation, and the most advanced care available.
For me, medicine is about more than treating disease. It’s about restoring hope and dignity.