Chimene Kesserwan, MD
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Areas of Expertise
Conditions I Treat
- Hereditary cancers
My Specialties
- Cancer prevention
- Genetic testing and counseling
- Early detection
Get to Know Me
I am a board-certified clinical geneticist and pathologist on the MSK Kids team. I have formal training in pediatric hematology-oncology, molecular pathology, and hematopathology. With my background, I integrate clinical genetics, pathology, and cancer care to help children with an inherited predisposition to cancer. I see patients at Memorial Hospital and at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Clinical Genetics Service in New York City.
I oversee the MSK Kids Clinical Genetics Service and Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Screening Program. This program helps children, young adults, and family members understand how genetics play a role in a young person’s illness. Individuals can also learn if any genetic mutations may affect other family members. Our team works closely with the specialists in MSK-CATCH, the clinic that provides care for adults with hereditary cancer syndromes at MSK.
I am deeply committed to bridging patient care and research related to pediatric cancer predisposition. My colleagues and I hope to identify novel genes that predispose people to cancer. We offer surveillance plans to enhance early detection and patient outcomes. Our overarching goal is to offer genetic and genomic testing to every child with cancer seen at MSK Kids.
I chose this field because it combines my passion for pediatric oncology and my interest in genetics and research. Witnessing the challenges that children and their families face opened my eyes to the urgent need for early detection. I was motivated to pursue a specialty where I could make a tangible difference. My team and I will see any patient referred to us by the MSK Kids team for genetic assessment.
When I meet with a new patient and family for the first time, I approach them with empathy and collaboration. I explain genetic and medical details in plain language. I ensure they all understand the situation and feel empowered to make decisions.
I work with a team of oncologists, genetic counselors, and support specialists to address each family’s medical and emotional needs. This comprehensive, caring approach helps build trust and creates a supportive environment where everyone feels informed and valued.
I am proud to be closely involved in several National Institutes of Health-funded expert panels and initiatives. These roles have allowed me to foster more precise, evidence-based genetic interpretations that drive improvements in patient care.
The field of pediatric cancer genetics offers hope and improved outcomes through early detection and intervention. Every discovery and every child we care for drive home the importance of our work. Knowing my efforts contribute to a future where fewer children may face the devastating impact of cancer is incredibly fulfilling.
I'm a clinical geneticist, which is a scientist with special training in diagnosing and treating genetic problems. We can help explain your risk of getting a genetic condition that's passed on from parents to children.
- Associate Attending Physician
- Lead, Inherited Pediatric Cancer
Conditions I Treat
- Hereditary cancers
My Specialties
- Cancer prevention
- Genetic testing and counseling
- Early detection
Education
- MD, Lebanese University, Faculty of Medical Sciences
Residencies
- Pediatrics, American University of Beirut Medical Center
- Pathology, American University of Beirut Medical Center
- Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Fellowships
- Medical and Molecular Genetics, NIH/NHGRI
- Pediatrics Hematology Oncology, Johns Hopkins University and NCI
- Molecular Pathology, Albert Einstein School of Medicine
- Hematopathology, NYU Langone Health
Board Certifications
- Medical Genetics and Genomics, Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Anatomic Pathology, Molecular Pathology, Hematopathology
Insurance Information
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HMO
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HMO, PPO
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PPO, POS, HMO
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State Government
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PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
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HMO
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PPO, HMO
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HMO
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PPO
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HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
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HMO
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PPO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
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HMO
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PPO EPO
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HMO
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PPO
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EPO
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HMO
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PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO/EPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, EPO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
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Clinical Trials
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Search clinical trialsResearch and Publications
- de Andrade KC, Lee EE, Tookmanian EM, Kesserwan CA, Manfredi JJ, Hatton JN, Loukissas JK, Zavadil J, Zhou L, Olivier M, Frone MN, Shahzada O, Longabaugh WJR, Kratz CP, Malkin D, Hainaut P, Savage SA. The TP53 Database: transition from the International Agency for Research on Cancer to the US National Cancer Institute. Cell Death Differ. 2022 Mar 29;. doi: 10.1038/s41418-022-00976-3. PubMed PMID: 35352025
- Newman S, Nakitandwe J, Kesserwan CA, Azzato EM, Wheeler DA, Rusch M, Shurtleff S, Hedges DJ, Hamilton KV, Foy SG, Edmonson MN, Thrasher A, Bahrami A, Orr BA, Klco JM, Gu J, Harrison LW, Wang L, Clay MR, Ouma A, Silkov A, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Liu Y, Brady SW, Zhou X, Chang TC, Pande M, Davis E, Becksfort J, Patel A, Wilkinson MR, Rahbarinia D, Kubal M, Maciaszek JL, Pastor V, Knight J, Gout AM, Wang J, Gu Z, Mullighan CG, McGee RB, Quinn EA, Nuccio R, Mostafavi R, Gerhardt EL, Taylor LM, Valdez JM, Hines-Dowell SJ, Pappo AS, Robinson G, Johnson LM, Pui CH, Ellison DW, Downing JR, Zhang J, Nichols KE. Genomes for Kids: The scope of pathogenic mutations in pediatric cancer revealed by comprehensive DNA and RNA sequencing. Cancer Discov. 2021 Jul 23;. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1631.
- Walsh MF, Ritter DI, Kesserwan C, Sonkin D, Chakravarty D, Chao E, Ghosh R, Kemel Y, Wu G, Lee K, Kulkarni S, Hedges D, Mandelker D, Ceyhan-Birsoy O, Luo M, Drazer M, Zhang L, Offit K, Plon SE. Integrating somatic variant data and biomarkers for germline variant classification in cancer predisposition genes. Hum Mutat. 2018 Nov;39(11):1542-1552. doi: 10.1002/humu.23640. PubMed PMID: 30311369;
- Kesserwan C, Friedman Ross L, Bradbury AR, Nichols KE. The Advantages and Challenges of Testing Children for Heritable Predisposition to Cancer. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book. 2016;35:251-69. doi: 10.1200/EDBK_160621. PubMed PMID: 27249705.
- Kesserwan C, Sokolic R, Cowen EW, Garabedian E, Heselmeyer-Haddad K, Lee CC, Pittaluga S, Ortiz C, Baird K, Lopez-Terrada D, Bridge J, Wayne AS, Candotti F. Multicentric dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in patients with adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immune deficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012 Mar;129(3):762-769.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.10.028. Epub 2011 Dec 6. PubMed PMID: 22153773
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Kesserwan’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
Members of the MSK Community 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. These activities outside of MSK further our mission, provide productive collaborations, and promote the practical application of scientific discoveries.
MSK requires doctors, faculty members, and leaders 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. Not all disclosed interests and relationships present conflicts of interest. MSK reviews all disclosed interests and relationships to assess whether a conflict of interest exists and whether formal COI management is needed.
Chimene Kesserwan 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 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, 2024 through disclosure submission in spring 2025). 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 ecoi@mskcc.org.