Meet Radiation Oncologist Michael Bernstein

Michael Bernstein is a radiation oncologist who treats people with breast cancer, head and neck cancers, prostate cancer and other genitourinary cancers, and tumors of the brain and central nervous system.
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 Memorial Sloan Kettering radiation oncologist Michael Bernstein

Michael B. Bernstein, MD

Radiation Oncologist

Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Prostate cancer and conditions
  • Genitourinary cancers and conditions

My Specialties

  • External beam radiation
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
  • Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
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Dr. Bernstein's Office Information
Languages: English
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Get to Know Me

I am a radiation oncologist who cares for people with a variety of cancers. I have particular expertise in treating breast cancer, head and neck cancer, prostate cancer and other genitourinary cancers, and tumors affecting the brain and central nervous system. I use advanced radiation techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to safely and effectively treat these cancers.

My practice is located at MSK Westchester and MSK Nassau. I enjoy delivering the same level of compassionate, expert care to our patients and neighbors in a convenient location.

Originally, I entered medical school convinced I would pursue a career in orthopedic surgery. However, when I was exposed to the field of radiation oncology, I was drawn to the combination of cutting-edge technological advances, groundbreaking research, and opportunity to develop deep-rooted relationships with patients and families. These were aspects I was always searching for in a career in medicine, and I knew radiation oncology was the perfect fit.

I am interested in the way radiation can work together with other treatments, particularly immunotherapy. During a research fellowship at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, I studied the potential of cancer vaccines to activate the body’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. We often bolstered these therapeutic vaccines with radiation to help strengthen the treatment response.

At MSK, we are working to enhance the effects of immunotherapy by combining it with more advanced forms of radiation therapy, including SRS and proton therapy. We are proud to be able to offer these exciting new therapies to our patients not only at MSK in Manhattan, but also at our regional network locations closer to home.

When patients and their families come to see me for their first visit, they often have a lot of fear about the unknown. Radiation sounds intimidating and can be frightening. My goal is to help alleviate fears and misconceptions by answering all questions, making sure that they have a full understanding of the radiation process, and most importantly, reminding them that I will be with them every step of the way.

I work very closely with my patients’ surgical and medical oncologists to ensure we are all moving forward collaboratively with an effective and safe treatment course. When patients leave their visits, I hope to see them walking out with their heads held high knowing that they have a plan set in place designed with unparalleled attention to detail and care.

What I Do at MSK

I'm a radiation oncologist, which is a cancer doctor with special training in using radiation therapy (RT) to treat cancer.

  • Medical Director, Strategic Partnerships
Areas of Expertise

Conditions I Treat

  • Breast cancers and conditions
  • Prostate cancer and conditions
  • Genitourinary cancers and conditions
  • Spine tumors and spinal cancer
  • Bone metastases (secondary bone cancer)

My Specialties

  • External beam radiation
  • Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
  • Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)
  • Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
Education & Honors

Education

  • MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, with special distinction in oncology

Residencies

  • Radiation Oncology – Montefiore Medical Center

Fellowships

  • Radiation Oncology – MD Anderson Cancer Center

Board Certifications

  • Radiation Oncology

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.

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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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Current Patients
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Contact and Location

Office Phone
Location
Uniondale, NY
Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau
1101 Hempstead Turnpike Uniondale NY 11553
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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.

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Clinical Trials

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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.

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Research and Publications

Bernstein MB, Walker K, Gillespie E, Mueller B, Cuaron J, Xu A, McCormick B, Khan A, Cahlon O, Powell S, Braunstein LZ. Bilateral Regional Nodal Irradiation Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy: Dosimetric Analysis and Feasibility. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2022 May-Jun;12(3):189-194. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2021.11.008. Epub 2022 Jan 16. PMID: 35045364; PMCID: PMC9081150.

Lapen K, Sabol C, Tin AL, Lynch K, Kassa A, Mabli X, Ford J, Cha E, Bernstein MB, Braunstein LZ, Cahlon O, Daly BM, Sandler K, McCloskey SA, Vickers AJ, Khan AJ, Gillespie EF. Development and Pilot Implementation of a Remote Monitoring System for Acute Toxicity Using Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2021 Nov 15;111(4):979-991. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.07.1692. Epub 2021 Jul 24. PMID: 34314814; PMCID: PMC8530913.

Boyce-Fappiano D, Gjyshi O, Pezzi TA, Allen PK, Solimman M, Taku N, Bernstein MB, Cabanillas ME, Amini B, Tatsui CE, Rhines LD, Wang XA, Briere TM, Yeboa DN, Bishop AJ, Li J, Ghia AJ. Spine stereotactic radiosurgery for metastatic thyroid cancer: a single-institution experience. J Neurosurg Spine. 2020 Feb 14:1-9. doi: 10.3171/2019.12.SPINE191269. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32059183.

Bernstein MB, Chang EL, Amini B, Pan H, Cabanillas M, Wang XA, Allen PK, Rhines LD, Tatsui C, Li J, Brown PD, Ghia AJ. Spine Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Patients with Metastatic Thyroid Cancer: Secondary Analysis of Phase I/II Trials. Thyroid. 2016 Sep;26(9):1269-75. doi: 10.1089/thy.2016.0046. Epub 2016 Jul 25. PMID: 27334245.

Bernstein MB, Krishnan S, Hodge JW, Chang JY. Immunotherapy and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (ISABR): a curative approach? Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2016 Aug;13(8):516-24. doi: 10.1038/nrclinonc.2016.30. Epub 2016 Mar 8. PMID: 26951040; PMCID: PMC6053911.

Gameiro SR, Malamas AS, Bernstein MB, Tsang KY, Vassantachart A, Sahoo N, Tailor R, Pidikiti R, Guha CP, Hahn SM, Krishnan S, Hodge JW. Tumor Cells Surviving Exposure to Proton or Photon Radiation Share a Common Immunogenic Modulation Signature, Rendering Them More Sensitive to T Cell-Mediated Killing. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2016 May 1;95(1):120-130. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2016.02.022. Epub 2016 Feb 13. PMID: 27084634; PMCID: PMC4834148.

Sharon E, Polley MY, Bernstein MB, Ahmed M. Immunotherapy and radiation therapy: considerations for successfully combining radiation into the paradigm of immuno-oncology drug development. Radiat Res. 2014 Aug;182(2):252-7. doi: 10.1667/RR13707.1. Epub 2014 Jul 8. PMID: 25003314.

Bernstein MB, Garnett CT, Zhang H, Velcich A, Wattenberg MM, Gameiro SR, Kalnicki S, Hodge JW, Guha C. Radiation-induced modulation of costimulatory and coinhibitory T-cell signaling molecules on human prostate carcinoma cells promotes productive antitumor immune interactions. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2014 May;29(4):153-61. doi: 10.1089/cbr.2013.1578. Epub 2014 Apr 2. PMID: 24693958; PMCID: PMC4024843.

Kwilas AR, Donahue RN, Bernstein MB, Hodge JW. In the field: exploiting the untapped potential of immunogenic modulation by radiation in combination with immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Front Oncol. 2012 Sep 6;2:104. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2012.00104. PMID: 22973551; PMCID: PMC3434425.

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.

Michael B. Bernstein discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • American College of Radiation Oncology
    Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated)
  • IDEOlogy Health, LLC
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Prime Therapeutics LLC
    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, 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.


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