Nancy Y. Lee, MD, FASTRO
Radiation Oncologist & Early Drug Development Specialist
My Role at MSKWe post reviews for MSK healthcare providers who have at least 30 patient experience surveys completed. If you do not see reviews for a provider, it may be because they do not yet have enough survey responses, or the provider may not be part of the group of healthcare providers included in the survey.
Only outpatient providers are included in the survey. Healthcare providers who only work in the hospital or in urgent care are not included in the survey. Pathologists or researchers who do not provide direct care to patients do not have reviews.
Request an Appointment
About Me
- Vice Chair, Experimental Therapeutics, Department of Radiation Oncology
- Service Chief, Head & Neck Radiation Oncology
- Service Chief, Proton Therapy
I am a radiation oncologist with more than 17 years of experience. I specialize in using advanced forms of radiation to treat head and neck cancer, including thyroid cancer. These include proton therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, and stereotactic body radiation therapy.
My goal in using these technologies is to improve my patients’ outcomes while decreasing potential treatment side effects and preserving their quality of life. No matter which treatment option we use, I care for all of my patients as if they were part of my family. This means creating a plan tailored to their unique disease, and doing everything I can to help them get well.
Read more
There are many effective treatment options for people diagnosed with tumors in the head and neck. We can get rid of many of these tumors without the need for an invasive surgery. Instead, we can use radiation therapy alone or in combination with immunotherapy, targeted therapy, or chemotherapy. This is especially true for tumors in the tonsils, base of the tongue, and soft palate.
People who come to me for their care never see only me. I believe it’s important to consult with my colleagues in medical oncology and surgery. All of my patients benefit from the combined expertise of several doctors who are committed to curing their cancer and helping them get back to their lives.
My research is focused on ways to make radiation therapy for head and neck cancers safer and more effective. I am the principal investigator for many national and international clinical trials. For example, for people with very advanced head and neck cancer, I am researching the effectiveness of immunotherapy combined with chemoradiation. I am also studying the use of plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA to individualize treatment for people with nasopharyngeal cancer.
In recent years, we have seen a rise in cases of head and neck cancer caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). Though these cancers may respond to conventional therapies, we need to find innovative new ways to treat them. I am one of the leading experts in this area. I am currently leading a trial to evaluate the use of smaller radiation doses for select people with HPV-related head and neck cancers. These smaller doses mean we can help people avoid possible side effects from extensive radiation.
I am also very active in many cooperative groups such as NRG Oncology and National Cancer Institute committees. I have authored numerous articles focusing on head and neck cancers with the goal of defining appropriate treatment for people with these diseases. I am one of the major thought leaders in the world for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
People who are diagnosed with cancer may feel hopeless. When I meet with patients, I always try to restore their hope by clearly explaining treatment options, answering questions, and discussing any concerns. I also remind them that even though we will work to make their tumor go away, I won’t be going anywhere; I will be with them every step of the way and will continue to see them for the rest of their lives.
A radiation oncologist is a cancer doctor with special training in using radiation therapy (RT) to treat cancer with radiation.
An early drug development specialist tests new drugs to treat cancer. They have special training in research studies, known as clinical trials.
My Specialties
- Head and Neck Cancers
- Skin Cancers
- Thyroid Cancer
- Mouth Cancer
Education
- MD, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Residencies
- Radiation Oncology - Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: Top AAPI Doctor (2024)
- Castle Connolly: Exceptional Women in Medicine (2024)
- Castle Connolly: America’s Top Doctor (2024)
- Top Doctors New York Metro Area, Castle Connolly (2023)
- Exceptional Women in Medicine Award, Castle Connolly (2023)
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
- Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2013-2020)
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.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, HMO, DSN
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
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, HMO
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
HMO
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
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.
Make an Appointment
New Patients
Current Patients
Contact and Location
Dr. Lee 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.
See all Early Drug Development Service doctors
See all Radiation Oncology doctors
See all External Beam Radiotherapy Service, Manhattan doctors
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials Investigated by Dr. Lee
- A Phase 3 Double-Blinded Randomized Study Comparing Personalized Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy With Standard Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in People With HPV-Positive Throat Cancer
- A Phase II Study of Proton versus Photon Beam Radiotherapy to Treat Head and Neck Cancer
- A Study of RP-3500 in Combination with Standard Radiation Therapy to Treat Symptoms in People with Metastatic Solid Tumors
- A Study of Significantly Reduced Radiation Therapy and Reduced Chemotherapy in People with HPV-Positive Throat Cancer
Read more
- A Study to Assess Decreasing Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy in People with Head and Neck Cancer
- Clinical Trials Co-Investigated by Dr. Lee
- A Phase 2 Study of Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine in People With Salivary Gland Cancer
- A Phase 2 Study of Limited Radiation Therapy After Surgery in People With Tongue Cancer
- A Study Assessing Cell-Free Tumor DNA Testing to Decide When to Start Routine Treatment in People with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-Associated Oropharynx 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
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Lee’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 PubMedPatient Reviews
Your trust is our main concern
We strive to keep reviews trustworthy, honest and fair. Learn more about our patient experience reviews.
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.
Nancy Y. Lee discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
-
Galera Therapeutics, Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
LEO Pharma Inc.
Equity; Professional Services and Activities (Uncompensated) -
Merck & Co Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
Merck Serono
Professional Services and Activities
-
Nanobiotix
Professional Services and Activities -
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Professional Services and Activities -
Shanghai Jo'Ann Medical Technology Co., Ltd
Professional Services and Activities -
Shanghai Yingming Consulting Co., Ltd
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, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). 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.