Babak Givi – New York New York

I am a surgical oncologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors of the head and neck. I have been interested in head and neck surgery since the day I started medical school. This early enthusiasm took me from Portland, Oregon, where I did my residency in general surgery, to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and the University of Toronto, where I completed fellowships in surgery, oncology, and reconstruction (all focused on the head and neck).

I have expertise in treating tumors of the mouth, throat, thyroid, parathyroid, skin, and salivary glands. When possible, I use minimally invasive approaches to address larynx, salivary gland, and throat tumors. This includes endoscopes and lasers, which can be used to remove tumors without the need for an incision. I also use gland-sparing strategies to preserve normal tissue when removing salivary gland tumors.

Additionally, I have extensive experience in advanced imaging techniques for lymph node mapping. These strategies help surgical oncologists like me identify and extract (take out) only the lymph nodes affected by cancer. This reduces the need for larger incisions and bigger operations.

My goal is to help my patients throughout their cancer diagnosis and treatment journey. I strive to give them the support and the hope they need while reminding them that they are not alone at any step in this process. I feel very fortunate to be part of the world-class team at MSK, where we can offer the most advanced treatments and cutting-edge clinical trials possible to our patients.

In addition to my clinical practice, I lead the American Head & Neck Society’s educational efforts as Vice-Chair of Education. Head and neck surgery education has a distinguished history in North America. I seek to build on this tradition by preparing the next generation of surgeons for the challenges ahead in the 21^st century. To that end, I have conducted research in all areas of head and neck surgery education and curriculum development. Outside of the educational setting, my research has focused on many different areas of head and neck cancer, such as patterns of cancer care delivery, health disparities, adoption of new technologies, and quality and safety of care.