Julia A. Smith, MD, PhD

Medicine was a natural career choice for me. As a student, I was always interested in science and literature, and I was drawn to working with people. I wanted to understand their personal stories, and apply scientific advances to improve their lives.

I specialize in cancer risk assessment, screening, and prevention for people who have an elevated risk of developing cancer. When this subspecialty was first emerging, I became involved because it seemed like the ideal way to combine my PhD work in cell biology and retroviral genetics with my clinical specialty of medical oncology.

We began the cancer screening program at NYU Langone in the late 1990s. It was one of the first of its kind in the country, and has been growing ever since. As part of our services at Perlmutter Cancer Center, I evaluate patients who have had cancer as well as those who have not. In both cases, people aim to understand and protect themselves and their family members from future cancer diagnoses.

For people who have a personal or family history of cancer, receive biopsy results that indicate possible risk, or have been exposed to external agents that may carry risk, we provide a complete medical evaluation. When appropriate, we may consider genetic testing. We also offer screening and risk-reducing strategies and procedures with continued care and follow-up appointments.

Cancer risk assessment must be tailored to current known standards of care, but it’s also important to adapt care to an individual’s needs, understanding, and tolerance of risk. Our ultimate goal is to be able to apply fully effective screening and prevention techniques without performing unnecessary tests. To achieve this, we must continue to conduct research, implement protocols of care, and evaluate people on an individual basis.

I have been recognized by Castle Connolly’s “Top Doctors” series for the New York Metro Area and by SHAPE magazine as one of the “Women Who Have Shaped the World” in 2007. I am the recipient of a clinical research fellowship from the American Cancer Society and I was awarded the Ovarian Cancer Research Award by the Lynne Cohen Foundation, among other awards.