Benjamin Cooper, MD

I became interested in radiation oncology after I saw a patient who had prostate cancer, which led to spinal cord compression and the inability to walk, regain complete use of his legs one week after receiving radiation therapy. I was also drawn to caring for people who have cancer because both they and their doctors are passionate about finding the most effective treatment.

I manage skin cancer—primarily melanoma, but also squamous cell cancer—and lung cancer. I also care for children who have solid tumors, such as brain cancer, sarcoma, and Wilms tumor. Some of my patients are not good candidates for surgery due to the location of the tumor or preexisting conditions. Radiation therapy gives them another treatment option.

I offer several types of radiation therapy, including stereotactic body radiation therapy. With this approach, precise doses of radiation are delivered to the body in fewer treatment sessions than with traditional radiation therapy.

As the director of proton therapy services at NYU Langone, I provide targeted radiation treatment to patients who have solid tumors. Proton therapy uses electrically charged particles called protons rather than X-rays to destroy tumor cells. The treatment is more focused than conventional radiation therapy, so it is less likely to damage healthy tissue. This means I can treat the brain and spine in children with some brain tumors without damaging the heart and lungs.

I collaborate with a team that includes medical oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, dermatologists, and pulmonologists. Because we all work in the same building, we can expedite our patients’ care.

I enjoy partnering with patients to maximize their quality of life. I am a firm believer in mutual decision-making, in which the doctor and patient agree on the goals of treatment. I am willing to be creative to meet patients’ needs. For example, because an elderly patient did not want to travel frequently, I altered his treatment plan accordingly.

In addition to caring for patients, I perform research. I am currently studying whether immunotherapy can be combined with radiation to improve treatment success rates for breast, head and neck, and lung cancer. In 2015, I received a Merit Award from Conquer Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s foundation, for my research on gastrointestinal cancer.