Welcome to the

Liver Tumor Program

Where to Find Us

240 East 38th Street, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-263-8133

We provide innovative treatments for people with liver, gallbladder, and other biliary tract tumors.

Doctors at NYU Langone’s Liver Tumor Program provide individualized care and innovative, evidence-based treatment for people who have liver, gallbladder, or bile duct tumors. Our goal is to provide compassionate and comprehensive care that gives you the best possible quality of life.

We treat benign liver tumors; liver cancer and liver metastases, which is cancer that has spread to the liver from other organs such as the colon; bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma; and gallbladder cancer.

Our experienced team of doctors and nurses at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center includes medical oncologists, liver surgeons, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, hepatologists, and nurse practitioners who specialize in complex liver diseases and malignancies. Your care team meets regularly at a multidisciplinary liver tumor board to discuss your imaging test results. They work together to prepare a treatment plan personalized to your needs.

Expertise in Liver Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment

Primary liver cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among men and the seventh leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Such cancers often occur in those who have advanced liver disease or cirrhosis, in particular hepatitis B and C, fatty liver disease, and alcoholic liver disease. People with such cancers require a dedicated, multidisciplinary team for optimal treatment.

We use MRI, which can help identify liver tumors more effectively than other imaging methods, for an accurate diagnosis. The wide range of advanced treatment techniques we use against liver cancer, liver metastases, and bile duct cancer include the following:

complex liver surgery, which allows the removal of some advanced primary and metastatic cancers. This includes removal and reconstruction of major blood vessels to the liver that may involve the tumor, often using robotic and laparoscopic techniques that allow for faster recovery and minimize incisions and hospital time.
liver transplantation, which can offer cure and long-term survival to people with specific kinds of tumors
percutaneous or surgical radiofrequency or microwave ablation, to deliver heat to destroy liver tumor cells.
portal vein embolization, which is used to help grow parts of the liver before surgery. This is used when the organ’s function after surgery is a concern.
transarterial radioembolization (TARE), in which tiny radioactive beads are delivered directly to liver tumors to shrink them
transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), a minimally invasive procedure that delivers medication directly to liver tumors and blocks the blood flow feeding them
focal liver radiation therapy, which delivers high-dose radiation to shrink tumors while preserving liver function
chemotherapy, to reduce the size of liver tumors before surgery
targeted medications and immunotherapies
histotripsy, a nonsurgical procedure that uses high-intensity sound waves to destroy cancer cells

Our experts provide test results and treatment plans to your primary and referring doctors in a timely manner.

Our nurse practitioners and clinical coordinators can help facilitate referrals and coordinate your imaging tests and treatment plans. Social workers, nutritionists, and genetic counselors also offer you additional support. We educate patients and their families to address any concerns.

Through ongoing clinical trials, we study promising new medications, surgical techniques, and other therapies. For patients who need a liver transplant, we provide the latest technological advances at NYU Langone Transplant Institute, one of the Northeast’s premier centers for liver transplant.

Types of Liver Cancer and Liver Tumors We Treat

We provide expert diagnosis and treatment for these types of liver cancer and tumors:

hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common primary liver malignancy
bile duct cancers, also known as cholangiocarcinoma, which originate in the bile ducts and commonly require advanced liver surgery for their removal
gallbladder cancers, which often require liver surgery
metastatic cancers on the liver
benign liver tumors, such as adenomas, focal nodular hyperplasia, hemangiomas, or cysts, which can grow and cause issues with the liver

Our Experts

Our team of doctors includes medical oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, and hepatologists.

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Our Leadership

Karim J. Halazun, MD

Director, Liver Tumor Program, and Surgical Director, Liver Transplantation | Transplant Surgery, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery

Dr. Halazun is the section chief of hepatobiliary surgery at NYU Langone. He is a nationally and internationally renowned expert in the surgical management of advanced liver cancer and transplant oncology. To treat such tumors, he employs robotic liver surgery, advanced bile duct and vascular resection techniques, and liver transplantation. His research has led to major changes in the management of liver malignancies in the United States and worldwide.
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Paul E. Oberstein, MD

Director, Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Program | Medical Oncology

Dr. Oberstein, an associate professor of medicine, is an internationally recognized expert in all aspects of gastrointestinal oncology. His research focuses on the design and implementation of translational studies that apply novel laboratory concepts to patients, such as biomarker research into the microenvironment of cancer cells, new imaging methods for detecting tumors, and testing new therapy combinations in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Oberstein is a recipient of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award and a National Cancer Institute KL2 Career Development Award. He has received and collaborated on multi-investigator translational grants and oversees a large clinical trial portfolio looking at liver and gastrointestinal cancers.
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Ryan M. Hickey, MD

Director, Integrated Interventional Radiology/Diagnostic Radiology | Vascular & Interventional Radiology, Radiology

Dr. Hickey is an associate professor of radiology and chief of the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. His clinical practice and research focus on minimally invasive cancer treatments, including percutaneous ablation and transarterial therapies such as Y90 radioembolization, as well as interventions to address conditions following from portal hypertension.
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Affiliated Programs & Centers

Liver Transplantation

We provide living, deceased, and split liver transplantation.

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Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery

Our surgeons treat benign and cancerous conditions that affect the liver, pancreas, bile duct, and gallbladder.

Learn More

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