Michael Blasco, MD, is director of head and neck oncology and reconstruction at Staten Island University Hospital. He sees patients with throat cancer, mouth cancer, thyroid tumors and skin lesions that affect the head and neck. He specializes in minimally invasive surgery, including transoral robotic-assisted procedures to remove mouth and throat cancers. He also performs reconstructive surgery to help restore form and function in patients who undergo surgical removal of head and neck tumors. His research interests include the surgical treatment of oral cavity cancer and finding new ways of detecting lymph node metastases.His overall approach to patient care is a shared decision-making model. "I try to present patients and their families with all of the information that I think they would need to make informed decisions about their health care," he says. Dr. Blasco attended medical school at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He then completed a residency in otolaryngology at Wayne State University and a fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology, with a focus on reconstruction, at the University of Toronto. At Northwell Health, he collaborates extensively with imaging specialists, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, speech and language pathologists and other surgeons to create comprehensive care plans for patients. For people who require reconstructive surgery, he routinely works with oral surgeons, plastic surgeons and prosthodontists to restore the appearance of the head and neck and people's ability to speak and swallow. "Head and neck cancer care is highly multidisciplinary," he says.In addition to his surgical duties, Dr. Blasco is an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He is also a member of the American Head and Neck Society and the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and has published numerous articles in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Blasco values the lifelong relationships he establishes with patients. "The partnerships you form when you're helping people navigate through one of the most difficult parts of their life is rewarding," he says. "And, there's nothing better than seeing people living a life of happiness and success and doing all the things they want to do with their cancer behind them."
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