Zachary Epstein-Peterson, MD

Since I made the choice to pursue a career in medicine, I have been drawn to the intense bond forged between oncologists and their patients. My care philosophy centers around creating the conditions in which patients feel comfortable to develop that bond with me as we embark on a care journey together. I recognize that a diagnosis of cancer is unsettling, and my goal in meeting each new patient and their caregivers is to truly understand their perspective and to ally with them. For some patients, a lymphoma diagnosis may require a “watch and wait” approach; for others, more intensive treatments may be needed. I give each patient the time, attention, and thoroughness that they deserve at each visit. I also prioritize personalized care that allows my patients to feel well cared for from physical and emotional/spiritual perspectives.

Although many advancements have been made in treating lymphomas, there is still significant progress to be made, and I am thankful to be at the forefront of defining new treatment avenues here at MSK. My research focuses on helping to develop newer treatments, particularly for T-cell and cutaneous lymphomas — an especially challenging subset within non-Hodgkin lymphomas. My other research interests include mantle cell lymphoma and viral/immunodeficiency-related lymphomas. Besides clinical trials investigating promising new therapies, I also participate in translational research with outstanding laboratory and computational colleagues seeking to understand why current treatments don’t always work for each patient. Ultimately, our hope is that this will uncover new vulnerabilities that we can target with different treatment approaches. Outside of work, I am passionate about vegetarianism, classical music, and travel.