Overview
Dr. Nasser Altorki is the Chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and the leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at The Meyer Cancer Center. His clinical research interests include the role of surgery in the management of CT scan detected early lung cancer, treatment of locally advanced lung cancer and esophageal cancer and the surgical treatment benign esophageal conditions such as achalasia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. His research interests include investigating the role of immunotherapy in treating various chest malignancies.
Highlights
- 1The New England journal of medicine · 2023
- 2The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery · 2023
- 3JAMA oncology · 2024
Publications
Funding
Active
6 grants- Co-IK01AG088449-01Evaluation of clinical and social factors associated with deficit accumulation trajectories in older survivors with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.National Institute on Aging · 2024–2029Career
- Co-IR01CA271619-01A1ER stress-driven IRE1a-XBP1 signaling in lung cancerNational Cancer Institute · 2023–2028
- MPIR01CA271545-01A1Immunoregulatory role of lung-resident club cell factors in lung cancerNational Cancer Institute · 2023–2028
- KPR01CA266619-01Genome-wide mutational integration for ultra-sensitive plasma tumor burden monitoring in immunotherapyNational Cancer Institute · 2022–2027
- Co-IMCC CTIF 250906-01Evaluating Lymph Node T Cell "Clonal Replacement" in a Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant SBRT plus Cemiplimab versus Chemotherapy plus Cemiplimab in Resectable NSCLCWCM Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center · 2025–2026
Completed grants (11)
- KPSRA 213491-01Targeting IL-1RAP to overcome EGFR-TKIs resistance in EGFR mutant NSCLCCantargia AB · 2021–2025Contract
- PIJJEI 213094-01Lung Cancer Initiative at Johnson & Johnson-Weill Cornell CollaborationJohnson & Johnson · 2020–2025BioPharma Alliance
- PIUH3CA244697-05S1Intercepting progression from pre-invasive to invasive lung adenocarcinomaNational Cancer Institute · 2019–2025· 2 renewals
- PINYGC 211479-02Ethnic based differences between Asian and Caucasian patients in genomic, transcriptomic and immune profiles of pre-invasive and invasive adenocarcinoma of the lungNew York Genome Center Inc. · 2020–2024
- PIW81XWH2110309The Mechanistic Basis Of Radiation Induced Immunomodulation In Early Non-Small Cell Lung CancerU.S. Department of Defense · 2021–2024No publications yet
- PITCC 222040-01DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MODELS OF THYMIC EPITHELIAL TUMORSThymic Carcinoma Center · 2022–2023
- Co-IW81XWH-19-1-0422Targeting ART1, a novel immune checkpoint, for the treatment of lung cancerU.S. Department of Defense · 2019–2023
- MPIJ&J Biopharma 213315-02Molecular and cellular profiling of preinvasive and minimally invasive lesions to understand the biology underlying progression from indolent to more invasive tumorsJohnson & Johnson · 2020–2022
- MPIUG3CA244697-02S2Racial based differences between East Asian and Caucasian patients in genomic and transcriptomic profiling of ground glass lung nodules and their impact on determinants of immune responseNational Cancer Institute · 2020–2021· 2 renewals
- PIK07CA132892-05Risk Factors for Site-Specific Metastasis in Esophageal CancerNational Cancer Institute · 2009–2013Career
- MPIM01RR000047-47SAFETY AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF NY-ESO-1 PLASMID DNA (PPJV7611) CANCERNCRR · 2004–2007 · via NIH RePORTER
Clinical research
Active
10 studies- PIClinicopathologic Risk Factors Associated with Recurrences in Patients who Underwent Neoadjuvant ICI Plus Chemotherapy and Complete Surgical Resection of NSCLCMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2026)
- PINCT06424327Pulmonary Segmentectomy for Lung Cancer: A Real-World International Registry-TSOG 108Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2026)Lung Cancer; Lung Cancer Stage I
- PIQuasi-Randomized Comparison of single-Port and Multi-Port Approaches for Lung ResectionWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2026)
- PIAssociation between metabolic syndrome and oncological outcomes in patients with surgically resected non-small cell lung cancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIThoracic Surgery Biobank RepositoryWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIImpact of histologic classification, including spread through air spaces (stas), on outcome in t1an0 lung cancer (alliance a152429: calgb 140503 stas correlative study)Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIMetal Mapping Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIArtificial Intelligence and Radiomics in Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PINCT06623656Multicenter Randomized Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant Radioimmunotherapy Versus Chemoimmunotherapy in Patients With Clinical Stages IB-III (N2) Non-small Cell Lung CancerPHASE2 · Weill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
- PIA Novel Post-Operative Monitoring Application for Use after Cardiothoracic SurgeryWeill Medical College of Cornell University · OPEN TO ACCRUAL (as of 2022)
Completed & closed trials (11)
- PIReal World Outcomes of Lobectomy after Neoadjuvant Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIAll Segments are Created Equal: Local Recurrence and Survival After Simple and Composite Segmentectomy in Patients with Clinical Stage IA (=2cm) NSCLCWeill Medical College of Cornell University · IRB STUDY CLOSURE (as of 2025)
- PILong-term survival following pneumonectomy for Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIRecurrence and Survival After Surgery for GGOsWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIAnalysis of Survival following Sublobar Resection for Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with Occult Lymph Node Disease Utilizing the National Cancer DatabaseWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PIReoperative Thoracoscopic Lung Resection is a Safe and Effective Approach to the Management of Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2025)
- PISublobar versus Lobar resection in NSCLC <2cm: A Large Single-institutional ReviewWeill Medical College of Cornell University · IRB STUDY CLOSURE (as of 2024)
- PIThoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG) Protocol: Registry Trial of Active Surveillance for Multifocal Ground Glass Opacities (GGOs)Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2023)
- PIShould sampling of 3 N2 stations be a quality metric for curative resection of stage I lung cancer?Weill Medical College of Cornell University · IRB STUDY CLOSURE (as of 2023)
- PITen Year Survival After 3 Field Esophagectomy for Cancer Of The EsophagusWeill Medical College of Cornell University · IRB STUDY CLOSURE (as of 2023)
- PIThe Mechanistic Basis of Radiation-Induced Immunomodulation in Early Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWeill Medical College of Cornell University · CLOSED TO ACCRUAL (as of 2023)
News mentions
- Gene Signature May Predict Response to Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung CancerFebruary 23, 2024
A new study identified a set of 140 genes that may help predict enhanced disease-free survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with a combination of immunotherapy and low-dose radiation.
- Genetic Signature May Predict Response to Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung CancerFebruary 23, 2024
A new study identified a...
- Less Invasive Early Lung Cancer Study Receives Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement AwardFebruary 22, 2024
A Weill Cornell Medicine-led research team has been awarded a 2024 Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum in recognition of an influential 2023 New England Journal of Medicine study on early-stage lung cancer resection.
- Immunotherapy and Radiation Combo Shows Improved Outcomes for Non-small Cell Lung CancerJanuary 11, 2024
A new study reported that patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with a combination of low-dose radiation and immunotherapy had higher progression-free survival compared to patients who received immunotherapy alone two years after treatment.
- Less Lung Tissue Removal Needed for Early-Stage Cancer, Study FindsFebruary 8, 2023
Surgery that removes only a portion of one of the five lobes that comprise a lung is as effective as the traditional surgery that removes an entire lobe for certain patients with early-stage lung cancer.
Show 2 more mentions
- Combination Therapy Boosts Lung Cancer Patients’ Response, Cuts Treatment Time in Phase 2 TrialJune 15, 2021
Combining immunotherapy with targeted radiation resulted in a greater response rate than immunotherapy alone in a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with early-stage, non-small-cell lung cancer led by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.
- Cancer Moonshot Grant Funds Research into Discovering Targets for Lung Cancer Prevention StrategiesNovember 21, 2019
A prestigious Cancer Moonshot grant from the National Cancer Institute’s Immuno-Oncology Translational Network will enable investigators to explore the mechanisms that allow slow-growing lung cancer lesions to progress into aggressive malignancies and identify new therapeutic strategies to intercept the transition.
Mentoring
- EYEyoel YemanaberhanPostdoc mentee · 2021–2022
External relationships
Ownership
TMRW