Alan Astrow, MD

Dr. Alan Astrow is a Director and physician in the Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology and Hematology, at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.  Previous to joining the Maimonides team in 2005, he was Associate Medical Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and Chief of Clinical Oncology at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Manhattan, where he was an attending physician for nineteen years.  Dr. Astrow completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Boston City Hospital, and his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at New York University Medical Center.

Specialty  
Medical Oncology / Hematology

Conditions Treated
Dr. Astrow treats a wide variety of conditions and cancers including:

• Breast cancer
• Gynecologic cancers
• Uterine cancers
• Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas

Treatments and Procedures
Dr. Astrow offers a number of treatments and procedures such as:

• Bone marrow aspirate/ biopsy
• Chemotherapy administration

Dr. Alan Astrow is widely published, has been a frequent participant in the Breast Cancer Update recorded audio conference series.  He is a member of the New York Metropolitan Breast Group and the New York Gynecologic Oncology Group. At Maimonides, he has been involved in studies of new therapies for breast cancer, and is a co-investigator in a National Cancer Institute funded study designed to improve the way in which physicians inform patients about the risks and benefits of participation in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials.  Dr. Astrow has also conducted research and given seminars on ways to help physicians understand a patient’s wishes, values, and needs, and how to improve communication between physician and patient. He has been the recipient of several awards, and is included in New York Magazine’s list of Best Doctors in New York and the Castle-Connally Guide to Top Doctors New York Metro Region.

Life Interests
Dr. Astrow’s interests include the ethics of medical decision making, spirituality and physician-patient communication, and chemotherapy of breast and gynecological cancers.