Dr. David G. Pfister

Dr. David G. Pfister, MD, is a distinguished medical oncologist with more than 20 years of experience treating patients with a broad spectrum of head and neck malignancies, including tumors of the mouth, throat, thyroid, salivary glands, and skin. He serves as Attending Physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he previously held the role of Chief of the Head and Neck Oncology Service. In recognition of his longstanding contributions to patient care, he received Memorial Sloan Kettering's Willet F. Whitmore Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011. Throughout his career, Dr. Pfister has championed a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to cancer care, working closely with surgeons, radiation oncologists, nurses, and other specialists to deliver comprehensive treatment that addresses not only survival but also physical appearance, function, and quality of life.

Dr. Pfister is perhaps best known for pioneering combined modality organ preservation therapy, an approach developed with Memorial Sloan Kettering colleagues that uses chemotherapy and radiation in combination to avoid feared surgical procedures such as removal of the voice box. This strategy aims to preserve function and cosmetic appearance without compromising survival outcomes. His current research focuses on targeted therapies that selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue, as well as the development of customized combined modality treatment regimens based on prognostic risk and the assessment of healthcare outcomes. He has published extensively and has served as associate editor for Clinical Cancer Research and on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in addition to serving as principal investigator on multiple clinical studies.

Dr. Pfister holds prominent leadership roles at both the national and institutional levels. He is a member of the board of directors for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and chairs its head and neck cancer practice guidelines panel, directly influencing treatment standards across the field. He also serves on the board of directors for the International Thyroid Oncology Group and co-chairs the Head and Neck Cancer Recurrent/Metastatic Disease Task Force at the National Cancer Institute. At Memorial Sloan Kettering, he chairs the Committee on Metrics of Care Quality and Outcome, reflecting his dedication to improving the quality and consistency of cancer care delivery.