Dr. Robert Maki

Dr. Robert Maki, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist with over 25 years of dedicated experience in the treatment of connective tissue tumors, including sarcomas and benign conditions such as desmoid tumors. He practices at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he helped develop the Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service and rejoined in 2023 after leading the Sarcoma Medical Oncology program and Experimental Therapeutics team at the University of Pennsylvania. Over the course of his career, he has also directed a pediatric hematology-oncology service and headed a group at the American Board of Internal Medicine focused on ensuring oncologists remain current in their field. He approaches each patient with the understanding that sarcoma, though rare, requires a highly personalized care plan built on the latest research and delivered through a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, pathologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists.

Dr. Maki's clinical and research focus centers on identifying new treatments for the many forms of sarcoma, which encompass more than 80 distinct types and represent less than 1% of all cancers. He conducts clinical trials and sarcoma translational research, applying laboratory findings to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. A key interest is refining methods for testing new drugs so that effective treatments can be identified rapidly and efficiently. He has published extensively on new cancer medications and across a broad range of sarcoma subtypes, including Ewing sarcoma, angiosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, and desmoid tumors, among others. His findings have contributed new treatment options not only for sarcoma patients but for those with other cancer types as well.

Dr. Maki is known for his attentive, patient-centered approach, offering reassurance and clear guidance to individuals facing the particular anxiety of a rare cancer diagnosis. He has led and supported numerous clinical trials throughout his career and maintains active collaborations with colleagues at MSK and institutions around the world. His commitment to sharing research findings broadly reflects his belief that advancing care for rare cancers requires open exchange across the global medical community. He continues to pursue better treatments for sarcoma with both scientific rigor and genuine dedication to his patients.