Dr. Benjamin Medina is a thoracic and vascular surgeon specializing in complex thoracic oncology and minimally invasive surgical techniques. A native of New Jersey, he earned his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed his residency at New York University, where he served as chief resident. He also completed a thoracic surgery residency at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where his research focused on immunology and combined immunotherapy and targeted therapies. Dr. Medina integrates robotic and video-assisted techniques into his surgical practice, with a focus on preserving lung function and improving patient recovery. He is an active researcher and educator with publications in Nature, the Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Clinical Cancer Research.
Philosophy of Care:
Being diagnosed with cancer can be overwhelming, and I believe that clear communication, compassion, and teamwork make all the difference. My goal is to provide a treatment plan that balances effectiveness and quality of life, using innovative, minimally invasive techniques to ensure the best possible recovery. I want each patient to feel heard, supported, and confident throughout their journey.
Clinical Interests:
Robotic thoracic surgery; lung cancer; esophageal cancer; mediastinal and chest wall tumors; pleural mesothelioma; hiatal hernia; gastroesophageal reflux; and achalasia.
University of Virginia
UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School
New York University
Memorial Sloan Kettering
| Title: | Oncogene inhibition activates anti-tumoral IL-17A+ T cells in the gastrointestinal stromal tumor microenvironment. |
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| Description: | Etherington M, Hanna A, Medina BD, Liu M, Tieniber A, Levin L, Do K, Rossi F, DeMatteo RP. |
| Title: | Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy at the epicenter of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: Impact on critical care resource utilization and early outcomes. |
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| Description: | Krosowski L, Medina B, DiMaggio C, Hong C, Moore S, Straznitskas A, Rogers C, Mukherjee V, Uppa A, Frangos S, Bukur M. |
| Title: | Oncogenic Kit modulates type I interferon tumor immunity in GIST. |
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| Description: | Liu M, Etherington M, Hanna A, Medina BD, Vitiello GA, Bowler TG, Param NJ, Levin L, Rossi F, DeMatteo RP. 2021 May; 9(5):542-553. |
| Title: | The V654A second-site KIT mutation increases tumor oncogenesis and STAT activation in a mouse model of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Oncogene. |
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| Description: | Zhang JQ, Bosbach B, Loo JK, Vitiello GA, Zeng S, Seifert AM, Medina BD, Param NJ, Maltbaek JH, Rossi F, Antonescu CR, Besmer P, DeMatteo RP. 2020 Dec; 39(49):7153-7165. |
| Title: | Metastasectomy for melanoma is associated with improved overall survival in responders to targeted molecular or immunotherapy. Journal of Surgical Oncology. |
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| Description: | Medina BD, Choi BH, Rodogiannis KG, Moran U, Shapiro RL, Pavlick A, Osman I, Berman RS, Lee AY. 2020 Sep 122(3);555-561. |
| Title: | Rethinking T Cells in Pancreas Cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. |
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| Description: | Medina BD, Miller G 2019 Jul 1;25(13):3747-3749. |
| Title: | Oncogenic kinase inhibition limits Batf3-dependent dendritic cell development and anti-tumor immunity. |
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| Description: | Medina BD, Liu M, Vitiello GA, Seifert AM, Zeng S, Bowler T, Zhang JQ, Cavnar MJ, Loo JK, Param NJ, Maltbaek JH, Rossi F, Balachandran VP, DeMatteo RP. Journal of Experimental Medicine. 2019 Jun 3;216(6):1359-1376 |
| Title: | Differential immune profiles distinguish the mutational subtypes of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. |
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| Description: | Vitiello GA, Bowler TG, Liu M, Medina BD, Zhang JQ, Param NJ, Loo JK, Goldfeder RL, Chibon F, Rossi F, Zeng S, DeMatteo RP. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2019 May 1;129(5):1863-1877. |
| Title: | Macrophages and CD8+ T Cells Mediate the Antitumor Efficacy of Combined CD40 Ligation and Imatinib Therapy in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. |
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| Description: | Zhang JQ, Zeng S, Vitiello GA, Seifert AM, Medina BD, Beckman MJ, Loo JK, Santamaria-Barria J, Maltbaek JH, Param NJ, Moral JA, Zhao JN, Balachandran V, Rossi F, Antonescu CR, DeMatteo RP. Cancer Immunology Research. 2018 Apr, 6(4): 434-447 |
| Title: | Mitochondrial Inhibition Augments the Efficacy of Imatinib by Resetting the Metabolic Phenotype of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor. |
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| Description: | Vitiello GA, Medina BD, Zeng S, Bowler TG, Zhang JQ, Loo JK, Param NJ, Liu M, Moral AJ, Zhao JN, Rossi F, Antonescu CR, Balachandran VP, Cross JR, DeMatteo RP. Clinical Cancer Research. 2018 Feb, 15;24(4): 972-984 |
| Title: | ETV4 collaborates with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling to alter cell cycle activity and promote tumor aggressiveness in gastrointestinal stromal tumor. |
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| Description: | Zeng S, Seifert AM, Zhang JQ, Kim TS, Bowler TG, Cavnar MJ, Medina BD, Vitiello GA, Rossi F, Loo JK, Param NJ, DeMatteo RP. Oncotarget. 2017 Dec, 11;8(69): 114195-114209 |
| Title: | Identification of unique neoantigen qualities in long-term survivors of pancreatic cancer. |
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| Description: | Balachandran VP, Tuksza M, Zhao JN, Makarov V, Moral JA, Remark R, Herbst B, Askan G, Bhanot U, Senbabaoglu Y, Wells DK, Cary CIO, Grbovic-Huezo O, Attiyeh M, Medina B, Zhang J, Loo J, Saglimbeni J, Abu-Akeel M, Zappasodi R, Riaz N, Smoragiewicz M, Kelley ZL, Basturk O; Nature. 2017 Nov, 23;551(7681): 512-516 |
| Title: | Duodenal-Jejunal Flexure GI Stromal Tumor Frequently Heralds Somatic NF1 and Notch Pathway Mutations. Journal of Precision Oncology. |
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| Description: | Burgoyne AM, De Siena M, Alkhuziem M, Tang CM, Medina B, Fanta PT, Belinsky MG, von Mehren M, Thorson JA, Madlensky L, Bowler T, D'Angelo F, Stupack DG, Harismendy O, DeMatteo RP, Sicklick JK. 2017 Aug, Epub |
| Title: | Wnt/ß-catenin signaling contributes to tumor malignancy and is targetable in gastrointestinal stromal tumor. |
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| Description: | Zeng S, Seifert AM, Zhang JQ, Cavnar MJ, Kim TS, Balachandran CP, Santamaria-Barria JA, Cohen NA, Beckman MJ, Medina BD, Rossi F, Crawley MH, Loo JK, Maltbaek JK, Besmer P, Antonescu CR, DeMatteo RP. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2017, 16(9): 1954-1966 |
| Title: | PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade Enhances T-cell Activity and Antitumor Efficacy of Imatinib in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. |
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| Description: | Seifert AM, Zeng S, Zhang JQ, Kim TS, Cohen NA, Beckman MJ, Medina BD, Maltbaek JH, Loo JK, Crawley MH, Rossi F, Besmer P, Antonescu CR, DeMatteo, RP. Clinical Cancer Research 2017 Jan, 23(2): 454-465 |
| Title: | Neurologic outcome of minimal head injury (MHI) patients managed with and without a routine repeat head computed tomography (RHCT). |
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| Description: | Nayak NV, Medina B, Patel K, Homnick AT, Mohr AM, Livingston DH, Prestigiacomo CJ, Sifri ZC. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2013 Aug, 75(2): 273-278 |
| Title: | Immune Response and Immunotherapy in GIST. |
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| Description: | Gerardo A. Vitiello, Benjamin D. Medina, Ronald P. DeMatteo. Immunotherapy of Sarcoma, First Edition Springer, 2019. |
| Title: | Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor. |
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| Description: | Benjamin D. Medina, Ronald P. DeMatteo. Clinical Scenarios in Surgery: Decision Making and Operative Technique, Second Edition. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins. Second Edition. 2019. |
| Title: | Colorectal Cancer Metastases |
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| Description: | Benjamin D. Medina, Ronald P. DeMatteo. Surgical Decision Making, Sixth Edition. Elsevier. 2019. |
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