Francisco J. Esteva, MD, PhD

Chief, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Lenox Hill Hospital
Director, Breast Cancer Translational Research, Northwell Health Cancer Institute
Professor of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, USA

Professor Francisco Javier Esteva is Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital, Director of Breast Cancer Translational Research at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Prior to joining Northwell, he was a Professor of Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and at NYU Langone Health.

His research has helped shape the targeted therapies used in breast cancer today, including trastuzumab, pertuzumab, lapatinib, trastuzumab-DM1, ribociclib, and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. His team elucidated mechanisms of resistance to HER2-targeted therapies and led clinical trials to overcome resistance. He has served as lead or co-lead investigator on more than 100 clinical trials evaluating new treatment strategies. His work has contributed to developing prognostic and predictive multi-gene assays that support more precise treatment decisions and reduce chemotherapy use in early-stage disease. He has authored more than 200 publications, including peer-reviewed articles, invited reviews, book chapters, and treatment guidelines, and has an H-index of 89.

Dr. Esteva takes a patient-centered approach, collaborating with patients and their families to make treatment decisions. He ensures they understand their diagnosis and options, including disease pathology, clinical staging, molecular assays, and treatment strategies. “Our multidisciplinary team approach at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute at Lenox Hill is key to our success, always keeping the patient at the center of all we do.” In 2019, Susan G. Komen Greater NYC honored him with its Physician of Impact Award. In 2026, Castle Connolly named him a Top Doctor.

He earned his MD and PhD from the University of Zaragoza School of Medicine in Spain, completed his internal medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital, and trained in medical oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. He is board-certified in medical oncology, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation.