Oncologist Near Me – Yelena Janjigian: A Global Leader in Gastrointestinal Oncology

Welcome to OncoDaily‘s special section, “Oncologist Near Me,” where we introduce prominent oncologists worldwide.

Here, you can get to know the leading cancer specialists in your area, including personal and professional details you won’t find in their research articles.

Interested solely in research? We’ve got that covered too! Discover top research articles by the author, learn about their academic achievements, awards, and honors, watch their interviews, and memorize some quotes for much-needed inspiration!

Yelena Janjigian, MD

Dr. Yelena Janjigian is a world-renowned medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers, with a particular focus on esophageal and stomach malignancies. She serves as Chief of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and is a member of the Board at OncoDaily.

Early Life and Education

Dr. Yelena Janjigian was born into an Armenian family in Baku. In her early years, her family fled the region as Armenian refugees, first moving to Russia and later settling in California. There, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, San Diego.

Her path to medicine was shaped by personal history and a deep sense of purpose.

“I was always good at science, a good student.  I also chose medicine because it allows you to help others in moments of great need, and because it challenges you.”

She moved to New York to pursue her MD at New York University School of Medicine. During her training, she became drawn to oncology. In an interview with OncoDaily, she said:

“Oncology attracted me because of its unmet need and its science. It’s a field where you have to balance being a physician and a scientist, always solving problems, always learning. But it also requires compassion and resilience you need to be there for your patients.”

Dr. Janjigian completed her internal medicine residency at New York University School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital, followed by a hematology/oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), where her journey in gastrointestinal oncology truly began.

Career

Dr. Yelena Janjigian began her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) as an Assistant Attending Physician in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Service. She joined the faculty in 2009 and, in 2018, became Chief of the GI Oncology Service, a role in which she leads one of the world’s top teams focused on esophageal and stomach cancers.

Alongside her work at MSK, she has built a distinguished academic career at Weill Cornell Medical College, where she was named Professor of Medicine in 2024, following earlier roles as Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Instructor, and Fellow.

Dr. Janjigian’s leadership extends well beyond her institution. She is a member of the International Gastric Cancer Association Council, a Board member of OncoDaily, and a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, recognizing her leadership in translational research. In addition, she plays active roles in major committees at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), helping to shape the future of cancer research and treatment.

Dr. Janjigian is a recipient of the ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Career Development Award, Debbie’s Dream Foundation Medical Award, and Cycle for Survival Grant Award.

Mentorship is a core part of Dr. Janjigian’s mission. She is dedicated to training the next generation of clinicians and researchers and fostering a culture of innovation within her team. As Chief of GI Oncology at MSK, she is focused on driving forward transformative research that will improve outcomes for patients with GI cancers worldwide.

Through her leadership, vision, and deep commitment to patient care, Dr. Janjigian continues to inspire progress in the field of GI oncology and hope for countless patients and families.

Research

Dr. Yelena Janjigian is one of the leading voices in advancing treatment for esophagogastric cancers. Her work has helped reshape the landscape of gastrointestinal oncology, with more than 140 papers published in top journals, including Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet Oncology, Lancet, and Nature. Her research has garnered over 27,000 citations, with an H-index of 61, a reflection of her lasting impact on the field.

Her studies—supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C)—have deepened the understanding of the genomic drivers of esophagogastric cancers and led to the development of new treatment strategies that are now setting new standards of care.

Dr. Janjigian has led and contributed to numerous clinical trials exploring novel therapies for gastrointestinal tumors. Among these:

• A Phase 2 study of AgenT-797 plus Botensilimab, Balstilimab, Ramucirumab, and Paclitaxel for esophageal, gastric, and gastroesophageal junction cancers
• A Phase 2 study of AZD0901 alone and in combination with anti-cancer drugs for solid tumors expressing Claudin 18.2
• A Phase 2 study of pembrolizumab immunotherapy with trastuzumab and chemotherapy for esophagogastric cancer
• A Phase 3 study of AZD0901 versus standard therapy for advanced stomach or gastroesophageal junction cancers with Claudin 18.2

Most recently, Dr. Janjigian served as Principal Investigator of the landmark MATTERHORN trial, the first global Phase III study to demonstrate superior event-free survival with an immunotherapy combination over standard care in gastric and gastroesophageal cancers. Conducted across 176 centers in 20 countries, the trial showed that adding Imfinzi (durvalumab) to the FLOT chemotherapy regimen significantly improved outcomes for patients.

“This marks a significant paradigm shift away from traditional perioperative chemoradiation and toward a more targeted and effective treatment approach.”

Read more about the MATTERHORN trial.

Through her pioneering research, Dr. Janjigian continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in GI oncology, bringing new hope to patients around the world.

Top 10 papers by Yelena Janjigian*

1. Janjigian YY, Shitara K, Moehler M, Garrido M, Salman P, Shen L, Wyrwicz L, Yamaguchi K, Skoczylas T, Campos Bragagnoli A, Liu T, Schenker M, Yanez P, Tehfe M, Kowalyszyn R, Karamouzis MV, Bruges R, Zander T, Pazo-Cid R, Hitre E, Feeney K, Cleary JM, Poulart V, Cullen D, Lei M, Xiao H, Kondo K, Li M, Ajani JA. First-line nivolumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone for advanced gastric, gastro-oesophageal junction, and oesophageal adenocarcinoma (CheckMate 649): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021 Jul 3;398(10294):27-40. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00797-2. Epub 2021 Jun 5. PMID: 34102137; PMCID: PMC8436782.
2. Janjigian YY, Bendell J, Calvo E, Kim JW, Ascierto PA, Sharma P, Ott PA, Peltola K, Jaeger D, Evans J, de Braud F, Chau I, Harbison CT, Dorange C, Tschaika M, Le DT. CheckMate-032 Study: Efficacy and Safety of Nivolumab and Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Patients With Metastatic Esophagogastric Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2018 Oct 1;36(28):2836-2844. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2017.76.6212. Epub 2018 Aug 15. Erratum in: J Clin Oncol. 2019 Feb 10;37(5):443. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.02406. PMID: 30110194; PMCID: PMC6161834.
3. Janjigian YY, Kawazoe A, Yañez P, Li N, Lonardi S, Kolesnik O, Barajas O, Bai Y, Shen L, Tang Y, Wyrwicz LS, Xu J, Shitara K, Qin S, Van Cutsem E, Tabernero J, Li L, Shah S, Bhagia P, Chung HC. The KEYNOTE-811 trial of dual PD-1 and HER2 blockade in HER2-positive gastric cancer. Nature. 2021 Dec;600(7890):727-730. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04161-3. Epub 2021 Dec 15. PMID: 34912120; PMCID: PMC8959470.
4. Janjigian YY, Smit EF, Groen HJ, Horn L, Gettinger S, Camidge DR, Riely GJ, Wang B, Fu Y, Chand VK, Miller VA, Pao W. Dual inhibition of EGFR with afatinib and cetuximab in kinase inhibitor-resistant EGFR-mutant lung cancer with and without T790M mutations. Cancer Discov. 2014 Sep;4(9):1036-45. doi: 10.1158/2159 8290.CD-14-0326. Epub 2014 Jul 29. PMID: 25074459; PMCID: PMC4155006.
5. Janjigian YY, Werner D, Pauligk C, Steinmetz K, Kelsen DP, Jäger E, Altmannsberger HM, Robinson E, Tafe LJ, Tang LH, Shah MA, Al-Batran SE. Prognosis of metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer by HER2 status: a European and USA International collaborative analysis. Ann Oncol. 2012 Oct;23(10):2656-2662. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mds104. Epub 2012 Jun 11. PMID: 22689179.
6. Shitara K, Ajani JA, Moehler M, Garrido M, Gallardo C, Shen L, Yamaguchi K, Wyrwicz L, Skoczylas T, Bragagnoli AC, Liu T, Tehfe M, Elimova E, Bruges R, Zander T, de Azevedo S, Kowalyszyn R, Pazo-Cid R, Schenker M, Cleary JM, Yanez P, Feeney K, Karamouzis MV, Poulart V, Lei M, Xiao H, Kondo K, Li M, Janjigian YY. Nivolumab plus chemotherapy or ipilimumab in gastro-oesophageal cancer. Nature. 2022 Mar;603(7903):942-948. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04508-4. Epub 2022 Mar 23. PMID: 35322232; PMCID: PMC8967713.
7. Janjigian YY, Sanchez-Vega F, Jonsson P, Chatila WK, Hechtman JF, Ku GY, Riches JC, Tuvy Y, Kundra R, Bouvier N, Vakiani E, Gao J, Heins ZJ, Gross BE, Kelsen DP, Zhang L, Strong VE, Schattner M, Gerdes H, Coit DG, Bains M, Stadler ZK, Rusch VW, Jones DR, Molena D, Shia J, Robson ME, Capanu M, Middha S, Zehir A, Hyman DM, Scaltriti M, Ladanyi M, Rosen N, Ilson DH, Berger MF, Tang L, Taylor BS, Solit DB, Schultz N. Genetic Predictors of Response to Systemic Therapy in Esophagogastric Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2018 Jan;8(1):49-58. doi: 10.1158/2159 8290.CD-17-0787. Epub 2017 Nov 9. PMID: 29122777; PMCID: PMC5813492.
8. Janjigian YY, Kawazoe A, Bai Y, Xu J, Lonardi S, Metges JP, Yanez P, Wyrwicz LS, Shen L, Ostapenko Y, Bilici M, Chung HC, Shitara K, Qin SK, Van Cutsem E, Tabernero J, Li K, Shih CS, Bhagia P, Rha SY; KEYNOTE-811 Investigators. Pembrolizumab plus trastuzumab and chemotherapy for HER2-positive gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: interim analyses from the phase 3 KEYNOTE-811 randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2023 Dec 9;402(10418):2197-2208. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02033-0. Epub 2023 Oct 20. PMID: 37871604.
9. Janjigian YY, Kawazoe A, Bai Y, Xu J, Lonardi S, Metges JP, Yanez P, Wyrwicz LS, Shen L, Ostapenko Y, Bilici M, Chung HC, Shitara K, Qin SK, Van Cutsem E, Tabernero J, Li K, Shih CS, Bhagia P, Rha SY; KEYNOTE-811 Investigators. Pembrolizumab plus trastuzumab and chemotherapy for HER2-positive gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: interim analyses from the phase 3 KEYNOTE-811 randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2023 Dec 9;402(10418):2197-2208. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)02033-0. Epub 2023 Oct 20. PMID: 37871604.
10. Janjigian YY, Tang LH, Coit DG, Kelsen DP, Francone TD, Weiser MR, Jhanwar SC, Shah MA. MET expression and amplification in patients with localized gastric cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2011 May;20(5):1021-7. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-1080. Epub 2011 Mar 10. PMID: 21393565; PMCID: PMC3690490.

*Most cited papers, where Yelena Janjigian is the first or last author according to Google Scholar

Interviews  and Lectures with Yelena Janjigian

Prof. Yelena Janjigian’s Inspiring Path in GI Oncology – OncoDaily

OncoDaily Walk & Talk with Yelena Janjigian, Hosted by Tatev Margaryan – OncoDaily

DESTINY-Gastric03: Analyzing Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Gastric and GEJ Cancers – GI Oncology Now

2018 MSK Alumni Conference – Yelena Janjigian, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Alumni Society

Learning What’s Not in the Chart with Dr. Yelena Janjigian – The Medicine Mentors Podcast

Connecting People and Science: At Work with Medical Oncologist Yelena Janjigian – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Beyond the White Coat

“While Dr. Yelena Janjigian spends much of her time immersed in academic work and clinical leadership, she makes space for life well beyond the hospital. In an interview with OncoDaily, she shared that one of her dreams is to travel to Africa, a destination still on her list.

At home, her “superpower,” as she puts it, is being able to whip up a big meal for a crowd on short notice. Food is one of her greatest pleasures, and her favorite comfort dish is a simple one from childhood: fried potatoes.

“If I text my mom after a rough day in clinic, she knows exactly what to make when I come home — fried potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper. Not French fries, it’s very different.”

Fried potatos (Yelena Janjigian’s favourite food)

Before moving to the U.S. and becoming a physician, Dr. Janjigian once imagined a very different future. “Growing up in Baku, as an Armenian, I didn’t think I could become a doctor. I thought I would be a writer, maybe a professor of linguistics,” she recalled. That love for literature stayed with her. As a young immigrant, she discovered the work of Gabriel García Márquez in her ESL classes. “His writing and the Colombian mysticism captivated me,” she said. “Writing was always important to me, it still is.” And while she loves great literature, her playlists are equally eclectic. She is a fan of Taylor Swift.

Yelena Janjigian with her favourite young scientist (daughter) at Taylor Swift’s concert, Edinburgh, 2024.

These days, Dr. Janjigian is also hoping to deepen her connection to her roots; one of her personal goals is to learn the Armenian language. And above all, she treasures time with her family.

A Quote from Yelena Janjiian

To conclude, here is a piece of personal wisdom from Yelena Janjiian, a reminder to trust your own path:

“People often seek advice, and that’s important, but I believe your best guide is within. If you look deep in your heart and follow what truly excites you, what feels meaningful, and honor the promises you’ve made to yourself, you’ll find your way. I think you’ll be okay.”

How to contact her?

Email:  [email protected]
Location: 1275 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, United States

Read the previous articles in the “Oncologist Near Me” series to explore insights into the lives and careers of leading oncologists worldwide.

We’ve curated the internet to find the most important information about them. If you have more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Written by Vahe Grigoryan