Daniel H. Sterman, MD

I chose to specialize in interventional pulmonology because it offers the opportunity to perform hands-on procedures that directly help patients, and it involves innovative research into new treatments for lung disease. Interventional pulmonology began to emerge as a medical specialty as I was finishing medical school, so I had the chance to work with pioneers who built the specialty into what it is today—a hybrid of pulmonary medicine and thoracic surgery, in which we perform minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and treat people with cancers of the chest.

I evaluate patients at NYU Langone Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates and Perlmutter Cancer Center, diagnosing and treating people who have lung cancer, malignant pleura mesothelioma—a rare cancer affecting the membranes lining the lungs—and pleural effusion, which is a buildup of fluid between those membranes. I diagnose and manage cancers and benign disorders affecting the large airways of the lungs: the trachea and bronchi. I also perform staging procedures to determine the degree of advancement of a person’s condition.

When someone first comes to my office, we sit down and have an in-depth discussion about his or her medical history. I talk to family members and friends to obtain detailed background information about my patient’s experiences. When I have this information, I use a physical exam, imaging tests, and discussions with other NYU Langone specialists to create a specific diagnostic, staging, or treatment plan.

This holistic and patient-centered approach to care is the foundation of all care at Perlmutter Cancer Center and NYU Langone Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates. When patients come to see me at Perlmutter Cancer Center, they can also visit with chemotherapy and radiation experts—thoracic medical oncologists and thoracic radiation oncologists, respectively—as well as thoracic surgeons, all in the same afternoon. We aim to make the visit as positive as possible, the procedures as safe as possible, and the treatments as easy as possible for every patient. 

We are also building on a long and historic track record of advancements in pulmonary and critical care medicine here at NYU Langone. In addition to offering a variety of chest services across the hospital, we participate in novel research and clinical trials. I have spent the last 18 years studying ways to use gene therapy and immunotherapy to control tumors of the chest, treat people with both lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma, and improve and prolong the quality of patients’ lives.