About Ross Merkin, MD
Ross Merkin, MD is a medical oncologist in the Center for Head and Neck Cancers at Mass General Cancer Center. He is also an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Merkin graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts in 2011 with a BS in biology. He then earned his MD degree from SUNY Stony Brook University School of Medicine in Stony Brook, New York in 2016. During medical school he was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA), the medical honors society for outstanding achievement and earned accolades for his translational research. He completed his internal medicine residency at Montefiore Medical Center (Moses and Weiler Campuses) in Bronx, NY in 2019 and was subsequently invited to serve as Chief Resident, which he completed in 2020. He went on to complete his hematology/oncology training at Yale University and Yale Cancer Center / Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT in 2023. He joined Mass General Cancer Center / Harvard Medical School in 2023 as a medical oncologist.
Dr. Merkin’s clinical interests are in cancers of the head and neck, with a focus on mucosal squamous cell carcinoma, HPV-related head and neck cancer, salivary gland cancer, and advanced thyroid cancer. He also works with a multidisciplinary team to deliver care to patients with complications of immunotherapy.
Clinical Interests:
- HPV-related head and neck cancers
- Hypopharyngeal Cancer
- Laryngeal Cancer
- Nasopharyngeal Cancer
- Oral Cavity Cancer
- Oropharyngeal Cancer
- Paranasal Sinus Cancer
- Rare head and neck tumors
- Salivary Gland Cancer
- Thyroid cancer
Treats:
- Adult
Languages:
- Spanish
Locations
Mass General Cancer Center
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-5130
Phone: 877-726-5130
Medical Education
- MD, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
- Residency, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Residency, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Fellowship, Yale Cancer Center
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Merkin's clinical and translational research interests are focused on discovering better treatments for head and neck cancers. He also studies complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors, also called immune-related adverse events (irAEs). He takes a collaborative approach to discovering novel approaches aimed at improving care for patients with head and neck cancer or irAEs.
Publications
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Selected Publications:
Schoenfeld DA, Moutafi M, Martinez S, Djureinovic D, Merkin RD, Adeniran A, Braun DA, Signoretti S, Choueiri TK, Parisi F, Hurwitz M, Rimm DL, Wei W, Jilaveanu L, Kluger HM. Immune dysfunction revealed by digital spatial profiling of immuno-oncology markers in progressive stages of renal cell carcinoma and in brain metastases. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 Aug;11(8). doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007240. PubMed PMID: 37586773; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10432651.
Mann JE, Lucca L, Austin MR, Merkin RD, Robert ME, Al Bawardy B, Raddassi K, Aizenbud L, Joshi NS, Hafler DA, Abraham C, Herold KC, Kluger HM. ScRNA-seq defines dynamic T-cell subsets in longitudinal colon and peripheral blood samples in immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis. J Immunother Cancer. 2023 Aug;11(8). doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007358. PubMed PMID: 37586769; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10432652.
Merkin RD, Chiang VL, Goldberg SB. Management of patients with brain metastases from NSCLC without a genetic driver alteration: upfront radiotherapy or immunotherapy? Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2023;15:17588359231175438. doi: 10.1177/17588359231175438. eCollection 2023. Review. PubMed PMID: 37275964; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC10233588.
Schoenfeld DA, Merkin RD, Moutafi M, Martinez S, Adeniran A, Kumar D, Jilaveanu L, Hurwitz M, Rimm DL, Kluger HM. Location matters: LAG3 levels are lower in renal cell carcinoma metastatic sites compared to primary tumors, and expression at metastatic sites only may have prognostic importance. Front Oncol. 2022;12:990367. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.990367. eCollection 2022. PubMed PMID: 36313654; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9608089.
Merkin R, Kruger A, Bhardwaj G, Kajita GR, Shapiro L, Galen BT. Internal Medicine Resident Work Absence During the COVID-19 Pandemic at a Large Academic Medical Center in New York City. J Grad Med Educ. 2020 Dec;12(6):682-685. doi: 10.4300/JGME-D-20-00657.1. Epub 2020 Oct 20. PubMed PMID: 33391591; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7771614.
Merkin RD, Vanner EA, Romeiser JL, Shroyer ALW, Escobar-Hoyos LF, Li J, Powers RS, Burke S, Shroyer KR. Keratin 17 is overexpressed and predicts poor survival in estrogen receptor-negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative breast cancer. Hum Pathol. 2017 Apr;62:23-32. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2016.10.006. Epub 2016 Nov 2. PubMed PMID: 27816721.
Hillier SM, Maresca KP, Lu G, Merkin RD, Marquis JC, Zimmerman CN, Eckelman WC, Joyal JL, Babich JW. 99mTc-labeled small-molecule inhibitors of prostate-specific membrane antigen for molecular imaging of prostate cancer. J Nucl Med. 2013 Aug;54(8):1369-76. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.112.116624. Epub 2013 Jun 3. PubMed PMID: 23733925.
Yeah, so this is [redacted]. It was, as my grandkids would tell you, wicked good, Grandpa. It was just the best and I'm not related to anybody on your staff. Above and beyond and that is all.
I felt that there was a team of doctors that were trying to give me all the information in a way that would make me comfortable and prevent me from having to make numerous trips to Boston. [redacted]
Dr. Merkin, I found him very patient, very courteous, and very professional. Thank you.
We are very happy with Dr. Merkin. He is taking wonderful care of my husband, [redacted]. Thank you.
This is the vest place to be for the cancer treatment I'm receiving
DR very good
He was the best, time and care was beyond measurement.
Dealing with my recent cancer diagnosis can at times be very emotional for me. I never know when the tears will come. Although I was able to contain my emotions during my visit with Dr. Merkin he acknowledged how cancer is a difficult diagnosis to receive for anyone. All emotions are normal. Hearing this from a dr. was comforting for me. He also ... Read More
Absolutely the best explanation of my condition and the next steps to recovery. Dr. Merkin was the best experience I have ever had with a Doctor. Every aspect was exceptional. His demeanor, knowledge, honesty, and willingness to take time to listen and answer our questions gave me the hope I needed to win this battle.
Ross is the best, actually, all of my doctors are the best. They listen to what I have to say and that is very important because last year at [redacted] I was not listened to [redacted] Dr. [redacted] sent me to Faulkner for a second scan where the cancer was discovered and she hinted i would get excellent care at MGB. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED ONE ... Read More