News and Information

Centerpoint Summer 2010 (PDF)

Dr. Howard Hochster Joins Yale Cancer Center

Howard S. Hochster, MD has been appointed Professor of Medicine in medical oncology, Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology, and Associate Director of Clinical Research at Yale Cancer Center.  Dr. Hochster joined Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven from New York University School of Medicine and the NYU Cancer Institute.

“Dr. Hochster’s clinical and leadership experience and national reputation in gastrointestinal oncology will greatly benefit patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital.  In addition to his clinical responsibilities, I am grateful to have his expertise in the role of Associate Director of Clinical Research as we continue to increase clinical trial opportunities for our patients,” said Dr. Thomas J. Lynch, Jr., Director of Yale Cancer Center and Physician-in-Chief of Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.

Dr. Hochster concentrates his clinical research on the study of new treatments, and combinations of therapies, for patients with advanced and relapsed colorectal cancer.  He is a leader in translational research in development of targeted agents for GI cancers and expects to continue and expand this work at Yale Cancer Center.  He has led national, pivotal clinical trials in the use of Bevacizumab and Cetuximab in colorectal cancer, and maintenance Rituximab for the treatment of low-grade lymphoma. 

Previously, Dr. Hochster was Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine in the divisions of Medical Oncology and Clinical Pharmacology and Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Program at the NYU Cancer Institute. He has also served as the Principal Investigator for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group at NYU for the last 16 years. 

Dr. Hochster is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Society for Internal Medicine, American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American Association for Cancer Research. In addition, Dr. Hochster serves as the associate editor for the journal, Gastrointestinal Oncology, and on the editorial board of Current Colorectal Cancer Reports.

Dr. Hochster was graduated from the Yale College with BS and MS degrees in chemistry and received his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine.  He completed his residency in internal medicine at New York University – Bellevue Hospital and his fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at New York University Medical Center.  He was subsequently awarded a Fulbright Fellowship and worked at the Jules Bordet Cancer Institute in Brussels, Belgium to study clinical pharmacology and early clinical drug development.