Dr. David S. Geller is the Co-Director of Orthopaedic Oncology at Montefiore Medical Center.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Making a difference in someone’s life, through innovation, research and the collaborative team-effort. I think that unlike many medical conditions, sarcoma treatment truly requires all three aspects to realize meaningful outcomes.

Why is it so crucial to see a sarcoma specialist?

Sarcomas are a very rare group of tumors, making it essential that patients seek a center that has the experience, resources, and interest in managing these rare complex entities. As an example, most orthopaedic surgeons will see only a single newly diagnosed osteosarcoma over the course of their entire career.

What makes you want to get to the office every morning?

I draw tremendous satisfaction from helping patients, participating in the training of residents and medical students and actively engaging in translational research projects, ranging from novel therapies, screening methods, pre-clinical models, and surgical innovation.

What are you excited about in the future of sarcoma treatment?

Sarcoma research has gained a foothold in the scientific community, attracting some very talented individuals and growing overall in terms of momentum. I am hopeful we will help develop more accurate methods of tumor detection, better approaches to drug screening, and more innovative surgical solutions to not only optimize oncologic outcomes, but also help maximize functional results.