Rutika Mehta, MD, MPH, Joins NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center to Expand Upper GI Cancer Care and Research

NEW YORK, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Rutika Mehta, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized gastrointestinal (GI) medical oncologist, has joined NYU Langone Health's Perlmutter Cancer Center as director of upper GI medical oncology, further expanding the center's clinical and research programs for patients with upper GI cancers, including cancers of the esophagus and stomach.

Dr. Mehta is widely recognized for building multidisciplinary care programs and innovative clinical trials for upper GI cancers. Her research focuses on personalizing cancer treatment through molecular profiling, or detailed testing of a tumor's biology, and blood tests such as circulating tumor DNA tests, helping guide patients to the therapies most likely to benefit them.

Her arrival marks an important step in the continued growth of Perlmutter Cancer Center's Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, which brings together specialists in medical oncology, surgery, radiation oncology, gastroenterology, pathology, radiology, nutrition, and supportive care to deliver coordinated, personalized treatment. In her new role, Dr. Mehta will work closely with Noah A. Cohen, MD, section chief of complex GI surgical oncology, to further strengthen multidisciplinary care and expand clinical research opportunities.

"Dr. Mehta is an outstanding addition to Perlmutter Cancer Center at an important time in the growth of our GI Cancer Center," said Manuel Hidalgo Medina, MD, co-director of the GI Cancer Center. "Her expertise in upper GI cancers, commitment to multidisciplinary care, and extensive experience developing clinical trials will strengthen our ability to provide patients with access to innovative treatments while advancing research to improve outcomes."

Dr. Mehta treats patients with a wide range of GI cancers, specializing in cancers of the esophagus, stomach, and gastroesophageal junction—where the esophagus meets the stomach. Because these cancers often require a complex combination of treatments, she emphasizes a team-based approach that tailors care to each patient's needs and goals.

"Patients with esophageal and gastric cancers need a team that brings together the best science, the right expertise, and a clear understanding of what matters most to them," said Dr. Mehta. "I am excited to join NYU Langone and build on the growth of the GI Cancer Center by expanding personalized, biomarker-driven care and access to clinical trials, while ensuring that patients and their families feel informed and supported throughout their care."

At Perlmutter Cancer Center, Dr. Mehta will continue to expand the clinical trials available to patients with upper GI cancers, including investigator-initiated studies and trials evaluating new targeted and biomarker-driven therapies. She also serves on the National Cancer Institute's Upper GI Task Force, which helps shape national clinical research strategies for upper GI cancers.

About Dr. Mehta

Dr. Mehta joined NYU Langone from Weill Cornell Medicine, where she established an Upper GI Working Group to advance clinical and research collaboration. Previously, at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, she helped build its Upper GI Malignancies Program and developed a robust clinical trials portfolio that gave patients access to new treatment options.

Her research has included clinical trials evaluating targeted therapies, immunotherapies, antibody-drug conjugates, and cellular therapies for GI cancers. She has particular expertise in HER2-positive gastroesophageal cancers and participated in the clinical development of zanidatamab, a HER2-targeted therapy. Her work also explores circulating tumor DNA and comprehensive molecular profiling to better understand treatment response, recurrence, and resistance.

In addition to her clinical and research leadership, Dr. Mehta is active in patient education and advocacy. She works closely with patient advocacy organizations, including Debbie's Dream Foundation and Hope for Stomach Cancer, participating in patient support groups, educational programs, and community events focused on GI cancers.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 118 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation four years in a row, and it continues to have the most No. 1– and top 10–ranked specialties among medical centers in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 330 outpatient locations in the New York City area and Florida. The system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

Media Inquiries:

Lacy Scarmana
Phone: 332-215-3613
[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health