Hari Deshpande, MD

Hari Deshpande, MD, is a medical oncologist who specializes in the treatment of patients with sarcomas and thyroid cancers and understands how frightening a cancer diagnosis can be.

“If the diagnosis is made as an inpatient, the oncology consult team will help navigate the treatment options and the different specialties involved in future care,” Dr. Deshpande says. “Similarly, sarcomas and refractory thyroid cancers are a rare type of malignancies that require specialized care. I am fortunate to work with specialized surgeons, endocrinologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and nurses who help me make personalized treatment plans for each patient.”

Dr. Deshpande says he was drawn to oncology because of the close interaction with patients and their families, the rapidly changing field, and emergence of personalized medicine using the latest molecular techniques and treatments.

“Plus, I enjoy working with some of the world's greatest doctors at Yale. I love working at the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital,” he adds. “My favorite part of the job is working with the excellent staff here as well as with the patients and their families.”

Dr. Deshpande participates in disease-specific tumor boards and is the principal investigator of clinical trials in sarcomas and thyroid cancers.

“The treatment of sarcomas and thyroid cancers has changed more in the last 10 years than in the previous 50 years. There is so much research and public interest in the disease, but there is still much more to be done,” he says. “The chance to be involved in finding new and effective treatments is an honor for me and one that I hope to pursue successfully at Yale.”

As the director of the Medical Oncology Inpatient Consult Service at Smilow Cancer Hospital, Dr. Deshpande is involved in the care of a variety of cancers, from the initial diagnosis to the care of patients at the end of life. “Being in the hospital is one of the most stressful events anyone can have,” he says. “Our goal is to make the experience easier for patients and their families and to improve the transition to outpatient care.”