Todd Yezefski, MD, MS

What sparked your interest in oncology?

When I was in college, my former bike racing coach developed cancer. He had a big influence on my childhood, and his diagnosis was the first time cancer affected someone in my inner circle. During college, I also began to learn about cancer biology in my classes; the molecular behavior of tumor cells fascinated me. The blending of those two experiences, the personal and the intellectual, led me to pursue oncology as a career. At first, I was intent on doing laboratory cancer research, but in graduate school, I soon realized that wasn’t going to be a good fit — I wanted to work directly with the people whose lives I was hoping to improve. So I switched paths and became a medical oncologist. What I love most about my practice is my interactions with patients and families: getting to know them, making decisions together and guiding them through challenging times.

What do patients appreciate about working with you?

I believe it’s important for you to feel comfortable with your care team and be well-informed about your medical situation. This sense of comfort facilitates our partnership and allows you to play an active role in making decisions. One of the most important things I can do as your oncologist is to learn about your life, what your goals and priorities are and what you enjoy doing. Often, there are different options for cancer treatment; each one may have trade-offs and can affect you differently, so knowing what you value most can help us choose the treatment pathway that’s right for you.

Provider Background

Specialty: Medical Oncology

Area of clinical practice

Genitourinary cancers

Genitourinary cancers

I am a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in treating patients with genitourinary malignancies, which include cancers affecting the urinary or male reproductive system. My research interests are centered on clinical trials to develop new and better therapies for patients with prostate, bladder and testicular cancers.