Dr. Charles B. Simone, II Featured in National Discussion on the Value of Lung Cancer Screenings

AJ Williams on January 23, 2026

Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Proton Center, was recently featured in Oncology News Central in an article addressing the importance of accurate data interpretation in lung cancer screening.

Dr. Simone contributed to a joint statement from three leading medical societies—the American College of Radiology (ACR), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)—responding to recent studies that may overstate the risks associated with CT-based lung cancer screening. The societies emphasized that methodological flaws in some analyses have contributed to misconceptions around false positives, complications, and radiation exposure.

Dr. Simone highlighted that lung cancer screening, when applied appropriately, has consistently demonstrated a survival benefit through earlier detection, allowing more patients to be diagnosed at stages where curative treatment may be possible. He underscored the need for clinicians and researchers to rely on high-quality, randomized data to ensure patients are not discouraged from undergoing potentially lifesaving screening.

Read the full Oncology News Central article: oncologynewscentral.com/lung-cancer/medical-societies-blast-misinformation-in-lung-cancer-screening-study-data

Read the joint statement in the Journal of the American College of Radiology: jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(25)00741-0/fulltext

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CBS New York – New York Doctors Stress Importance of Early Prostate Cancer Screening

AJ Williams on October 9, 2026

The American Cancer Society predicts 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, with Black men facing the highest mortality rate. But new data shows early screening can be lifesaving—and NYPC is helping make screening accessible right here in East Harlem.

“Data is actually showing that if African-American patients and Caucasian patients both are detected at the same time, then the chance of them doing great is equal,” said Dr. Irini Yacoub, radiation oncologist at New York Proton Center. “So, it all comes down to get screened early, get diagnosed early, get treated early.”

In a recent CBS New York feature, Dr. Yacoub emphasizes that early detection not only improves outcomes, it also expands treatment options while maintaining patients’ quality of life.

Testing has evolved beyond the traditional digital rectal exam. Today, doctors recommend starting with a simple blood test called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which measures protein levels produced by prostate tissue. According to the National Cancer Institute, a PSA level above 4.0 ng/mL is considered abnormal and may warrant a biopsy.

NYPC—in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)—brought cancer screenings to East Harlem on September 30, via the MSK Ralph Lauren Center’s Mobile Health Unit.

Lamont Mitchell, a NYPC graduate diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023, now advocates for men’s health through Know Your Numbers DC, an organization dedicated to prostate cancer education and screening.

“I think men should become engaged in their health. They should become partners in their health. And not only that, but they should seek the best care you can get,” Mitchell said.

Read the full CBS New York story.

Dr. Leah Thompson Joins the New York Proton Center

AJ Williams on September 8, 2026

New York, NY – September 8, 2026 — The New York Proton Center (NYPC) announced that Dr. Leah Thompson has joined the organization as its newest radiation oncologist. Dr. Thompson will specialize in treatment of brain tumors as well as lung and breast cancers.

Dr. Thompson joins NYPC following a residency at the Harvard Radiation Oncology program, where she served as Education Chief Resident. She earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and her B.A. summa cum laude from Amherst College. “I am honored to join the New York Proton Center and this outstanding team,” said Dr. Thompson. “Reducing toxicity and improving quality-of-life through proton therapy matters to me because treating cancer isn’t just about survival. For the older adults and patients with complex diseases that I care for, it’s about protecting what matters most to each person, whether that is their independence, clarity of mind, or ability to keep showing up for the people they love. I am excited to bring a focus on personalized, evidence-based care to NYPC, and to contribute to the clinical innovation, research, and education that drew me here.”

Dr. Thompson’s work focuses on a question at the center of every cancer course: Who will a treatment help, and who will it harm? She builds prognostic tools from underutilized data sources: AI-derived and immune biomarkers, point-of-care metrics, and patient-reported measures. She then redesigns care around what those tools reveal. Much of this work revolves around older adults and others living with serious illness, for whom modest differences in how treatment is tolerated can determine whether they keep their autonomy, cognition, and daily lives intact. She is currently an investigator on several clinical trials that put these ideas into practice, including Lung-GAP, which tests AI-informed supportive care referrals in early-stage lung cancer, and ELITE-GBM, a dose-escalation study in glioblastoma brain tumors.

“Dr. Thompson brings an outstanding combination of clinical expertise, strong academic productivity, and a deep commitment to patient-centered care to the New York Proton Center,” said Dr. Charles B. Simone, II, FASTRO, FACRO, FACR, Chief Medical Officer. “Her expertise in geriatric oncology is particularly valuable in providing personalized treatment for older adults with cancer. We are delighted to welcome her to NYPC and look forward to the contributions she will make to advance proton therapy and clinical care for patients of all ages.”

About the New York Proton Center

The New York Proton Center (NYPC) is creating the gold standard for proton therapy, giving new hope to patients living with cancer. The NYPC is advancing new and better ways to fight cancer with proton therapy, a highly targeted form of radiation therapy with fewer treatment-related complications. In partnership with leading academic medical centers: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Montefiore Health System, and Mount Sinai Health System, NYPC is the only proton center in New York, attracting patients from around the country and the world. Through impactful clinical trials and game-changing clinical research, NYPC’s internationally renowned clinical team continues to revolutionize cancer treatment while offering patients individualized, highly skilled and compassionate care.