Dr. Atay specializes in thoracic surgery, with an emphasis on malignant diseases of the chest, including esophageal cancer. He completed his surgical training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, followed by thoracic fellowship training at MD Anderson Cancer Center. This training included a focus on advanced surgical techniques, both standard minimally invasive (VATS) as well as robotic surgery. He obtained further training at the National Instituties of Health (NIH), NCI Surgery Branch, completing a clinical research fellowship in surgical oncology. At the National Cancer Institute his research focused on genetic alterations in malignant pleural mesothelioma. His current clinical and research efforts focus on multimodality (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation) treatment in addition to surgery for patients with both early and advanced stage disease. When treating patients with cancer, optimal outcomes can only be achieved when multiple specialties come together to provide a comprehensive mulitdisciplinary treatment plan. As part of the USC/Norris Cancer Center patients have access to skilled clinicians, cutting-edge research and clinical trials, as well as a wide array of additional support services. Dr. Atay is committed to delivering compassionate, high quality care, driven by the most up-to-date evidence.