Jonathan Leventhal, MD, is the director of the Onco-Dermatology Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven. He treats patients undergoing cancer treatment who experience itchy or painful rashes, as well as hair and nail changes that can result from either their disease or treatment, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation or stem cell transplantation.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is improving the quality of life for patients with cancer who are affected by adverse skin events,” he says.
Seeing an onco-dermatologist like Dr. Leventhal can make the difference between a patient being able to continue receiving a cancer treatment or having to be taken off it when the skin conditions become too severe. “If left untreated, some skin, hair and nail conditions can become quite debilitating, even disfiguring and may negatively impact health and ability to perform day-to-day activities,” says Dr. Leventhal. He helps to manage these skin problems so that patients with cancer can continue their treatments and enjoy a better quality of life.
In addition to his role at Smilow, Dr. Leventhal, an assistant professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, cares for patients with a wide range of skin conditions in Yale Medicine Dermatology’s New Haven and Branford locations. He performs routine skin cancer screening examinations and also treats general skin problems—from acne to psoriasis to eczema.
He is also the associate residency program director and is principal investigator of several clinical trials involving the management of cutaneous reactions to cancer therapy.
"Every day I am excited to come to work, treating various skin conditions affecting my patients and helping patients with cancer continue their potentially life-saving treatments,” says Dr. Leventhal. “Skin diseases can impact the way people see themselves and can affect how people feel, both physically and emotionally. My work is particularly gratifying when I can improve my patients' overall comfort, happiness and health.”
