Dr. Donald A. McCain, MD, PhD

Expert Publications

• Chromophore/protein interaction in bacterial sensory rhodopsin and bacteriorhodopsin.
• Kinetically resolved states of the Halobacterium halobium flagellar motor switch and modulation of the switch by sensory rhodopsin I.

Media Releases

Get to know Surgical Oncologist Dr. Donald A. McCain, who serves patients in New Jersey & New York.

Recognized as the face of surgical oncology, Dr. McCain’s major interests are melanoma, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatobiliary cancer, sarcomas, and micrometastases. He is the Chief of Surgical Oncology (Department of surgery) and Vice Chairman of the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center.

He opened his private practice in 2000 and, in 2015, he opened his second practice in New York to accommodate patients in the city. He has credentials in New Jersey’s Holy Name Medical Center and Mountainside Medical Center & New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital.

“When I operate on someone, I know exactly who that person is, what the problem is that he or she has, and what are the likely ways in which I’m going to fix it. I don’t operate on anyone if I haven’t thought of at least five different ways to do their surgery. Regardless of what I encounter, there’s a backup plan and a further backup plan” expressed Dr. McCain.

Alongside his clinical work, he holds an academic appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Academically, Dr. McCain received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from C.U.N.Y. in 1986, as well as a Master of Science degree in 1988 and a Ph.D. in 1989 in molecular biophysics from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY Columbia University Graduate Programs. He continued on to receive his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1991.

His surgical residency was completed at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York from 1991-1996, followed by his fellowship in surgical oncology at the world renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York in 1998.

Providing the best surgical care for cancer, he is board-certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge.

Holding memberships in several key national and regional professional organizations, Dr. McCain is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association, the International Society of Gastrointestinal Oncology, the National Pancreas Foundation, the Society of Surgical Oncology, and the American College of Surgeons (Fellow). 

Not only has he published his work extensively but he has been recognized throughout his career for research excellence in areas including gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and hepatobiliary cancer.

Surgical oncology is the branch of surgery applied to oncology. It focuses on the surgical management of tumors, especially cancerous tumors. A surgical oncologist removes the tumor and nearby tissue during surgery. He or she also performs certain types of biopsies to help diagnose cancer.

As a way to give back to those who deserve it most, Dr. McCain volunteers to provide Vets at the East Orange VA Hospital with expertise in cancer care.

From the inception of his career, he has been a recipient of many awards, including Compassionate Doctor Recognition (2015, 2018) and Patients’ Choice Award (2018). In 2016, the National Pancreas Foundation honored Dr. McCain with the Nobility in Science Award, which is given to a physician who has shown compassion, dedication, innovation, and leadership in the care and treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Recommended Articles

• Can Ovarian Cancer Screening Cause Harm in Women Without Symptoms?

  According to a draft of new guidelines relating to screening, ovarian cancer screening in young women who have no symptoms can cause harm and offers no benefits. According to the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), the screening is not recommended for many women without symptoms. The...

• What are the Side Effects of Chemotherapy?

  Chemotherapy is a treatment method which makes use of certain drugs in treating cancer. It plays a number of roles in the body as part of the treatment mechanism. This may include killing cancer cells, reducing their rate of spreading or shrinking the tumors to reduce the recurrence and...

• The Link Between Foods and Cancer in Women

  Findings of a study on the relationship between a high-fat diet and cancer was published in the August 12, 2017 edition of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Lead researcher was Cynthia Thompson, a professor at the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman College of Public Health.Not...

• Revealing your Breast Cancer Diagnosis to Your Loved Ones

  Finding out that you have cancer is probably one of the worst things to happen to a person. The news of any illness is very discomforting news. However, the word cancer alone holds a great deal of power if you will. In terms of diseases based on common knowledge, cancer is at the top of the worst....

• Prostate Drugs May Not Increase the Risk of Fractures

  About 8 million men in the U.S. between the ages of 50-years-old and 79-years-old suffer from enlarged prostate glands. Drugs used to treat an enlarged prostate gland, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), are of two types: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors and alpha-blockers. In a study,...

• Is Hepatitis B Contagious?

  The hepatitis virus is one of the liver’s greatest enemies. It causes infections that can severely malfunction the liver, resulting in various conditions like scarring of the liver, liver failure, or even liver cancer. The hepatitis viruses have three types, namely, A, B, and C. While all three...