Hyunseok (Hyu) Kang

Dr. Hyunseok Kang, who goes by Hyu, is a specialist in cancer treatment who cares for adults with head and neck cancers. His expertise encompasses conventional chemotherapy, targeted therapy (which selectively goes after cancer cells) and immunotherapy (which stimulates the patient's own immune system to fight the cancer).

In his research, Kang focuses on evaluating new therapies for head and neck cancers through clinical trials. He studies how to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (drugs that turn off the ability of some cancer cells to evade detection by immune system cells) with combination approaches to treating head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. He is also working on developing targeted approaches to treat rare cancers of the head and neck, such as salivary gland cancers.

Kang earned his medical degree at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. He went on to earn a master's degree in public health, epidemiology and statistics from Yonsei University Graduate School of Public Health. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West, followed by a fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Emory University School of Medicine.

Kang is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and American Thyroid Association. He also serves on specialty head and neck committees for NRG Oncology and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group–American College of Radiology Imaging Network.

Prior to joining UCSF, Kang worked as a medical oncologist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and served as an assistant professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

To reach Dr. Hyunseok Kang, please contact the head and neck medical oncology practice at (415) 353-9900.