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Pamela N. Munster
4.8 out of 5 (86)
Pamela N. Munster

Pamela N. Munster, MD

Medical Oncology | Hematology

Co-director, Center for BRCA Research

Breast Care Center
1825 Fourth St., Third Floor,
San Francisco, CA 94158
+2 more locations
(415) 885-7796
4.8 out of 5 (86)
Virtual visits available
4.8 out of 5 (86)
Virtual visits available
Breast Care Center
1825 Fourth St., Third Floor,
San Francisco, CA 94158
+2 more locations
(415) 885-7796
Dr. Pamela N. Munster is a medical oncologist who cares for patients with breast cancer. Her roles include director of the early-phase clinical trials program for cancer research; co-director of the UCSF Center for BRCA Research; and co-leader of UCSF's program in developmental therapeutics, which focuses on innovative research to find treatments for advanced cancer.

In her own research endeavors, Munster is interested in developing new targeted therapies for treatment-resistant cancer. She studies changes in gene expression and resistance to therapy. Her lab is involved in projects evaluating hormone therapies for breast cancer as well as therapies that engage the immune system to fight tumors. She has published in numerous scientific journals and lectured on topics in breast oncology, such as the management of metastatic breast cancer, breast cancer receptors, clinical trials and translational research (the process of applying study findings to patient care). She has a published memoir, “Twisting Fate: My Journey with BRCA – From Breast Cancer Doctor to Patient and Back.”

Munster earned her medical degree from the University of Bern in Switzerland. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Indiana University Health, followed by a fellowship in medical hematology and oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she also served as faculty in the breast cancer program.

Prior to joining UCSF, Munster worked for six years in the Moffitt Cancer Center's division of breast oncology and experimental therapeutics program, serving as scientific director of breast research and co-chair of the phase 1 clinical trial program.
  • Board Certifications

    American Board of Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology, 1999

  • Fellowships

    Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (GME), Hematology - Oncology, 2000

  • Residencies

    Indiana University Hospitals School of Med - GME, Internal Medicine, 1996

  • Internship

    Indiana University Hospitals School of Med - GME, Internal Medicine, 1994

  • Degree

    University of Berne, 1989

  • Languages

    English

Conditions I specialize in

Where I see patients (3)

    My reviews

    4.8

    Overall Experience
    86 Ratings
    About our process
    Feb 26, 2025
    Had to ask follow up questions in order to understand everything. Felt like I had to advocate for my own health care instead of physician fully explaining everything up front
    Feb 21, 2025
    Dr. Munster is fantastic. I am blessed to be able to see her. She listens carefully, has tremendous knowledge and figures out complex issues. I am very grateful.
    Oct 31, 2024
    Dr Munster made me feel very comfortable. She was very informative and caring. I love that she didn't sugar coat anything. I really like her.
    Sep 21, 2024
    This was an initial meeting with Dr Munster. I believe she and her team gave as much information as they could with what they had.
    Jul 09, 2024
    Excellent
    Jun 05, 2024
    The experience was superior
    Apr 28, 2024
    Dr. Munster is so knowledgeable and thoughtful. I am so truly fortunate to have her ss my doctor. She is incredible and brilliant.
    Mar 21, 2024
    She's a terrific doctor, a real person, and a good soul. Her integration of the science, with the art of medicine is an Inspiration, as is her ongoing commitment to research and sharing information with patient both individually and at a community level. I feel lucky and grateful to be in her care!
    Dec 13, 2023
    Dr Munster is friendly, thorough, professional and upbeat. I also appreciate her candor .
    Dec 05, 2023
    While I had a bit of a wait Dr. Munster is worth waiting for. Sometimes she spends extra time with me and I imagine with others , but I understand. She is amazing and I am happy to be in her care.
    Nov 10, 2023
    Had a good experience. The fellow was also very informative.
    Oct 31, 2023
    Dr. Munster is a thoughtful and incredibly knowledgeable physician. It has been reassuring to know that I have someone who can help me navigate the complicated issues related to having a BRCA2 mutation with all the ongoing f/u that it requires.
    Oct 14, 2023
    Dr. Munster is excellent at involving the patient in the decision-making process and explaining the reasoning behind her recommendations.
    Sep 07, 2023
    A fabulous visit overall
    Sep 07, 2023
    Excellent doctor. Grateful to be her patient.
    Jul 05, 2023
    Both the fellow and Doctor were great. We learned a lot from the visit and will follow up with them.
    Jun 24, 2023
    We are working on how best to communicate given we are both sensitive to perceived criticism. However, I greatly appreciate that she spoke to me as an adult and keeps me actively involved in the treatment plan. We are working on complex issues. Dr. Munster and her team are very willing to dive in to come up with the best course of treatment and do not hand wave symptoms that have serious Impact on my life and health.

    Selected research

    See all research
    Decorative Caduceus

    UCSF Biobank for Hereditary Cancers and Tumor-Associated Mutations

    Participant-derived models may include (but are not limited to) xenografts (PDX), organoids (PDO), and cell lines (PDCLs). These models recapitulate the biology and tissue context of the original tumors from which they are derived...

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    Pilot Study of Pancreatic Cancer Screening

    Proportion of participants with an abnormal MRI finding will be reported as an event. An estimated event rate of 19% in participants with a strong family history (FH) of pancreatic cancer and 10% in those participants without a st...

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    Study of HRO761 Alone or in Combination in Cancer Patients With Specific DNA Alterations Called...

    Month 36 is assumed to be study end. Incidence and severity of AEs and SAEs by treatment group, including changes in vital signs, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and laboratory results qualifying and reported as AEs.

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study of AMG 193 in Participants With Advanced MTAP-null Solid Tumors (MTAPESTRY 101)

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study of Pazopanib With or Without Abexinostat in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastati...

    To compare the PFS between treatment arms. PFS is defined as the time (month) interval between date of randomization and date of radiographic disease progression or death for those without prior evidence of progression, as assesse...

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study Evaluating FMC-376 in Participants With KRAS G12C Mutated Solid Tumors

    Number of participants with Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs)

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study of NX-1607 in Adults With Advanced Malignancies

    Phase 1a

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    Combination Therapy in Cancers With Mutations in DNA Repair Genes

    The percentage of participants with treatment-emergent adverse events as classified and graded by the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5 will be reported

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics (PK), and Preliminary Antican...

    Recruiting

    Decorative Caduceus

    A Study of MGC028 in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors

    Types of AEs include Serious Adverse Events (SAEs), and AEs Leading to Treatment Delay or Discontinuation or Dose Reduction, dose limiting toxicities, and AEs of Special Interest. Observation of side effects determines the highest...

    Recruiting

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