Director, Center for Endocrine Tumors and Disorders
Medical Director for Cancer Survivorship
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb is a fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon and Director of the Center for Endocrine Tumors and Disorders. Her expertise is minimally invasive surgery for thyroid cancer and disorders, hyperparathyroidism, and adrenal tumors, including pheochromocytoma, Cushings, Conns, and adrenal cancer.
After graduating from Brown University and the University of Illinois College of Medicine, she completed her general surgery residency at Harvard Medical School and endocrine surgery fellowship at the University of Miami. She has been exclusively practicing endocrine surgery in Los Angeles since 2011 and has regularly been named a Southern California Rising Star.
Dr. Goldfarb practices personalized medicine, offering a ‘one-stop shop’ to patients for diagnosis and treatment plans. Her research focuses on quality of life, disparities, and clinical outcomes for endocrine tumors, young adult cancer, second cancers, and cancer survivorship.
Watch the Survivorship Today episode, featuring Dr. Goldfarb:
Actor and producer Sterling K. Brown, interviewed Dr. Goldfarb about her ongoing support for cancer patients.
Doctor of Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago SOM
Surgical Residency – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School
Endocrine Surgery Fellowship University of Miami SOM
Masters of Science in Clinical and Translational Investigation University of Southern California
Honors and Awards
Fellow, American College of Endocrinology
Fellow, American College of Surgeons
Aflac Young Investigator in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology AYA Innovative Cancer Research Award
SWOG Young Investigator Training Award
Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation / SSO Colorectal Cancer Research Award
John Wayne Travelling Fellow Grant
Zumberge Fund Individual Grant
Professional Memberships
American Association Endocrine Surgeons
American Thyroid Association
Women in Thyroidology
International Association of Endocrine Surgeons
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
Society of Surgical Oncology
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Endocrine Society
Children’s Oncology Group
American College of Surgeons
Association of Women Surgeons
Pacific Coast Surgical Society
Western Surgical Society
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons
Critical Mass
International Guidelines Harmonization Group of Late Effects of Childhood Cancer – Thyroid
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb has co-authored and published more than 70 publications.
See complete list of publication at nih.gov by clicking here.
Disparities in the Occurrence of Late Effects following Treatment among Adolescent and Young Adult Melanoma Survivors
Recent advances in the understanding and management of primary hyperparathyroidism
Pancreatic islet cell tumors in adolescents and young adults
Incorporating Adjuvant Radiation into the Treatment Planning for Select Adrenocortical Carcinomas
Incorporating Adjuvant Radiation is Associated with Improved Survival for Select Patients with Non-metastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Variations in cancer care for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with ductal carcinoma in situ
Impact of latency time on survival for adolescents and young adults with a second primary malignancy
Second Primary Malignant Neoplasms and Survival in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
Impact of Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy on Overall Survival in Patients with Nonmetastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma
Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life and Health-Related Quality of Life in Young Adult Thyroid Cancer Survivors
Trade Journals
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb is the first female surgeon appointed as Associate Editor at Thyroid®—the renowned trade journal published by the American Thyroid Association® (ATA). The ATA, which has more than 1,700 members from 70 countries around the world, is dedicated to transforming thyroid care through clinical excellence, education, scientific discovery, and advocacy in a collaborative community. It supports researchers and clinicians, while providing patients and their families education and tools to help them understand and manage thyroid disease.
Patient Testimonial Videos
Benign Thyroid Nodules and Tumors
Radiofrequency Ablation Shrinks Golf Ball-sized Thyroid Tumor by 93% Treated by Dr. Melanie Goldfarb. Scott explains why he chose Dr. Goldfarb.
Myia avoids thyroid surgery and restores hormone balance and energy. “I couldn’t swallow!” Listen to Myia describe the extent of her thyroid nodule’s symptoms and prior treatments that were not effective.
Catherine shares her experience with a new outpatient procedure for benign thyroid nodules— Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) at Saint John’s Health in Santa Monica, California.
Thyroid Cancer
Listen to Jackie’s candid story and how much of an impact the care team at Saint John’s made on her.
Dr. Melanie Goldfarb is the