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 Paul T. Finger, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology and a Fellow of both the American College of Surgeons and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is the Director of Ocular Tumor Services at several renowned institutions, including the New York University School of Medicine (where he also serves as a clinical professor of Ophthalmology), New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, Tisch Hospital, and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.
Dr. Finger attended college at Tulane University before earning his medical doctorate at Tulane University School of Medicine in 1982. His post-graduate training included an internship at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center and a residency at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital in New York City. He then went on to complete fellowship training in ocular tumor and orbital disease at North Shore University Hospital – Cornell University Medical College.
Dr. Finger is an attending physician at the following hospitals:
Professional Society Memberships:
- Full Member, International Society for Eye Research
- Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
- Fellow, American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Member, The Retina Society
- American Society of Retinal Specialists
- American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
- North American Hyperthermia Group/Radiation Research Society
- Fellow, The American College of Surgeons
- Member, The New York County Ophthalmologic Society
- Member, The Nassau County Ophthalmologic Society
- Member, The New York Academy of Sciences
- Member, International Society for Orbital Disorders
Dr. Finger has spent his career inventing and improving
new methods of diagnosis and treatment for eye cancer:
Dr. Finger's Ocular, Orbital and Systemic Imaging Techniques
Ophthalmic Ultrasound Imaging
Dr. Finger has broken new ground with the use of new diagnostic imaging techniques, including high frequency and 3D ultrasound for imaging tumors on and in the front of the eye. Specifically, Dr. Finger and his associates first described the use of 3D ultrasound for measurement of choroidal melanomas, to document proper radioactive plaque placement and for extrascleral tumor extension. He now recommends the use of high-resolution 20 Mhz B-scan in movie-mode to measure most intraocular tumors. He also recommends the use of 3D ultrasound in cases where there is no ophthalmoscopic view into the eye.
Dr. Finger and his colleagues have pioneered the use of computerized coronal C-scan ultrasound sections to measure the orbital portion of the optic nerve, to detect optic nerve sheath meningiomas and invasion of retinoblastoma into the optic nerve.
Dr. Finger has established the use of high-frequency ultrasound for anterior segment tumors. He has written on the use of this technique for the diagnosis of conjunctival (squamous, oncocytoma, sarcoma) and eyelid tumors. He has shown how high frequency ultrasound can be used to detect retinoblastoma that are hidden behind the iris, invasion of conjunctival tumors into the eye, for measurement of iris and ciliary body tumors and to allow for plaque radiation therapy. Movie mode allows him to replay and show patients their tumors and how he measures them.
High-Definition (HD) Digital Photography
Dr. Finger currently uses specialized 11-megapixel High Definition digital photography (TopCon) to document and compare eye tumors to monitor for growth, patterns of circulation and response to treatment. Dr. Finger believes there is no substitute for side-by-side comparative photography to detect small changes on or around tumors of the eye. In addition, Dr. Finger has shown that early detection and treatment of radiation eye damage offers the best chance to maintain vision and use of the eye.
SLO/OCT Imaging
Dr. Finger has obtained a state-of-the-art OCT/SLO imaging system. He uses it to monitor patient response to treatment and new vision-sparing ant-VEGF treatments (for radiation retinopathy and optic neuropathy).
Total Body FDG PET/CT Imaging
Dr. Finger led a group of scientists to determine the efficacy of total body 18 FDG PET/CT imaging for choroidal melanoma. This is because he recognized that what had been the standard metastatic work up was inadequate. In contrast, positron emission tomography allowed for a physiologic assessment of the tumors metabolism, while computed tomography (CT) allowed us to measure its size, shape and relationship to normal anatomic structures. Dr. Finger's group found that intraocular melanomas had different metabolic intensities, that metastatic melanoma was more likely to be found outside the liver (primarily bone) and that even with FDG PET/CT microscopic metastasis would not be found. However, since bone was the second most common site of metastasis and only a total body physiologic scan could detect bone metastasis, any other test comes up short. Since that time, Dr. Finger and co-workers have used this technique to diagnose patients with metastatic sebaceous carcinoma, conjunctival melanoma and orbital lymphoma.
Most recently, Dr. Finger has performed a study to compare the metabolism of choroidal melanomas as measured by PET against epidemiologic, anatomic, ultrasonographic and histopathologic risk factors for the development of metastatic choroidal melanoma. This study suggests that a high metabolic rate as measured by PET - SUV may be a biomarker (indicator) for the risk of metastasis.
Dr. Finger's New Surgical Techniques
Dr. Finger has invented numerous new surgical techniques and instruments specifically for patients with eye cancer. Over the years he pioneered the use of microwave hyperthermia, palladium-103 plaque radiation therapy, Finger-tip Cryotherapy Applicators, the Finger Iridectomy Technique, and Finger's Slotted Plaques.
Radiation Plaque Therapy:
Though microwave hyperthermia provided excellent results for patients with choroidal melanoma. This technique could not find a commercial sponsor. Fortunately, Dr. Finger found similar vision sparing qualities offered by substituting palladium-103 for the more commonly used iodine-125 seeds in ophthalmic plaques. His medical physics staff currently performs pretreatment comparative dosimetry studies so that each patient is treated with the best plaque radiation source.
Finger-tip Cryotherapy Applicators:
Dr. Finger introduced the "Finger-tip" cryotherapy applicators for treatment of malignant conjunctival tumors. Unlike standard cryotherapy probes, these devices are spatulated and offer a larger and more uniform targeted zone. Simply, using these probes will decrease the chance of missing a small area of tumor. These large probes can also be used to grasp tumors of the orbit and provide traction to help in their removal. It has also been used to facilitate enucleation surgery.
The Finger Iridectomy Technique:
Dr. Finger was unhappy about the safety and ability of needle biopsy for tumors of the iris and ciliary body, and he invented the "Finger Iridectomy Technique." This technique uses a relatively safe and rounded aspiration cutter through a self-sealing corneal incision to biopsy intraocular tumors. Unlike needle biopsy that only retrieves cells for cytology, The Finger Iridectomy Technique typically obtains both cells and small chunks of tumor. This allows Dr. Finger's pathologists to evaluate cytology, histopathology and perform immunohistochemical analysis. This technique has also been used to remove iris tumors and to create an iridotomy for narrow angle glaucoma.
Finger's Slotted Plaques:
Dr. Finger wanted to offer an eye and vision-sparing alternative to removal of the eye for patients with tumors touching or surrounding the optic nerve. So, he invented "Finger's Slotted Plaques." These new devices incorporate the orbital portion of the optic nerve within the plaque, so that the treatment zone can be extended as to cover the entire tumor. Now that we have extra-large 24 mm diameter and slotted plaques, Dr. Finger only has to remove only 2% of eyes with choroidal melanoma.
Reviews of Important Clinical Subjects and Problems in Ophthalmic Oncology
Dr. Finger believes a subspecialist must review, analyze and present important subjects for others in his field. So far, he has written or participated in the following reviews of the literature:
Radiation Therapy For Choroidal Melanoma
Enucleation
Chemotherapy for Eye Cancer
Anterior segment tumors: Current Concepts and Innovations
Adenocarcinoma of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium
Kidney, Cancer and the Eye: Current Concepts
Melanocytic Conjunctival Tumors
Risk Factors for Metastasis in Retinoblastoma
Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma: A Current Topic.
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Dr. Finger's Most Recent Papers Online!
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