Robert J. Motzer, MD

If you are looking for compassion and someone that has a caring attitude, this doctor is not for you. He is my husbands oncologist for kidney cancer. My husband doesn’t need warm and fuzzy physicians. He was referred to this doctor because he is ranked one of the top ten in the country. He has done well with my husband but I could never have him as my physician. He is cold, clinical and I always get the feeling that he is more interested in his statistics then in giving hope. Yes he is good if you don’t care about his ability to comfort you. I always think to myself when I’m there ‘where is your graciousness, your kindness or your ability to show the glass half full?’

Yes Dr. Motzer can come across as cold as some reviewers said but he also has a kind warm side to him. After seeing so many patients with poor outcomes I guess one needs to protect themselves with a wall. He warmed up to my husband and I after awhile going to him. We saw another side. Yes Sloan uses experimental drugs to do research so yes you can be a guinea pig but many of those drugs become drugs of choice and FDA approved.It's a difficult situation to be the doctor or the patient. To me it was a nightmare. We left after Dr. M had no more options but Hospice and we weren't ready. Went to another doctor and my husband lasted three more months but was I being selfish not letting him go sooner. When Dr. M heard through the grapevine my wonderful husband did eventually pass he called me personally at home and said the kindest things about us to me. I never had a doctor do that before or since. It's now almost 9 years that my husband has been gone and it's been a hard road without him.… Bless you Dr. Motzer for trying to keep him alive.

After waiting over an hour, Dr. Motzer’s minions came in to ask questions of my husband. Eventually, Dr. Motzer entered, and quickly said my husband might live until Christmas and that he could enter an investigational drug trial that he was heading (using a drug that we already knew was ineffective on my husband’s specific RCC - he obviously only wanted guinea pigs for his study). The next day, we consulted with Dr. Keith Flaherty at UPenn who wanted to know “which Christmas” was being referred to. My husband entered a drug study at Penn - and lived four more years. Bottom line: part of “do no harm” includes not removing all hope from your patient.

Not very comforting. Doesn’t deliver bad news with any feelings. Not that you want a hug but he is cold. Doesn’t give you options. Just kind of lays it out there and doesn’t give hope. I was upset. I think that some doctors just don’t know how to be gentle or comforting while being honest. There is always something to hope for!

Dr. Motzer cured my father from stage 4 kidney cancer. In my eyes, he's an angel. I can only wish that any cancer patient can have him by their side. Thumbs up Dr. Motzer!

If you have advanced Kidney cancer and want to live Dr Motzer is your best chance at sucess. Not super warm or touchy feely just the best oncologist you will ever find...period!

Always waited at least two hours to see Dr. Motzer for the little while he spent with me. No sense of caring, very cold.

Considering my circumstances, I would like to say that I am one of the luckiest cancer patients to have Dr. R. Motzer as my doctor. He is caring and despite his hectic schedule, gives of his time, especially to my support group which sometimes runs into 4 or 5 family members. He has always answered all our questions and at no time have I ever felt that I was being ignored. Sometimes having a doctor like him taking care of one, is half the battle won !