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MSK Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem offers same‑day walk‑in cancer screenings and patient navigation
Summary
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem provides same‑day walk‑in mammograms, bilingual patient navigators and screening for breast, colon, prostate and cervical cancers to reduce screening barriers for local Black and Latino residents.
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Ralph Lauren Center in Harlem offers same‑day, walk‑in screening for breast and other common cancers and provides bilingual patient navigation to help uninsured and insured patients access care, Dr. Rosa Nunez, a breast medical oncologist at MSK, said during a Bronxnet episode of Meetings of the Minds.
"We have a walk‑in mammography center where you can walk in anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and get your mammogram that same day," Dr. Nunez said, describing the center’s effort to remove practical barriers that prevent people from getting screened. She added that the center accepts insured and uninsured patients and that patient navigators assist people in obtaining coverage and scheduling follow‑up care.
The center provides screening for breast, colon, prostate and cervical cancers and emphasizes early detection. "When we catch cancers this early, we can actually cure them," Dr. Nunez said, explaining why neighborhood access matters. She said average‑risk women should begin mammography screening at age 40 and that people with strong family histories or genetic risk factors (such as BRCA1/2) may need earlier or additional imaging. Dr. Nunez also noted that colon screening recommendations have shifted younger in recent years, with many guidelines moving toward age 45 for average‑risk adults, and that noninvasive stool‑based tests can be alternatives for some patients.
MSK’s Harlem site emphasizes culturally concordant care: the staff includes Spanish speakers and clinicians who reflect the community, which Dr. Nunez said helps patients feel understood and follow through on screening recommendations. The center currently focuses on screening rather than onsite cancer treatment; nurse practitioners conduct initial assessments and patients are referred to treatment sites as needed.
Beyond screening, Dr. Nunez highlighted prevention measures individuals can adopt: avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol, and getting regular aerobic exercise (about 150 minutes per week of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity). She also said the Ralph Lauren Center offers HPV vaccination and clinical cervical‑cancer screening (Pap tests) and encourages patients to discuss screening timing with their clinicians.
The Ralph Lauren Center is located at 1919 Madison Avenue between Madison and Park Avenue and is roughly a 10‑minute walk from nearby subway stations, making it accessible by public transit, Dr. Nunez said. For appointments or information, MSK directs patients to its website, mskcc.org, and its social channels.
Dr. Nunez urged community members to use the center’s services and noted that addressing social needs — including a food pantry and financial‑assistance resources — is part of the center’s approach to helping patients complete screening and, when necessary, obtain timely follow‑up care. "Screening saves lives," she said, adding that the center’s combination of advanced imaging, bilingual staff and same‑day access aims to close gaps in screening for Harlem residents.
The program did not announce any new policy changes or city programs during the episode; it focused on community outreach, clinical guidance and how local residents can access MSK screening services.
