Urologic Oncologist J. Kellogg Parsons Recognized as Health Leader
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Risk of Falls in Older Men
Single-Incision Tumor Removal and Kidney Reconstruction
A team of surgeons led by Dr. Ithaar Derweesh recently performed a complex, single-incision surgery to remove a kidney tumor while preserving and then reconstructing the remaining healthy kidney. The UCSD team is the second in the world to perform this procedure. Read more.
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Kidney Surgery a First in California
On February 5, surgeons at UCSD removed a cancerous tumor through a single incision in the patient's navel. The procedure was the first of its kind in California. Read more.
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UCSD Urologist Rated One of San Diego’s Best
Dr. Michael Albo has been selected as one of San Diego's Top Doctors for the fifth consecutive year by San Diego Magazine. Dr. Albo, Associate Clinical Professor, is Co-Director of the UCSD Women's Pelvic Medicine Center. He specializes in voiding dysfunction, urinary incontinence, urodynamics, female urology, and pelvic floor reconstruction.
Dr. J. Kellogg Parsons has been awarded a $77,000 grant from the National Cancer Institute. The major goal of the research project is to assess the feasibility of a diet-based intervention for the treatment of bladder cancer. It will be the first clinical study ever undertaken to examine diet as a potential therapy for bladder cancer.
New Drug Provides Hope for Sufferers of Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome
A new patent has been issued for an experimental drug therapy developed by Dr. C. Lowell Parsons. The drug therapy, which has yielded positive results in a recent Phase 2 study, is a combination of an anesthetic and heparin delivered directly into the bladder via a catheter. The anesthetic provides rapid pain relief while heparin restores the protective mucus layer of the bladder. Read more.
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America’s Best Hospitals
The new hospital rankings from U.S. News & World Report list UCSD among the best hospitals in the country for urologic care. Out of 5,453 hospitals analyzed this year, only 170 scored high enough to appear in any of the specialty rankings. The 50 hospitals that made the cut in urology were scored based on reputation, death rate, and patient services. The new rankings appear in the July 21, 2008 issue. UCSD Urology makes its debut at number 38. Read more.
UCSD Study Shows Kidney Cancers Are Being Diagnosed Earlier
A new study by Dr. Christopher J. Kane and coworkers finds that patients in the United States are being diagnosed with smaller, lower-stage tumors compared to the early 1990s. The study, which analyzes 205,963 cases of renal cell carcinoma in the National Cancer Data Base, has been published by the journal Cancer.
Between 1993 and 2004, stage I disease increased from 43% to 57%, while the proportion of stage II, III, and IV disease decreased. Stage I tumors have also gotten smaller, decreasing from an average of 4.1 cm in 1993 to 3.6 cm in 2003. The overall survival for patients diagnosed in 1998 improved by 3.3% compared to those diagnosed in 1993.
Dr. Kane is internationally recognized for his research in prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma and specializes in minimally invasive treatment of urologic diseases, including robotic and laparoscopic procedures. Kidney cancer rarely causes any symptoms in its earliest stages, but Dr. Kane attributes the trend in early diagnosis to increased use of ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs: “What we are seeing is that gynecologic or abdominal imaging to evaluate pain or other complaints is picking up other forms of disease such as kidney cancer. The increased and widespread use of medical imaging in the United States is helping to diagnose cancer in its non-symptomatic stages when it is easier to treat successfully.”
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