I was one of the pioneers in developing minimally invasive surgery for urologic cancers, and performed the first laparoscopic removal for bladder cancer. I have also been at the forefront of instituting many of the innovative laparoscopic/robotic procedures for prostate and kidney cancer used across the world today.
In my decades as a surgeon, I have seen remarkable improvements in the options that patients with urologic cancers now have. One of my areas of interest is the role of “active surveillance” in the management of men with early-stage prostate cancer.
Since the majority of men currently diagnosed with cancer of the prostate present with relatively small cancers, many of these conditions can be watched closely, thereby allowing us to reserve treatment for cases in which the cancer progresses or changes over time. Our experience demonstrates that many men will never need treatment, and for those who do, robotic surgery or other approaches can still be performed safely.
At our facility at Basking Ridge I conduct one of the few dedicated active surveillance clinics in the country, where men with prostate cancer can be followed, counseled, and when necessary treated by a committed team of experts.
Before coming to Memorial Sloan-Kettering I held leadership positions and the title Professor of Surgery at Saint Louis University, the Mayo Clinic Medical School, and the Oregon Health and Science University, as well as the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine.
My tenure at such renowned institutions has enabled me to gained invaluable experience and developed my expertise in treating cancer.
In addition to helping patients with cancer, a deeply gratifying component to working at Memorial Sloan-Kettering has been the opportunity to teach the next generation of leaders in urologic oncology.
Through my numerous posts as Professor of Surgery/Urology at different institutions, including at Weill Cornell Medical College, where I currently hold a joint academic appointment, I have had the opportunity to teach and mentor many gifted young men and women in the art of surgery. Undeniably, it is a great pleasure to have witnessed so many of my trainees go on to successful surgical careers at some of the world’s finest medical centers.
When not in surgery or seeing my patients in the outpatient clinic, I take part in lectures and meetings in the US and abroad, where the most-advanced research and innovative techniques in urologic cancer are presented.
I have contributed hundreds of articles about optimal surgical techniques for urologic cancers in peer-reviewed journals, and participate in the activities of such organizations as the American Board of Urology, where I have been a Diplomat since 1987, and the American College of Surgeons, where I have been a Fellow since 1988.
I am fluent in English and Spanish.
