News Archive 2019
2019 News Archive - Urology at UCLA
Dec 06, 2019
Robert Reiter, MD -- Healio/HemOnc Today and The Cancer Letter reported on UCLA's Prostate SPORE designation, which was given to the prostate cancer program at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA Urology and UCLA Health by the National Cancer Institute. The award comes with an $8.7 million grant to help improve prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Dec 06, 2019
Paul Boutros, PhD -- OncLive reported on research from Paul Boutros, PhD, director of cancer data science at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and UCLA urology researcher, which suggests predicting how a person's cancer will evolve may lie in their inherited DNA.
November 22, 2019
Joseph Shirk, MD -- Oncology Times featured a question-and-answer article with Joseph Shirk, MD, a clinical instructor in urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, about the surgical benefits of virtual reality.
Nov 08, 2019
Jeffrey Veale, MD, was quoted in a Time article about how kidney swaps are revolutionizing the country's organ donation system. Dr. Veale is director of the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange Program.
Nov 08, 2019
Dr. Robert Reiter -- FOX-TV (San Diego) and other news outlets published a newswire story about an $8.7 million grant given to the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute to improve prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
October 25, 2019
Joseph Shirk, MD -- The Wall Street Journal highlighted research by Joseph Shirk, MD, a clinical instructor in urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, finding that virtual-reality models during presurgical planning led to better outcomes for robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy. Dr. Shirk is a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
October 18, 2019
Dr. Mark Litwin - When the director of the National Institutes for Health announced earlier this year his intention to not sit on panels that did not have an inclusive agenda, several members of the UCLA medical community were motivated to follow suit. One was Dr. Mark Litwin, Chair of UCLA Urology, who sent it to a number of department chairs and urology chairs across the country and joined the pledge as well. Read more >
October 18, 2019
Dr. Jonathan Bergman, Assistant Professor of Urology and Family Medicine at UCLA, is an author on the article “Operating room preparedness for active shooter events” recently published in the journal Surgery.
Oct 15, 2019
Dr. Paul Boutros -- NBC Los Angeles, KNX News Radio, MyNewsLA.com and 10 other outlets covered a study led by Paul Boutros, PhD, director of cancer data science at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, which found 1,178 biomarkers in men's genomes that predict how an individual person's prostate cancer will grow. Dr. Boutros is also a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.
October 15, 2019
Mark Litwin, MD, professor of urology at the Geffen School of Medicine and a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was quoted in a Los Angeles Times report on a new vaping study conducted on mice finding dramatic increases in cancerous tumors in the lining of the lungs and bladder tissue.
Oct 09, 2019
Carol J. Bennett, MD has been named as the Henry E. Singleton Chair in Urology at UCLA. This endowed Chair provides essential resources to promote the Department's teaching and research activities, which are integral elements of UCLA Urology's mission to educate leaders, advance knowledge, and improve patient care. Congratulations, Dr. Bennett!
Oct 07, 2019
Dr. Jeffrey Veale -- The Doctors, on a segment exploring whether U.S. doctors are too quick to throw out kidneys that could save lives, featured Jeffrey Veale, MD, Associate Professor of UCLA Urology and Director of the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange Program, who discussed why the organ might be discarded and how doctors determine the suitability of a kidney for transplantation.
Oct 04, 2019
Dr. Paul Boutros -- HemOnc Today did a question-and-answer article with Paul Boutros, PhD, a professor of urology, director of cancer data science for the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and IUO member, on his recent study that identified a novel biomarker in urine that could aid in the detection of aggressive prostate cancer. More coverage on UCLA Newsroom >
September 20, 2019
Access to Urologic Care. Leadership in our county system, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC-DHS) developed clinical integration to improve access to and efficiency of specialty care. Clinical integration includes 3 efforts: empanelment, development of expected practices, and eConsult. The effect of this in the second largest public health system in the country was reviewed and found that it improved efficiency, allowed for specialist involvement in care without a face-to-face visit, and was completed in a timely manner. The findings by a UCLA and LAC-DHS team including Stephanie Pannell, MD, MPH, Voluntary Assistant Clinical Professor of Urology, Sophia Monica Soni from LAC-DHS, Paul Giboney from LAC-DHS, Alvaro Santamaria from UCLA, and Jonathan Bergman, MD, Assistant Professor of Urology and Family Medicine, were published in a research letter, “Access to Urologic Care Through Clinical Integration in a Large, Underserved Population” in the latest JAMA Surgery
September 18, 2019
Joseph Shirk, MD -- MedicalXpress, Technology.org, ScienceDaily and more than a dozen other outlets covered a new study led by Joseph Shirk, MD, a clinical instructor in urology at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, found that using virtual reality models during presurgical planning for robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy led to reductions in operating time, blood loss and hospital length of stay. UCLA Newsroom >
September 13, 2019
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- A recent UCLA study shows that MRI-guided biopsy is best for determining future risk of prostate cancer. Many men who are diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer are recommended for "active surveillance" to monitor their slow-growing tumors. Now, a UCLA study led by Dr. Leonard Marks, professor of urology, has shown that the best way to proceed is by starting out with an MRI-guided prostate biopsy. The results of the study were published in JAMA. The work, which began in 2009, has been funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute and private philanthropy. UCLA Health Newsroom >
September 13, 2019
Sriram Eleswarapu, MD, PhD, a urologist at The Men's Clinic at UCLA, commented in a STAT article on sperm donor anonymity.
September 04, 2019
Dr. Renea Sturm, Assistant Professor of Urology, is one of ten fellows selected for the inaugural UCLA Biodesign fellowship. This program links UCLA's medical school community, engineering school community, and business school community to industry partners in order to train the next generation of health care innovators. The Biodesign fellows join a team of four MBA graduates to work together to identify and advance technologies that address unmet patient needs. UCLA Biodesign Hub news release >
Aug 22, 2019
Face The Music at the GRAMMY Museum - Photography and music come together at the GRAMMY Museum's Face The Music exhibit, featuring the work of Dr. Richard Ehrlich, Professor Emeritus of Urology. This five-year project captures, in portraiture, how 41 legendary musicians feel while listening to music of their choice. The exhibit will open to the public on Sept. 12 and will run through Jan. 6, 2020.
Aug 16, 2019
Dr. Jesse Mills, a urologist and director of The Men's Clinic at UCLA, commented in Mashable on the growing popularity of sperm banking by mail.
Aug 08, 2019
Dr. Andrew Goldstein -- UCLA assistant professor of urology and of molecular, cell, and developmental biology, will be awarded a 2019 Young Investigator Award from the Society for Basic Urologic Research (SBUR). This award, given to investigators who are within five years of their first faculty position and who have made significant contributions to urologic research, will be presented at the annual SBUR fall meeting.
Aug 06, 2019
Dr. Andrew Goldstein -- The Medical News, Medicine Newsline and other outlets reported on research led by Andrew Goldstein, PhD, that helps explain why the prostate tends to grow as men age. Goldstein is an assistant professor of urology and of molecular, cell, and developmental biology, and also a member of the UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center and the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. UCLA Newsroom > Additional Coverage: Technology Networks | Wiredfocus
Jul 01, 2019
David Fishbein Yao, MD, assistant clinical professor of urology, commented in a Washington Post story about new tests for urinary tract infections. SFGate, Laredo Morning Times and Omaha.com syndicated the story.
Jul 01, 2019
Dr. Paul Boutros -- A team of researchers from UCLA and the University of Toronto, and led by Paul Boutros, PhD, a professor of urology, director of cancer data science for the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and IUO member, have identified a new biomarker found in urine that can help detect aggressive prostate cancer, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of men each year from undergoing unnecessary surgeries and radiotherapy treatments. UCLA Newsroom >
Additional coverage: MedicalXpress, Scienmag, Daily Heralds and 20 other outlets reported on research from Paul Boutros, PhD, director of cancer data science for the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, about a new biomarker that can help detect aggressive prostate cancer.
Jun 25, 2019
Karim Chamie, MD, associate professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, was quoted in a Healio.com article about a promising investigational treatment for unresectable upper tract urothelial cancer.
June 14, 2019
UCLA Health Recognized as a Leader in LGBTQ+ Patient Care. All four UCLA hospitals were recognized for a commitment to LGBTQ-centered care. UCLA Newsroom > News Release >
Jun 12, 2019
Dr. Leonard S. Marks -- CBS Newspath, CBS This Morning, UPI, MedPage Today, The Daily Mirror (London) and other publications reported on findings by a multidisciplinary team of UCLA physicians that demonstrated that combining biopsy strategies allowed for the detection of up to 33 percent more prostate cancers. The CBS story aired 90 times on TV stations across the country. Leonard Marks, MD, who holds the Jean B. deKernion Chair in the department of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and is a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, led the study. UCLA Newsroom | CBS News
Jun 7, 2019
Dr. Jacob Rajfer, a professor in residence of urology, was quoted in a Men's Health story about the latest treatments for erectile dysfunction.
Jun 6, 2019
Dr. Jeffrey Veale's commentary on the manifestations of the national opioid crisis on kidney transplantation published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Since the inception of the United Network for Organ Sharing in 1987, the number of patients awaiting a kidney transplant in the United States has increased greatly. However, there has been a recent decrease in the number of waiting-list candidates. Article in the NEJM (PDF) >
May 24, 2019
UroToday.com reported on various studies presented by UCLA Urology at the American Urological Association's 2019 annual meeting, including:
On staging for high-risk prostate cancer<, featuring Aydin Pooli, MD, urologic oncology fellow and clinical instructor in the department of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
On chemoablation of upper tract urothelial carcinoma, featuring Karim Chamie, MD, an associate professor in the department of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
May 3, 2019
Dr. Mills Quoted About Men Seeking Regular Medical Care
Dr. Jesse Mills -- The Wall Street Journal featured Dr. Jesse Mills, director of the Men's Clinic at UCLA, in an article on new clinic models that encourage men to seek regular medical care.
Apr 26, 2019
Prostate Cancer Patients Get Helpful Input on Individualized Treatments
Dr. Christopher Saigal -- The Tennessean published an op-ed about a shared decision making tool that can be used for prostate cancer called WiserCare, a program developed by Christopher Saigal, MD, that helps patients choose a course of treatment most aligned with their preferences and values. Dr. Saigal is vice chair of urology and a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Apr 11, 2019
UCLA Urology “Top Doctors”
Los Angeles Magazine has published its annual list of “Top Doctors” in Los Angeles, and eight UCLA Urology physicians have been recognized in the 2019 guide as among the city's best doctors. Congratulations to Drs. Baxter, Leff, Lerman, Litwin, Mills, Raz, Reiter and Singer! Story on UCLA Newsroom >
Apr 02, 2019
Tool Helps Prostate Cancer Patients Make Quality-of-Life Decisions
Dr. Christopher Saigal -- Health Data Management published a story on WiserCare, a shared decision-making tool for oncologists and patients with prostate cancer. Christopher Saigal, MD, vice chair of urology and a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, created the tool and was quoted.
Apr 02, 2019
Treating People with Advanced Kidney Cancer
Dr. Brian Shuch -- OncLive interviewed Brian Shuch, MD, in a multimedia story about what to consider when choosing treatment for patients with late-stage kidney cancer. Dr. Shuch is an associate professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Mar 25, 2019
Cosmetic Genital Surgery on Intersex Children Could Be Banned | Los Angeles Times
Dr. Steve Lerman, chief of the UCLA Division of Pediatric Urology, agrees that there is not enough known about the long-term outcomes of complex genital surgeries. Those surgeries were relatively new procedures in the 1970s and '80s, and now some of those patients have valid complaints about their results, Lerman said. Lerman said doctors, including himself, need to step up and recognize that such surgeries have previously had questionable outcomes and should be further studied. Full Story on latimes.com >
Mar 18, 2019
Is Surgery before Treatment Still Best Option for Patients with Kidney Cancer?
Dr. Brian Shuch -- OncLive interviewed Brian Shuch, MD, director of the Kidney Cancer Program and member of UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, for an article on the role of cytoreductive nephrectomy in the treatment of patients with kidney cancer.
Mar 14, 2019
Devices Aim to Help Manage Overactive Bladder
Dr. Victor Nitti -- Everyday Health interviewed Victor Nitti, MD, division chief of pelvic medicine at UCLA Health, for a story about technologies aimed at helping people with overactive bladder.
Mar 5, 2019
Dispelling Organ Donation Misconceptions
Dr. Jeffrey Veale -- The Doctors featured Jeffrey Veale, MD, director of the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange Program and Associate Professor of UCLA Urology, who addressed common misconceptions surrounding organ donation. Watch Video >
July 25, 2019
Continued Coverage -- KFXA-TV, Iowa City, Iowa; WBFS-TV, Miami, and 13 other television stations re-aired a segment from The Doctors TV show featuring Jeffrey Veale, MD, director of the UCLA Kidney Transplantation Exchange Program, who addressed common misconceptions surrounding organ donation. KFXA >
Jan 25, 2019
Olympic Swimming Champion Nathan Adrian Reveals Battle with Cancer
Dr. Mark Litwin, professor of urology and member of the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, was quoted in a NBC Nightly News segment about an Olympic athlete who was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Jan 14, 2019
The Role of Oxygen Deficiency in Cancer Treatment
Dr. Paul Boutros -- eCancer, News-Medical.net and HealthCanal.com reported on research led by Paul Boutros, a professor of urology and human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of cancer data science at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The researchers found common markers of tumor hypoxia across 19 cancer types that can help inform treatment decisions.