Urologic Oncology Research

Our physicians and scientists are committed to building on their research findings to develop new methods of cancer treatment, prevention, and diagnosis. They encourage patients, their families, and friends to work as advocates to improve access to clinical trials for all, including under-represented groups, and become involved in public policy development.

The specific objectives of this program are to:
	Develop new methods of cancer assessment which better determine prognosis and response to treatment
	Develop and test novel and/or less morbid approaches to the management of urological cancers, including those that have failed to respond to conventional treatment regimens
	Determine the impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on patient health-related-quality of life (HRQOL). Define sociodemographic features which impact on HRQOL. Develop treatment techniques which preserve a high quality of life.
	Understand the importance of the patients' role in decision making, psychosocial support, and individual treatment regimens on cancer outcomes
	Develop and validate genetic, cytometric and phenotypic markers of prognosis and response to treatment.
	Identify genetic mechanisms involved in causing urologic cancers allowing them to progress.
	Define the roles of growth factors, cell-to-cell interactions and differentiation agents in modulating malignant prostate growth; build on such research to develop novel methods of preventing and treating prostate cancer.
	Develop new and refine existing imaging modalities to detect and characterize urological cancers.
	Encourage interaction among program members leading to translational research.
	Refine surgical techniques to preserve urinary continence and sexual function and enhance the quality of life

Bladder Cancer

The laboratory of Fred Waldman has a longstanding interest in identifying molecular markers of bladder cancer development and progression. They were the first to apply FISH probes for chromosome and gene specific copy number in bladder cancers, and showed the sensitivity and specificity of this approach for identifying cancer cells in urine and bladder washes. They also applied tools of Comparative Genomic Hybridization to identifying chromosomal copy number alterations in tumor specimens, and most recently have used array-based approaches for high resolution analysis. In collaboration with Carroll, they have identified a number of gene specific copy number alterations in bladder tumors which are associated with tumor progression.

Rajvir Dahiya's laboratory is testing the hypothesis that, the inactivation of genes through epigenetic pathways is involved in bladder carcinogenesis. To test this hypothesis, his lab is investigating the molecular mechanisms of bladder cancer through analysis of epigenetic pathways of various genes. Inactivation of various genes including tumor suppressor genes and cell adhesion genes is frequently associated with bladder cancer. the Dahiya lab is analyzing the functional significance of such genes in bladder cancer.

Kidney (Renal) Cancer

The Renal Cancer Program at UCSF is committed to advancing understanding of renal cancer and to designing innovative treatments.

Pioneering research using gene-based research helps physicians understand how to treat renal cancer. Using array-based comparative genomic hybridization, researchers extract DNA from various tumors and study which genes have been amplified or deleted. By associating the genetic alterations with more aggressive or less aggressive tumors, the researchers are cataloging prognostic markers that can help physicians and patients decide on an appropriate course of treatment, and has led to improved treatments.

UCSF is leading a national clinical trial for patients with metastatic renal cancer whose disease has progressed despite standard immunotherapy treatment. UCSF offers a clinical trial in allogeneic stem cell transplantation, is a unique form of immunotherapy which attempts to use the immune cells from a sibling to fight a patient's cancer.

Waldman and his UCSF colleagues invented array-based comparative genomic hybridization, a technique in which researchers extract DNA from various tumors and study which genes have been amplified or deleted. By associating the genetic alterations with more aggressive or less aggressive tumors, the researchers are cataloging prognostic markers that can help physicians and patients decide on an appropriate course of treatment. Waldman and his colleagues used this approach to find alterations for different sub-types of kidney cancer. They have found that conventional or clear-cell renal cancer shows loss of the short arm of chromosome 3, whereas papillary cancers do not.

Dahiya's laboratory is testing the hypothesis that genetic instability and mismatch repair genes are one of the key pathways of renal cell carcinoma. To test this hypothesis, they are investigating the molecular genetics of renal cell carcinoma through the analysis of mismatch repair genes such as hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3, and hMSH6. Additionally, the Dahiya laboratory is investigating genetic instability, loss of heterozygosity and CGH analysis of renal cell carcinoma.

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Contents of This Page

Faculty

Peter Carroll, MD, MPH
Matthwew Cooperberg, MD, MPH
Rajvir Dahiya, PhD
Frederic Waldman, MD, PhD

Appointments & Location

Cancer Research Laboratories
UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
2340 Sutter Street

Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building
Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building
1450 3rd Street

Research Laboratory, VAMC
4150 Clement Street, Building 203