SKCC GU Multidisciplinary Clinic Celebrating
Years
The multidisciplinary program has served as a model for many other centers across the United States. Our Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Genitourinary Multidisciplinary Clinic (GU MDC) was founded in 1996 by Dr. Leonard Gomella, Urology Chair at Jefferson and Dr. Richard Valicenti, now Chair of Radiation Oncology at University of California Davis in Sacramento, California. The 25th year of operation took place in 2021. The GU MDC was founded less than a year after the Sidney
Kimmel Cancer Center received its initial NCI Cancer Center designation. Our Multidisciplinary Genitourinary clinic we believe was the first formally described in the literature and is one of the best known programs of any of the NCI-designated Cancer Centers in the United States. Each week, urologists, medical oncologists, radiation
oncologists and a variety of support staff evaluate patients with urologic malignancies in a coordinated real time clinical setting. A dedicated navigator helps to streamline the clinical care. Prostate, bladder and kidney cancer are the top malignancies treated based on overall tumor frequency but other cancers, such as penile, testicular and adrenal malignancies are also seen. In addition to being one of the first of its kind (1), the program boasts many accomplishments. These are summarized in the accompanying time line. Noteworthy accomplishments include the first publication in 2010 demonstrating this combined care model improves survival outcomes in high-risk prostate cancer (3), the spinoff development of a Small Renal Mass Multidisciplinary Clinic (2) and the first Men’s Genetic Risk Program incorporating testing and counselling into a prostate cancer clinic in 2014 (4). In 2013, Men’s Health Magazine identified the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center as one of the top 20 hospitals for prostate cancer care in the U.S. with our clinical team notes to be closely linked with basic scientists who work in the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center research labs (see page 39). Our team published one of the first books in this area of multidisciplinary prostate cancer care. Prostate Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Diagnosis
Members of the SKCC GU MDC team including clinicians, residents, fellows and support staff gathered for a 25-year commenerative photo. In the front row are Dr. Adam Dicker, Radiation Oncology Chair, Dr. Kevin Kelly, Director of Solid Tumor Oncology for the Cancer Center and Dr. Leonard Gomella, Urology Chair representing the three core specialties who participate in the GU MDC. Our long standing pathologist Dr. Peter McCue and radiologist Dr. Ethan Halpern are seen behind Dr. Kelly. Dr. Andy Chapman, Acting Director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, and Alex Khariton, MBA, Vice President for Cancer Services, joined in the occasion. Radiation Oncologist Dr. Bobby Den has been a long time contributor and has led many clinical trials. Dr. Veda Giri leads the genetic testing, and Dr. Ed Trabulsi is curently the Clinical Director of the GU MDC with Cyrstal Sypherd, CPHT as navigator. Brian Ward coordinates the Small Renal Mass GU MDC along with Drs. Costas Lallas and Mark Mann. 6
Year in Review
