Clinical Research

3b-clinical-research

Innovation, discovery and game-changing urologic patient care are at the forefront of clinical research

In addition to the basic science facilities, the Catherine and Joseph Aresty Department of Urology also maintains three mature clinical databases for oncology patients treated with cystectomy, radical prostatectomy and partial or total nephrectomy at USC since 1981 and is actively developing a similar testis cancer database. Each of these databases has between 1000-4500 patients, and there is full-time trained staff responsible for chart abstracting, follow-up and management of the databases. These databases are IRB-approved, fully searchable and integrated with pathologic tumor banks of available frozen and fixed tissue and blood samples.

Clinical Research Activities

  • Inderbir Gill, MD, MCh:  Minimally invasive techniques in management of genitourinary cancers. Needle biopsy of small renal mass: radiologic, histologic and cytogenetic and molecular correlates.
  • Sia Daneshmand, MD:  Outcomes in multidisciplinary management of testis cancer and bladder cancer.
  • Anne Schuckman, MD:  Outcomes in squamous cell cancer of the penis with tissue correlates.
  • Jacek Pinski, MD, PhD:  LHRH receptor polymorphisms and response to androgen-deprivation therapy in prostate cancer patients.
  • Mitchell Gross, MD, PhD:  Microtubule-targeted therapy for high-risk localized prostate cancer.
  • David Quinn, MD, PhD:  Gene signature for prostate cancer recurrence and survival. Development of drug therapy and clinical trials for cisplatin-resistant urothelial cancer
  • Leslie Ballas, MD: Her research is focused on hypofractionation in post-op prostate cancer, post-operative radiation in bladder tumors and use of stereotactic radiation in conjunction with immune therapy in GU malignancies.

National/International Trials (Partial List)

The GU Oncology team at USC is involved in numerous national and international clinical trials and registries. The following is a partial list of some of the dozens of trials offered.

  1. David Quinn:
    • 4B-14-1 A Phase II, Multicenter, Single-Arm Study of MPDL3280A in Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Bladder Cancer
  2. Sia Daneshmand:
    • SWOG S1011- A Phase III Surgical Trial to Evaluate the Benefit of a Standard Versus an Extended Pelvic Lymphadenectomy Performed at Time of Radical Cystectomy for Muscle Invasive Urothelial Cancer.
    • SWOG S1314- SWOG S1314- A Randomized Phase III Study Of Co-Expression Extrapolation (Coxen) with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Localized, Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer- Study Co-Chair
    • 4B-13-1 Cysview® Blue Light Cystoscopy Registry
    • 4B-13-4 Evaluation of the UroVysion™ Test in Predicting Recurrence and/or Progression of Disease in Patients Receiving initial BCG for Primary High Grade Ta-T1 and CIS Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder