Congratulations to Wei Phin Tan, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, for receiving a T32 training grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Under the mentorship of Associate Professor of Surgery Brant Inman, MD, MS, Dr. Tan is currently conducting research in two major areas. The first project studies the use of heat therapy in the treatment of bladder cancer, which Dr. Tan says is the 4th most common newly diagnosed solid tumor in men, and the 12th in women. 80% of these cases are deemed non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), which have a high rate of tumor recurrence.
“There is a clear clinical need for novel and effective approaches to managing NMIBC that reduce tumor recurrences, treatment cost, and need for cystectomy, while improving patient life duration and quality,” says Dr. Tan.
The second research project supported by the training grant involves B7-H3, a molecule associated with poor outcomes in other forms of cancer. The research team will measure the amount of B7-H3 in men with prostate cancer to determine its correlation to cancer severity.
The grant will also help with other educational opportunities, including Dr. Tan’s attendance at the American Urological Association Meeting and Society of Urologic Oncology meeting.