Significant advances in patient care and research by the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai were recognized as the Department recorded a number of significant milestones in 2023 that will continue to elevate its profile and spotlight its leadership role.
In December, Icahn Mount Sinai and the Department took center stage in the global medical community by hosting the Fifth International Prostate Cancer Symposium and World Congress of Urologic Oncology.
Left to right: Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System; Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.), Chair of the Department of Urology; and Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners.
Earlier in the year, Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.), Chair of the Department of Urology, was named Surgeon-in-Chief of the Tisch Cancer Hospital that is to open in 2027, and the Department raised more than $1 million at its annual Prostate Cancer Research Gala. In addition, Dr. Tewari was included on Crain's New York Business list of “Notable Leaders in Health Care,” a list of professionals whose work is vital to the functioning of the city’s health care system and the city itself.
Ash Tewari, MBBS, MCh, FRCS (Hon.) Appointed Surgeon-in-Chief of the Tisch Cancer Hospital
Dr. Tewari is one of two renowned cancer experts at Mount Sinai appointed to lead Mount Sinai’s new Tisch Cancer Hospital, which is under development. Dr. Tewari was appointed Surgeon-in-Chief of the Tisch Cancer Hospital. Cardinale B. Smith, MD, PhD, has been appointed Chief Medical Officer for the Tisch Cancer Hospital and Vice President of Cancer Clinical Affairs.
The Tisch Cancer Hospital will be a state-of-the-art cancer facility at The Mount Sinai Hospital, thanks to a generous $60 million gift from James S. and Merryl H. Tisch. Under the leadership of Dr. Smith and Dr. Tewari, the Hospital, which is part of the Tisch Cancer Center, will transform oncologic care, expand access to life-saving breakthroughs, and promote Mount Sinai as a leader in cancer treatment and research.
“Mount Sinai’s vision for the Tisch Cancer Hospital was bold,” said Mr. Tisch, Co-Chairman of the Boards of Trustees of the Mount Sinai Health System. “We knew we needed exceptional leaders to create a transformational cancer care experience under one roof, and we feel confident Dr. Smith and Dr. Tewari are those leaders.”
Dr. Tewari will be responsible for provider aspects of daily operations for surgical oncology inpatients at the Tisch Cancer Hospital. He will ensure integration among inpatient surgical oncology, the Tisch Cancer Hospital, and departmental research and teaching missions.
“The Tisch Cancer Hospital will be a hospital within the hospital that is supported by experts from various areas of medicine,” Dr. Tewari said. “We have the best cardiologists, the best endocrinologists, the best transplant experts, the best nephrologists, and that is what will differentiate our cancer care because cancer doesn't come in isolation, it comes in a whole body that has many other issues going on at the same time. The best patient outcomes depend on not just taking care of one thing, but one thing with respect to the others.”
A pioneer in robotic surgery, Dr. Tewari has been involved in developing robotic prostatectomy from its inception. Dr. Tewari is one of only a few robotic surgeons to be awarded research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, including an R01 grant for which he served as the Principal Investigator, researching the utility of multiphoton microscopy during prostate cancer treatment.
Dr. Smith will oversee clinical operations and quality of the new inpatient oncology units at the Tisch Cancer Hospital and inpatient cancer care elsewhere throughout the Health System. In addition, she will integrate oncology clinical care within the ambulatory and inpatient settings across the Health System with The Tisch Cancer Institute’s research and teaching missions.
The new Tisch Cancer Hospital will be located at 1440 Madison Avenue and will consist of four floors with approximately 18 single-bed rooms on each floor. There will also be a series of innovative clinical spaces designed to ease transitions among various stages of treatment.
The hospital will contribute to the overall mission of the Tisch Cancer Center by expanding Mount Sinai’s clinical cancer research at a time when many of the newest cancer care drugs and treatments require inpatient monitoring. When completed, the hospital will have calming, warm environments, and respite spaces for patients, their loved ones, and staff, offering a holistic approach to care for patients and their loved ones.
The Tisch Cancer Center, established in 2022 as part of the landmark gift from the Tisch family, broadens access to breakthrough therapies, diagnostics, and clinical trials and will further Mount Sinai’s mission to provide advanced, personalized treatment and holistic care for patients in all communities. Ramon Parsons, MD, PhD, was named as director of the Center in addition to his role as Director of The Tisch Cancer Institute, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center.
“We're already known for having an excellent cancer center, but the new cancer hospital is really going to put us on a new level where we'll be able to offer our patients the specialty care they need when they need to be hospitalized,” said Dr. Parsons. “This new hospital requires bold visionaries at the helm, and we have that with Dr. Smith and Dr. Tewari. Both of them are experts in their fields, and they're committed to not only high-quality care but making sure we provide access to care and equity of care to all of our patients.”
Luis Isola, MD, Director of Cancer Clinical Programs and Medical Director of Mount Sinai Cancer Network, added, “We have 300,000 ambulatory visits a year and 10,000 hospital visits a year. And the breadth of our faculty, our nursing, and our staff really speak for themselves as to why New York City wants Mount Sinai to be the newest and the best cancer center for this city.”
Watch this video about Burton Wallack, a three-time cancer survivor, who received the Patient of Courage Award at the 2023 Prostate Cancer Research Gala.
Prostate Cancer Research Gala Celebrates Innovations in Research and Patient Care
Dr. Tewari started the annual Prostate Cancer Research Gala with the goal of raising money for the Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer within the Department of Urology. Its mission is to eliminate prostate cancer through programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and education for students, trainees, professionals, and the public.
With nearly 200 people in attendance and more than $1 million raised, the event was a success by any measure. The event was held Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.
The first honoree to be recognized was Burton Wallack, a three-time cancer survivor who received the Patient of Courage Award.
“Go to the end … and you can still win. And that’s the story of Burt Wallack,” said Dr. Tewari in a video shown at the event. Mr. Wallack, the founder and Chairman of Wallack Management Company, also serves on the Chairman’s Urology Board, partnering with his doctor to advance research.
Watch this video about Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System, who received the Champion of Excellence Award at the 2023 Prostate Cancer Research Gala.
Dennis Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System, received the Champion of Excellence Award. As Dr. Tewari noted in a video: “I wanted to start a program in prostate cancer. Dr. Charney turned that into a prostate cancer Center of Excellence. … He made it one of the most comprehensive programs, and not just by telling us how to do it, but by providing every support.”
“I’m proud of where we have come, but I’m not satisfied,” said Dr. Charney, embodying his tireless pursuit of improved outcomes for patients before continuing: “Am I still being innovative? Am I still being inspiring to others? Am I still working with our teams to come up with great ideas? That’s what I think about all the time.”
The event also saw the bestowal of the inaugural Steven Southwick, MD Memorial Award, named in memory of a leading expert on trauma and resilience who passed away from prostate cancer in 2022. Dr. Southwick, Glenn H. Greenberg Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, PTSD, and Resilience at the Yale School of Medicine, was also a mentor and friend to Dr. Charney. “Steve was my buddy, my brother,” said Dr. Charney. “He was brilliant, but that doesn’t capture him. He was the finest person I’ve ever met,” Dr. Charney continued before detailing Dr. Southwick’s contributions to our understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Steven Southwick, MD Memorial Award recognizes the recipient’s dedication to prostate cancer research and was given to Sujit S. Nair, PhD, an Assistant Professor and Director of Genitourinary Immunotherapy Research in the Department of Urology at Icahn Mount Sinai.
Watch this video about Robert F. Smith, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, who was presented with the Visionary Award during the 2023 Prostate Cancer Research Gala.
The final honoree was Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, who was presented with the Visionary Award for his commitment to addressing the disparity that sees higher rates of prostate cancer—and death—among Black men. Through his collaboration and funding, the Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit was launched, a state-of-the-art “doctor’s office on wheels” that takes specialized staff and equipment into the neighborhoods of the men who need it most.
“We’re honoring Robert for being a kind human being,” Dr. Tewari remarked, “a philanthropist, a person who really wants to make an impact, a person who is touched by human lives, a person who cannot take his eyes away from a problem, and if he can make a difference, he does it. He has made a tremendous difference in this cause for prostate cancer.”
Mr. Smith said, “I’m very hopeful that this is going to be one of those sparks that really leads to a platform of access to health care for the African American community, and saves lives.”
With an ambitious goal to reduce deaths from prostate cancer by 25 percent in the Mount Sinai community, this is a spark that will have far-reaching implications. While the event was a celebration of many accomplishments at the Center of Excellence for Prostate Cancer, its true significance may lie in the ongoing inspiration to keep pushing forward at the boundaries of research and patient care.
The Department has more than 190 urologists on staff, more than any other health care system in New York City. Its robotic surgery program is among the most robust in the country. Genomic testing and advanced imaging are routine for patients with prostate cancer, providing personalized and precise treatment protocols.