Urologic Cancer Care in Orange County
City of Hope offers the most innovative treatments led internationally recognized physician scientists. When treating genitourinary cancer, our dedicated team of experts takes a uniquely integrated, patient-centered approach, may it be prostate, kidney, bladder, testicular or penile cancer, to ensure optimal outcomes with minimal impact on quality of life.
Why Choose City of Hope Orange County for Urologic Cancer Care?
As a nationally recognized leader in the research and treatment of urologic cancers, City of Hope is uniquely positioned to transform the future of urologic health with our dedicated team of urology experts, who take a patient-centered approach to diagnosing and treating prostate, kidney, bladder, penile and testicular cancer. At City of Hope, we lead the way in innovative and thoughtful surgical approaches to treating urological cancers and high-risk urological disease.
The benefits of receiving treatment from our multidisciplinary care team include:
- Network tumor boards that help identify who could benefit from lifesaving genetic evaluation
- Collaboration with experts in genetic counseling and genomic testing
- Quick access to highly accurate biopsy technology, which enhance detection and personalization of treatment
We believe the best and most comprehensive care is a result of close collaboration among leading experts. When your patients choose City of Hope, they are not just assigned to a single physician — they become the focus of a team of multidisciplinary experts, ensuring they receive leading-edge, personalized care.
We Specialize in State-of-the-Art Treatments for Urologic Cancers
- A drug development pipeline that quickly identifies new cancer drugs and turns them into promising therapies for clinical trials
- A wide portfolio of drugs that are better at fighting cancer with fewer side effects, including hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy
- Advanced imaging techniques, designed to accurately pinpoint a tumor’s size, shape and location, enhancing our ability to detect cancer and devise personalized treatment plans
- Highly precise radiation therapy regimens targeted to each patient by sculpting radiation beams to the size and shape of the tumor, focusing their impact on cancer cells while reducing exposure to nearby healthy tissue
- Advanced imaging technologies, including image guided external radiation systems (such as
TomoTherapy® and TrueBeam®), magnet resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound and brachytherapy
- A dedicated continence recovery program to help patients regain urinary function after treatment
- A survivorship program to help people deal with the long-term side effects of treatment
- Expertise in invasive and robotically assisted surgical techniques, including nerve-sparing prostatectomies, that can offer optimal outcomes with less pain, reduced scarring and faster healing times
- Leaders in minimally invasive, robotically assisted prostatectomies, having performed more than 13,000 procedures
- Leading-edge surgical teams with expertise in complex surgery and reconstruction, including the use of local tissue to restore pelvic floor function
- Sophisticated, active surveillance monitoring for men with low-risk, slow-growing prostate cancer that does not warrant immediate treatment
Orange County Urologic Cancer Doctors
Urologic Cancer Leadership
Jeffrey S. Yoshida, M.D., is the medical director of urologic surgery at City of Hope Orange County. He is currently located at the City of Hope Orange County and Seacliff locations.
Nishan Tchekmedyian, M.D., M.B.A, is a hematologist and medical oncologist at City of Hope's Orange County and Seacliff locations.
Surgical Oncology
Cory Hugen, M.D., is an associate clinical professor in the Division of Urology and Urologic Oncology in the Department of Surgery at City of Hope Orange County.
Medical Oncology
Luke Chen, M.D., is a medical oncologist and hematologist at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center and Seacliff locations. Dr. Chen’s research has explored ways to improve treatment for prostate cancer and other malignancies.
Sandy Ting Liu, M.D., is a assistant research professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research.
Charisma Mylavarapu, D.O., is a dedicated physician specializing in gastrointestinal and genitourinary malignancies. Her journey into medicine was driven by a lifelong fascination with science and a deep commitment to community service.
Charles B. Nguyen, M.D., is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope Orange County.
Sumanta Kumar Pal, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., is an internationally recognized leader in the area of genitourinary cancers, including kidney and bladder. He is the co-director of City of Hope’s Kidney Cancer Program.
Radiation Oncology
Percy Lee, M.D., is delighted to increase City of Hope's reach and help establish its radiation oncology research network in his role as medical director of Orange County and coastal region radiation oncology and vice chair for clinical research in the Department of Radiation Oncology.
Dr. Weng is a radiation oncologist and assistant clinical professor in the Department of Radiation Therapy at City of Hope Orange County.
Interventional Radiology
Jason Salsamendi, M.D., is a interventional radiologist and clinical professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at City of Hope.
Supportive Care
Richard T. Lee, M.D., is the medical director of the Integrative Medicine Program in the Department of Supportive Care Medicine at City of Hope.
Jessica Cheng, M.D., is among the nation’s few, and Orange County’s only, fellowship-trained experts in cancer rehabilitation medicine. This is a subspecialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) also known as physiatry.
Clinical trial participation is a critical aspect of care for many patients living with cancer. Our patients can access more than 1,000 innovative Phase 1–3 clinical trials at City of Hope each year — more cancer-focused clinical trials than anywhere in the area — to provide promising new treatments long before they become the standard of care.
A trailblazing integrative medicine program combining the best of Western medicine and evidence-based complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, massage and meditation.
City of Hope is a national leader in evidence-based supportive care. The Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center at the Lennar Foundation Cancer Center will facilitate easy access to a wide range of programs, including care navigation, survivorship programs, psychological and spiritual counseling, pain management and more.
Marybelle's is a full-service salon extending a specialty shopping experience with oncology-trained cosmetologists.
The on-site pharmacy fills and dispenses prescriptions and offers over-the-counter medications, alleviating the burden of going elsewhere.
