The Culture of Different MKTG_150064494_2018 Service Line Big Book Full_FIN | Página 84

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The Culture of Different
UROLOGY
A Preventive Look at Bladder
Dysfunction After Cancer
Pediatric urologic cancer specialist Nick Cost,
MD, noticed a trend in his practice at Children’s
Hospital Colorado: an undue number of kids
having bladder problems a year or two after
chemotherapy. Because it was happening to
kids with a variety of cancers, he wondered if the
culprit was the therapeutic agents themselves.
“Pediatric genitourinary cancers are a very niche
area,” he admits, “but we’ve got a great team. Our
goal is, the next time we see this scenario, we’re
going to do a better job. We’re getting better
every year.”
His working hypothesis: A chemotherapy called
vincristine, which causes neurotoxicity, might
damage the peripheral nerves to the bladder.
Meanwhile, the chemotherapy doxorubicin, toxic
to muscle tissue, might affect the bladder muscle.
His team is now conducting a survey of bladder
dysfunction in patients 5 to 10 years old who
have been exposed to either agent. Concurrently,
they’re studying animal models to see how the
hypothesis bears out. Both studies, though
incomplete, seem to support the hypothesis.
The upshot for future patients is prevention.
“For example,” says Dr. Cost, “doxorubicin
can cause toxicity to the heart muscle, so we
have agents to prevent that. It’s possible that
we could identify agents to prevent injury to
the bladder as well.”
It’s too early to tell, but the study is just one
aspect of Dr. Cost and his team’s ongoing mission
to improve the outlook not just for the patients
they’re seeing, but for the ones they haven’t yet
seen. Those efforts bring together experts from
multiple disciplines both at Children’s Colorado
and at neighboring University of Colorado
Hospital, whose Urologic Cancer Clinic Dr. Cost
also staffs. This collaboration between pediatric
and adult medicine improves continuity of care.
D E PA RT M E N T O F U R O L O G Y
40+
Active research studies
“We’re laser-focused on care for
these kids,” says pediatric urologic
cancer specialist Nick Cost, MD, of his
multidisciplinary and transitional
team of pediatric and adult providers.
“Pediatric genitourinary cancers are
rare, but it’s all we treat.”
$958,000
In grants awarded in 2016
0%
Reoperation rate for pyeloplasties (2014-2016)
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