E. David Crawford, MD

Editor-in-Chief
Grand Rounds in Urology
Jack A. Vickers Director of Prostate Research
Professor of Urology
University of California, San Diego

San Diego, California

Researcher-physician E. David Crawford, MD, Jack A. Vickers Director of Prostate Research and Professor of Urology at the University of California, San Diego, has devoted his career in medicine to educating the public about men's health issues and finding effective techniques and procedures to address prostate cancer, the most common malignancy affecting men in the United States.

Dr. Crawford received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and his postgraduate training included an internship and residency in urology at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati. He subsequently completed a genitourinary cancer fellowship at the University of California Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Dr. Crawford is an internationally recognized expert in benign prostate hypertrophy, urologic cancers, and in particular, prostate cancer. He has conducted research in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer, metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate, hormone-refractory prostate cancer, and other areas of urological infections and malignancies. He has authored or coauthored over 810 scientific articles, has published seven textbooks, authored over 60 book chapters, and provided more than 2,200 educational talks for patients and physicians.

In an effort to raise public awareness about prostate health, Crawford in 1989 founded the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC). The non-profit organization is comprised of a consortium of leading physicians, health educators, scientists, and men's health advocates. PCEC's advocacy for free or low-cost prostate screening has affected the lives of millions of American men. He currently chairs the PCEC.

Crawford is an active member of many national and international organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Urological Association (AUA), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Within the AUA, he has been a member of the Committee to Study Urologic Research Funding and the prostate cancer clinical trials subcommittee. Crawford served on the board of governors, the scientific advisory board of the Southwest Oncology Group, and was chairman of the Genitourinary Cancer Committee for 27 years. This group is the largest clinical trials group in the world.

Crawford's involvement in the national prostate cancer arena has been widely recognized. He has received many honors and awards, including the CAP Cure Annual Award for Scientific Presentation in 1999 In 1997, he was presented with a 'Freddie Award" at the AMA International Health and Medical Film Competition for the program, ITV: The Cutting Edge Medical Report (Prostate Cancer: Understanding, Diagnosing, and Defeating), which Crawford hosted with special guest, retired General Norman Schwarzkopf.

Crawford again won a prestigious 'Freddie Award" 5 years ago... He is a member of Best Doctors of America and was named Healthcare Provider of the Year in the Denver Metro area by the Denver Business Journal.

He has been recognized as one of the Best Doctors of America for the past two decades and is recognized as one of the top 20 urologists in the country, for men, by Men’s Health Magazine. In 2018 he received the honor of being named the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine. In May of 2019, he received the Presidential citation from the American Urological Association recognizing for his “tireless role in genitourinary cancer research that has benefited countless urologic cancer patients.” He accepted the position of Editor in Chief of Grand Rounds in Urology in June of 2019. In 2021, he was the recipient of the Merle Stringer, M.D. annual award for excellence in medicine by the Florida State Medical Association.

PET Tumor Board: Case 8 – A Case of An 81-year-old Man with High-risk Prostate Cancer with Initial PSA of 8.4 and a Large Peripheral Zone Lesion

E. David Crawford, MD, Wayne G. Brisbane, MD, Sean P. Collins, MD, PhD, Sherief H. Gamie, MD, PhD, Daniel P. Petrylak, MD and Andrew W. Hahn, MD | Dec 2025

This multidisciplinary tumor board highlights how PSMA PET identifies recurrent prostate cancer and informs decisions on salvage therapy, radiation, and cryotherapy.

PET Tumor Board–Case 7: A Case of a 71-year-old with PSA of 6.3, High PSA Density, and a PI-RADS 4 Lesion

E. David Crawford, MD, Wayne G. Brisbane, MD, Sean P. Collins, MD, PhD, Sherief H. Gamie, MD, PhD, Daniel P. Petrylak, MD and Andrew W. Hahn, MD | Nov 2025

The Case shows PSMA PET detected clinically significant prostate cancer missed by MRI-guided biopsy.

Interpreting PSMA PET/CT Scan Reports

Sherief H. Gamie, MD, PhD and E. David Crawford, MD | Nov 2025

Dr. Gamie explains a stepwise method for reading prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography computed tomography reports, using standardized uptake value references and prior studies to separate physiologic, inflammatory, and pathologic findings.

PET Tumor Board – Case 6: A Case of a 57-year-old with an Elevated PSA and Small Prostate Volume

E. David Crawford, MD, Wayne G. Brisbane, MD, Sean P. Collins, MD, PhD, Sherief H. Gamie, MD, PhD, Daniel P. Petrylak, MD and Andrew W. Hahn, MD | Oct 2025

A 57-year-old with favorable-intermediate risk prostate cancer illustrates PSMA PET/MRI interpretation, rib uptake pitfalls, and treatment selection.

PET Tumor Board Case 5: A Case of a 77-year-old Prostate Cancer Patient with Ulcerative Colitis and Uncertain PET Findings

E. David Crawford, MD, Wayne G. Brisbane, MD, Sean P. Collins, MD, PhD, Sherief H. Gamie, MD, PhD, Daniel P. Petrylak, MD and Andrew W. Hahn, MD | Aug 2025

Multidisciplinary case review shows how PSMA PET false positives can mimic nodal disease and alter prostate cancer management.