Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

New York, New York

Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, is Director of Clinical Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s (MSKCC) Josie Robertson Surgery Center and Assistant Attending Epidemiologist, with dual appointments in MSKCC’s Departments of Surgery (Urology Service) and Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Her line of research focuses on screening and early detection of prostate cancer, including multiplex testing and risk-stratified strategies that incorporate clinical information, biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging, as recently funded by an NIH/NCI U01 award (PI: Carlsson).

Dr. Carlsson also serves as Associate Professor of Experimental Urology affiliated with the Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, in Sweden, where she is an investigator of two large randomized controlled trials of prostate cancer screening (GOTEBORG-1&2), as recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Hugosson J, et al. N Engl J Med 2022). In addition, Dr. Carlsson is Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Department of Translational Medicine in the Division of Urological Cancers in the Medical Faculty at Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Dr. Carlsson recently completed a K22 career development award from the NIH/NCI to improve shared decision-making for breast and prostate cancer screening. She serves on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and is a panel member for the American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer. Before pursuing postdoctoral studies in urologic oncology at MSKCC, Dr. Carlsson was a physician in Sweden. She earned her MD and PhD from Gothenburg University in Sweden and earned an MPH from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts.

Talks by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH

Screening and Prevention of Prostate Cancer 2021 (Part 1): Evidence for PSA Screening

Posted by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH | Jun 2021

In part 1 of a 3-part series, Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, Assistant Attending Epidemiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, looks at the evidence supporting widespread prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening. She looks at a range of large studies with long follow-up that demonstrate a reduction in prostate cancer mortality of approximately 30% as a result of widespread PSA screening. Dr. Carlsson also looks at how PSA screening decisions can be made by taking other risk factors into account in order to minimize unnecessary testing. She also notes that the loss in quality-adjusted life years somewhat offsets the benefits of widespread screening. She concludes by introducing her 5 Golden Rules of testing to keep the benefits and reduce the harms.

State of the Art in “Smart” Prostate Cancer Screening: Defining the Need for Precision Diagnostics

Posted by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH | Dec 2019

Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, discusses the evolution of attitudes toward PSA screening for prostate cancer over time, and the importance of implementing the PSA test in a way that will truly benefit patients. She details how risk-stratifying algorithms and calculators, biomarkers, and MRI can play a role in refining prostate cancer screening.

Prostate Cancer – No Biopsy in Case of a Normal MRI

Posted by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH | May 2019

Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, and Gerald L. Andriole, Jr., MD, discuss the pros and cons of omitting biopsy in patients with abnormal PSA levels and a negative MRI. While avoiding standard biopsy can mitigate serious complications, the data may not support full confidence in MRI’s detection quality.

How to Optimize the Use of Prostate-specific Antigen in the Current Era

Posted by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH | May 2019

Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, suggests that, rather than abandoning PSA screening altogether, doctors should focus on patient selection for screening. She provides 5 key considerations for PSA screening, emphasizing risk-stratification and shared decision-making.

Prostate Cancer Active Surveillance in 2019

Posted by Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH | Apr 2019

Sigrid V. Carlsson, MD, PhD, MPH, reviews recent guidelines regarding patient selection and protocols for prostate cancer active surveillance. She provides methods for counseling patients who would benefit from active surveillance, but experience anxiety from the prospect of foregoing aggressive therapy.