Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas

Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS, is Professor of Urology and Vice-Chair for Faculty Affairs in the Scott Department of Urology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He holds the Beth and Dave Swalm Chair in Urologic Oncology. Dr. Lerner is the Director of Urologic Oncology and the Multidisciplinary Bladder Cancer Program, also at Baylor.

Dr. Lerner earned his medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine, completed a surgical internship at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, and returned to Baylor for his residency training. He completed a two-year fellowship at the University of Southern California in Urologic Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery and joined the full-time Baylor faculty in 1992.

Dr. Lerner’s clinical practice, education, and research activities are devoted to urologic oncology, particularly to lower and upper tract urothelial cancer. Dr. Lerner is the author of 228 peer-reviewed articles, co-editor of a comprehensive Textbook on Bladder Cancer, and founding co-editor-in-chief of the Bladder Cancer journal. His research interests include the use of selective estrogen receptor modulators for treatment of bladder cancer, gene therapy, integrated proteogenomic analysis of bladder and upper urinary tract cancers, and outcomes of radical cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy.

Dr. Lerner has 30 years of experience as a clinical investigator for both National Cancer Institute (NCI) and industry-funded clinical trials. He is Principal Investigator of the ongoing SWOG NCI Phase III trial comparing extended vs. standard pelvic lymphadenectomy at time of radical cystectomy. He is active in the leadership of several national bladder cancer research enterprises, serving as chair of the Local Bladder Cancer committee of SWOG, founding and former co-chair of the NCI Bladder Cancer Task Force, and former co-chair of theNCI National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Genitourinary Steering Committee. He co-chaired the Analysis Working Group of The Cancer Genome Atlas Project for muscle invasive bladder cancer and was recently appointed to a 4-year term to the NCI Clinical Trials and Translational Research Advisory Committee. Dr. Lerner is very active in the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) as a member of the Board of Directors, is past chair of the Bladder Cancer Think Tank, and is co-chair of the management committee of the Bladder Cancer Research Network. Dr. Lerner is an active member of the prestigious American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons and is listed routinely among “America’s Top Doctors” and “Best Doctors in America.”

Disclosures:

Dr. Lerner has the following disclosures:
Research Support: Endo International, PLC, FKD Therapies Oy, UroGen, Viventia
Advisory Committee Member: Anchiano Therapeutics, UroGen, QED Therapeutics, Genentech, Ferring
Has Served on Advisory Board: BioCancell, INucleix
Consultant: Anchiano Therapeutics, Vaxxion, UroGen
Honorarium Recipient: Nucleix, Dava Oncology

Talks by Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS

Pelvic Lymphadenectomy and Radical Cystectomy – Current Standard of Care

Posted by Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS | Jul 2024

Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS, reviews the current standard of care for pelvic lymphadenectomy and radical cystectomy in treating bladder cancer. He begins by focusing on the technique and extent of pelvic lymphadenectomy performed in conjunction with radical cystectomy. He illustrates that an extended approach can improve oncologic outcomes, including better cancer-specific survival and overall survival rates, by ensuring more comprehensive removal of potential metastatic sites.

Dr. Lerner then addresses advancements in surgical techniques, including robotic-assisted surgery for radical cystectomy and lymphadenectomy. He discusses the potential benefits of robotic surgery while also considering the challenges and learning curve associated with these technologies.

Dr. Lerner concludes with a review of postoperative management and follow-up care and discusses future directions and ongoing research. He emphasizes the need for continued investigation into optimizing surgical techniques, enhancing patient outcomes, and integrating new therapeutic modalities with surgery.

Prioritizing the Optimal Therapy for T1 Bladder Cancer: Using the Old and the New to Determine What to Do

Posted by Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS | Apr 2023

Seth P. Lerner, MD, discusses the optimal therapy for T1 high-grade (T1HG) bladder cancer and considers the future of treatment.

The Contribution of SWOG to Bladder Cancer Clinical Trials

Posted by Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS | Mar 2023

Seth P. Lerner, MD, provides a comprehensive history of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and SWOG ’s innovation in bladder cancer over the past three decades.

Risk-Adapted TURBT

Posted by Seth P. Lerner, MD, FACS | Feb 2023

In this 20-minute video, Seth P. Lerner, MD, Professor of Urology and Vice-chair for Faculty Affairs in the Scott Department of Urology, and Director of Urologic Oncology and the Multidisciplinary Bladder Cancer Program at Baylor University, discusses risk-adapted transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). He assesses TURBT’s role in staging and treatment and considers its use in bladder preservation.