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Guru Sonpavde

MD
Phase I Clinical Trials and GU Oncology Director
AdventHealth Cancer Institute

Guru P. Sonpavde, MD is the Director of Genitourinary (GU) Oncology and Phase I Research as well as the Christopher K. Glanz Chair for Bladder Cancer Research at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. Previously, he was Bladder Cancer Director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2017-2022, and GU Oncology Director and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 2012 to 2017. His focus is drug development across solid tumors with a focus on bladder cancer.

2026 Sessions

General Session

First-Line Strategies in Metastatic Renal Cancer: Doublet Immune Checkpoint Blockade vs Immune Checkpoint Blockade Plus VEGFR TKI

In this debate, faculty will examine clinical trial evidence, efficacy across risk groups, toxicity profiles, and sequencing considerations that inform first-line treatment...

  • Moderator
    • Guru Sonpavde, MD
  • Presenter
    • Stephanie Berg, DO
    • Tian Zhang, MD, MHS
Genitourinary Cancers

Doublet Immune Checkpoint Blockade

In this debate, faculty will examine clinical trial evidence, efficacy across risk groups, toxicity profiles, and sequencing considerations that inform first-line treatment selection in metastatic renal cancer. The discussion will highlight ongoing controversies regarding durability of response versus disease control. Providers will share expert insights on applying these strategies in real-world practice.

Review pivotal clinical trial data, response durability, and survival outcomes associated with dual immunotherapy regimens, and learn approaches to patient selection, toxicity management, and predictors of long-term benefit. Participants will gain insight into the role of doublet immune checkpoint blockade in contemporary metastatic renal cancer care.

Presenter

Saturday, March 14 2:10–2:30 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers

Tian Zhang

MD, MHS
Associate Professor
UT Southwestern Medical Center; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Dr. Zhang received her MD from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program and completed post-graduate training at Duke University, where she remained on faculty until 2021. She is currently Associate Professor and Associate Director of Clinical Research in the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Clinically she specializes in genitourinary malignancies and is a clinical researcher focused on improving novel therapies and biomarkers for patients with renal, prostate, and urothelial cancers. She serves as co-chair of the NCI GU Steering Committee Renal Task Force and participates on national committees for ASCO, SITC, CAHON, and KCA.

Immune Checkpoint Blockade Plus VEGFR TKI

In this debate, faculty will examine clinical trial evidence, efficacy across risk groups, toxicity profiles, and sequencing considerations that inform first-line treatment selection in metastatic renal cancer. The discussion will highlight ongoing controversies regarding durability of response versus disease control. Providers will share expert insights on applying these strategies in real-world practice.

Discussion of key clinical trial data will demonstrate improvements in response rates and progression-free survival with combination approaches. Faculty will address toxicity profiles, patient selection, and practical considerations for managing combination therapy in routine practice, and expand participants’ knowledge of the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors plus VEGFR TKI regimens in the evolving treatment landscape of metastatic renal cancer.

Presenter

Saturday, March 14 2:30–2:50 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers
Faculty

Stephanie Berg

DO
Instructor of Medicine, Senior Physician
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Berg is a genitourinary medical oncologist and Excuetive Officer in the Alliance for Clinical Trials for Oncology in the Genitourinary Committee and Experimental Therapeutics/Rare Tumors Committee. Dr. Berg initially joined Loyola University Chicago in 2018 as junior faculty lead of the Genitourinary Oncology Program with a focus on translational science and clinical trial development for patients with rare urologic cancers. She is currently at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology and instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is also a senior physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her main role at Alliance is design of clinical trials sponsored by Alliance through the National Cancer Instutite National Cinical Trials Network.
General Session

Consolidation After Clinical Complete Response in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Oncologic Necessity vs Outdated Over-treatment

This debate will focus on the optimal timing of cystectomy after achieving a clinical complete response, comparing immediate consolidation with surgery or radiation versus a...

  • Moderator
    • Guru Sonpavde, MD
  • Presenter
    • Arnab Basu, MD
    • Joshua Linscott, MD, PhD
Genitourinary Cancers

Oncologic Necessity

Presenter

Saturday, March 14 4:25–4:45 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 2
Genitourinary Cancers

Joshua Linscott

MD, PhD
Urologic Oncologist
Moffitt Cancer Center

Dr. Linscott received his PhD in Pharmacology from Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City. He received his MD degree at Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Linscott completed a Urology Residency at Maine Medical Center, Portland, followed by Urologic Oncology fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa.

Dr. Linscott specializes in the treatment of patients with early and locally advanced bladder cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer. He is a translational researcher focused on urothelial carcinoma, with a particular interest in the discovery and development of urinary cell-free DNA biomarkers. Dr. Linscott’s research goals include defining patterns of urinary cell-free DNA methylation as predictors of treatment response and disease progression, as well as studying the tumor immune microenvironment in BCG-treated patients using spatial transcriptomics.

Outdated Over-treatment

Presenter

Saturday, March 14 4:45–5:05 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 2
Genitourinary Cancers

Arnab Basu

MD
Senior Associate Consultant
Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center
General Session

Optimizing Immunotherapy Strategies in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Neoadjuvant IO-Containing Systemic Therapy vs Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated...

  • Presenter
    • Rohit Jain, MD
    • Guru Sonpavde, MD
Genitourinary Cancers

Neoadjuvant IO-Containing Systemic Therapy

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

This session will focus on the benefits of neoadjuvant IO-containing systemic therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review clinical trial data demonstrating pathologic response rates, early survival signals, and potential downstaging benefits prior to cystectomy. Participants will learn how neoadjuvant IO-based approaches may improve outcomes.

Presenter

Sunday, March 15 2:10–2:30 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers
Faculty

Rohit Jain

MD
Associate Professor Of Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine

I am a board-certified medical oncologist with training and experience in Genitourinary Oncology. I am actively involved in diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with urothelial carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma and prostate cancer. I also have a strong background in new drug development and designing clinical trials. My focus is in developing clinical trials, translational research and develop prognostic and predictive models in urothelial carcinoma assessing response to novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy regimens. I have been the principal investigator of multiple trials, including investigator-initiated, investigating safety and efficacy of different immune check point inhibitor combinations, targeted therapies, and new investigational compounds.

Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

Examine the benefits of risk-adapted adjuvant IO therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review evidence supporting adjuvant IO for patients at high risk of recurrence following definitive local therapy, addressing biomarker and pathologic features used to guide risk stratification, as well as safety and duration of therapy. Explore how tailoring adjuvant immunotherapy based on individual risk can optimize outcomes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Presenter

Sunday, March 15 2:30–2:50 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers

Guru Sonpavde

MD
Phase I Clinical Trials and GU Oncology Director
AdventHealth Cancer Institute

Guru P. Sonpavde, MD is the Director of Genitourinary (GU) Oncology and Phase I Research as well as the Christopher K. Glanz Chair for Bladder Cancer Research at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. Previously, he was Bladder Cancer Director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2017-2022, and GU Oncology Director and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 2012 to 2017. His focus is drug development across solid tumors with a focus on bladder cancer.

Risk-Adapted Adjuvant IO

Explore the optimization of immunotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer by examining emerging clinical trial data, pathologic response rates, and survival outcomes associated with each strategy. Discussion will address patient selection, timing of immunotherapy, and integration with surgery and systemic treatment. Speakers will provide expert perspectives on applying these evolving strategies in clinical practice.

Examine the benefits of risk-adapted adjuvant IO therapy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Faculty will review evidence supporting adjuvant IO for patients at high risk of recurrence following definitive local therapy, addressing biomarker and pathologic features used to guide risk stratification, as well as safety and duration of therapy. Explore how tailoring adjuvant immunotherapy based on individual risk can optimize outcomes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Presenter

Sunday, March 15 2:30–2:50 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers

Guru Sonpavde

MD
Phase I Clinical Trials and GU Oncology Director
AdventHealth Cancer Institute

Guru P. Sonpavde, MD is the Director of Genitourinary (GU) Oncology and Phase I Research as well as the Christopher K. Glanz Chair for Bladder Cancer Research at the AdventHealth Cancer Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA. Previously, he was Bladder Cancer Director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School from 2017-2022, and GU Oncology Director and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 2012 to 2017. His focus is drug development across solid tumors with a focus on bladder cancer.
General Session

Using Lutetium-PSMA in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Early vs Later Use

This debate will examine the optimal timing of lutetium-PSMA therapy in the management of metastatic prostate cancer with a review of clinical trial evidence, patient selection...

  • Moderator
    • Guru Sonpavde, MD
  • Presenter
    • Atish Choudhury, MD, PhD
    • Che-Kai Tsao, MD, MS
Genitourinary Cancers

Early Use

This debate will examine the optimal timing of lutetium-PSMA therapy in the management of metastatic prostate cancer with a review of clinical trial evidence, patient selection criteria, and outcomes associated with different sequencing strategies. The discussion will address potential benefits of earlier intervention versus reserving lutetium-PSMA for more advanced disease stages. Our presenters will provide expert insight into how timing considerations may influence treatment outcomes in metastatic prostate cancer.

Review emerging clinical trial data supporting earlier integration of PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy and its potential impact on disease control and survival outcomes, including discussion of patient selection, sequencing with existing systemic therapies, and safety considerations. Explore the rationale and challenges of moving lutetium-PSMA earlier in the treatment paradigm.

Presenter

Sunday, March 15 2:55–3:15 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers

Che-Kai Tsao

MD, MS
Medical Director, Zuckerberg Cancer Center
Northwell Health

Kai Tsao, MD MS is the System Chief of Solid Tumor, Medical Director of Zuckerberg Cancer Center and Medical Oncology Prostate Cancer Program at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute. He is a disciple of cancer quality and LEAN process improvement, using outcome and metric-driven approach in driving innovative and patient centered care.

He completed medical school at SUNY Downstate, Internal medicine residency at LIJ AECOM, and fellowship Hematology and Medical Oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he served as the chief fellow. He was honored as Mount Sinai Hospital Physician of the year Fellow award in 2012, and recipient of the 2023 TCI Solid Tumor Faculty Teacher of the Year award. He previously served as the medical director of Ruttenberg Treatment Center, Prostate cancer medical oncology program, and Mount sinai international collaborations. He completed a Green belt Lean Six Sigma course at John Hopkins University in 2017. He completed a Masters of Healthcare Delivery Leadership at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2020. Since 2016, he has led several important collaborations on behalf of Mount Sinai international, and has helped several international partners to develop hospitals and international centers of excellence.

To date, he has authored more than 180 peer reviewed publications, abstracts, and text books in the field of genitourinary oncology. His main focus is on development of novel therapies in the treatment of genitourinary cancers. Additionally, his other focus is to define the relationship of clinical and molecular phenotypes in advanced prostate and kidney cancers

Later Use

This debate will examine the optimal timing of lutetium-PSMA therapy in the management of metastatic prostate cancer with a review of clinical trial evidence, patient selection criteria, and outcomes associated with different sequencing strategies. The discussion will address potential benefits of earlier intervention versus reserving lutetium-PSMA for more advanced disease stages. Our presenters will provide expert insight into how timing considerations may influence treatment outcomes in metastatic prostate cancer.

Faculty will provide an overview of evidence supporting the use of lutetium-PSMA after progression on standard systemic therapies, including androgen receptor-targeted agents and chemotherapy. Discussion will address expected efficacy and management of treatment-related toxicities in heavily pretreated populations, leading participants to new perspective on how lutetium-PSMA fits into established sequencing strategies.

Presenter

Sunday, March 15 3:15–3:35 PM
Room Royal Ballroom 3/4
Genitourinary Cancers
Faculty

Atish Choudhury

MD, PhD
Senior Physician
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dr. Atish Choudhury is Senior Physician within the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He received a BA in Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and dual MD/PhD degrees from Columbia University, where he studied the BRCA1 and BARD1 tumor suppressor genes in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Baer. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and medical oncology fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he studied genes responsible for conferring castration resistance in prostate cancer models in the laboratory of Dr. William Hahn and collaborated with the blood biopsy team at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard on genetic profiling from circulating tumor cells and circulating cell-free DNA from prostate cancer patients. Dr. Choudhury currently serves as chair of the Gelb Center for Translational Research and co-director of the Prostate Cancer Center at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. His primary research interests are related to clinical investigation into novel treatments for advanced prostate cancer and accompanying biomarker studies from tissue and blood specimens to understand mediators of response and resistance to therapy.
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