About Research in the Department of Urology

The Department of Urology at Massachusetts General Hospital is a recognized leader in investigating the causes of prostate and bladder cancer and developing preventative methods, treatments and cures for various urological diseases and disorders, such as bladder dysfunction, Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS).

For patients who do not respond to conventional treatments, our clinical trials can offer a promising (albeit investigative) treatment option.

Urologic diseases and conditions affect people of all ages and can lead to a decrease in quality of life. Non-cancerous urologic diseases affect many individuals:

• More than 15 million people in the U.S. have urinary incontinence
• 14 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from chronic kidney disease
• BPH is common condition in men older than age 50
• IC/PBS affects over three million women above the age of 18 in the US

There has been a rise in the prevalence of urologic cancers, which is estimated at 19.5 percent of cancers globally. Most urologic cancers are kidney, prostate, testicular and bladder cancers, with prostate cancer being the most prevalent. 

There is a significant need for new scientific insights into urologic conditions to inform the advancement of new therapies and earlier diagnosis.

Our studies investigate:

• The molecular basis of urologic tumors, including cancers of the prostate, bladder and kidney
• Basic mechanisms responsible for common urologic diseases
• The causes of urological disorders and diseases in patients
• Protein biomarkers found in the urine of patients with bladder and prostate cancer to develop diagnostic tests
• The differences between therapy-resistant and receptive prostate cancer cells
• The molecular mechanisms of bladder dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes
• Mechanisms responsible for prostate gland growth in BPH
• Inflammatory cascade for better care and treatment of those suffering from IC/PBS