Photo of Associate Professor Veeru Kasivisvanathan

Associate Professor Veeru Kasivisvanathan

Email:

Location:

  • University College Hospital

GMC/GDC number:

7049739

Professional background

Veeru Kasivisvanathan is an associate professor of urology and consultant urologist based at University College London and University College London Hospital, specializing in urological cancers.

His typical clinical practice focuses on prostate cancer diagnostics, robotic pelvic cancer surgery and focal therapy of prostate cancer.

He has extensive urology experience having worked in several internationally leading institutions including University College London Hospital, Guys Hospital London & Imperial College London. He has also worked abroad in different healthcare systems including the world-renowned Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia and has spent time at University Southern California Urology Centre, USA.

He has been recognised for his work with prestigious awards including:

  • European Association of Urology Crystal Matula Award for the top young academic Urologist in Europe
  • British Association of Urological Surgeons John Anderson Award for outstanding contribution to Urology
  • Royal College of Surgeons of England Hunterian Professorship 2021 for outstanding contribution to surgical sciences
  • Medicina Young Investigator Award for groundbreaking contribution to the advancement of Medicine
  • UCL Provost Excellence 2018 Award for exceptional contribution to the University

Specialties

Research interests

He is an international research leader, having contributed to the first major change in 30 years in the way that we diagnose prostate cancer. He is a regularly invited international speaker, has influenced national policy in prostate cancer screening and has contributed to changes in NICE, European and American guidelines for prostate cancer care through high-impact publications in leading medical journals.

His research interests include:

  1. Prostate cancer - this work has focussed on the use of novel imaging techniques to improve the way that cancer is diagnosed and treated (PRECISION, PRIME trial).
  2. Bladder cancer - this work has focussed on optimising the detection of urinary tract cancers (IDENTIFY study) and in optimising the treatment of patients with bladder cancer (RESECT study). Work involves international audit, educational theory and peer-group comparison.
  3. Benign disease - this work includes testicular torsion (FIX-IT study) and stone disease (MIMIC study, STENT study)

Publications

> 12500 citations:

Selection of 5 publications:

  1. MRI-Targeted or Standard Biopsy for Prostate-Cancer Diagnosis. Kasivisvanathan V, Rannikko AS, Borghi M, Panebianco V, Mynderse LA, Vaarala MH, Briganti A, Budäus L, Hellawell G, Hindley RG, Roobol MJ, Eggener S, Ghei M, Villers A, Bladou F, Villeirs GM, Virdi J, Boxler S, Robert G, Singh PB, Venderink W, Hadaschik BA, Ruffion A, Hu JC, Margolis D, Crouzet S, Klotz L, Taneja SS, Pinto P, Gill I, Allen C, Giganti F, Freeman A, Morris S, Punwani S, Williams NR, Brew-Graves C, Deeks J, Takwoingi Y, Emberton M, Moore CM; PRECISION Study Group Collaborators. New England Journal of Medicine. 2018 May 10;378(19):1767-1777. Doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1801993. PMID: 29552975
  2. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on planned cancer surgery for 15 tumour types in 61 countries: an international, prospective, cohort study. COVIDSurg Collaborative. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Oct 5:S1470-2045(21)00493-9. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00493-9. PMID: 34624250
  3. Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19–Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study. COVIDSurg Collaborative. J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(1):66-78. PMID: 33021869
  4. A phase III multi-centre open-label randomized controlled trial of multi-parametric MRI targeted biopsy compared to Systematic TRUS biopsy for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Klotz L, Chin J, Finelli A, P Black, Anidjar M, Patel C, Leventhal M, Ghai S, Chang S, Milot L, Patel C, Kassam Z, Moore C, Kasivisvanathan V, Loblaw A, Kebabdjian M, Earle C, Pond G, Haider MA. JAMA Oncology. 2021 Feb 4:e207589. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.7589. PMID: 33538782
  5. Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Biopsy Versus Systematic Biopsy in the Detection of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Kasivisvanathan V, Stabile A, Neves JB, Giganti F, Valerio M, Shanmugabavan Y, Clement KD, Sarkar D, Philippou Y, Thurtle D, Deeks J, Emberton M, Takwoingi Y, Moore CM. Eur Urol. 2019. Sep;76(3):284-303. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2019.04.043. Epub 2019 May 24. PMID: 31130434