NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (March 28, 2025) – Genitourinary (GU) cancers are on the rise, but there are not enough specialists in the United States to treat these potentially fatal diseases, according to the first-ever study of the situation published this month in the journal Urology.
Incidents of GU cancers – cancers of the prostate, bladder, penis and kidneys – are increasing by as much as 3% each year. Meanwhile, GU oncologists make up less than 4% of the total medical oncology workforce, with nearly 90% working in university settings. In seven states – Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maine and Wyoming – there are no GU oncologists at all.
This concerning gap could have significant implications for people who are unable to get the care they need.
“We are seeing both an under-representation in this area of oncology and an increase in incidents and deaths,” said David J. Benjamin, M.D., a GU oncologist at Hoag Family Cancer Institute and lead author of the study. “For instance, there is approximately one genitourinary medical oncologist for every 813,369 individuals in the West. Seven states have no GU oncologists within state lines. People are simply not able to access the specialized care they need.”
The growing care gap is particularly acute for women and people of color. According to the study, which Dr. Benjamin presented last month at ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, women account for 10.6% of new cases of genitourinary cancers each year, but only 27.5% of the already small GU oncology specialists are women.
Dr. Benjamin said that researching this paper underscored for him the value of Hoag’s unique “privademic” model of care, one that combines the rigor of an academic institution with the compassion and attentive care of a community setting.
Ranked High Performing by U.S. News & World Report, Hoag offers a robust GU oncology program, with highly specialized urologists, GU oncologists and urogynecologists. Hoag is also a recognized national leader in robotic surgeries and other advanced technologies to treat GU cancers. Hoag has been designated as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery (COERS) by the Surgical Review Corporation for eight years, a designation reserved for health care institutions that consistently deliver the safest, highest-quality care in robotics. Also, more than a dozen Hoag surgeons carry the distinction as Robotic Surgeons of Excellence.
“As concerning as our findings are on a national level, it highlights to me how fortunate we are in Orange County,” Dr. Benjamin said. “Hoag is uniquely able to provide the highest level of care in a personalized manner for those who seek care with a GU medical oncologist.”
Learn more about Hoag’s genitourinary cancer program.
ABOUT HOAG
Hoag is a nonprofit, regional health care delivery system in Orange County, California. Delivering world-class, comprehensive, personalized care, Hoag consists of 1,800 top physicians, 17 urgent care facilities, 11 health & wellness centers, and two award-winning hospitals. Hoag offers a comprehensive blend of health care services that includes seven institutes providing specialized services in the following areas: cancer, digestive health, heart and vascular, neurosciences, spine, women’s health, and orthopedics through Hoag’s affiliate, Hoag Orthopedic Institute, which consists of an orthopedic hospital and four ambulatory surgical centers. Hoag is the highest ranked hospital in Orange County by U.S. News & World Report and the only OC hospital ranked in the Top 10 in California, as well as a designated Magnet® with Distinction hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). For more information, visit hoag.org.
