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Director, Surgical Quality, Department of Urology
Professor of Urology
Penile Cancer, Ureteral Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Testicular Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Urethral Cancer, Adrenal Tumor
I am a urologic oncologist specializing in the surgical management of tumors of the kidney, bladder, prostate, adrenal, testis and other genitourinary organs. As part of the multi-disciplinary Genitourinary Cancer Patient Care Team, I work closely with my colleagues in Medical and Radiation Oncology to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that offers the best chance for cure for each patient.
The mission at the Fox Chase Cancer Center is to deliver world class oncologic care in the most compassionate and respectful way possible. A cancer diagnosis brings fear and uncertainty for patients and their families, and my personal philosophy is to treat patients how I would wish for my family members to be treated. Patient education is essential, and I consider it of utmost importance to take the time necessary for patients to understand and feel comfortable with all possible treatment options to inspire confident decision making.
I have expertise in open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical techniques, which allows me to tailor a specific treatment plan based on individual patient need and preferences. I have particular expertise in minimally invasive organ preserving and reconstructive techniques to preserve function and quality of life, including nerve-sparing prostatectomy for patients with prostate cancer and partial nephrectomy for patients with kidney cancer. I have experience performing both robotic and open cystectomy for patients with bladder cancer, and prefer to construct continent urinary diversions whenever possible. I have a clinical interest in the surgical management of patients with high risk and advanced disease, and have experience performing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection following chemotherapy in patients with testicular cancer, cytoreductive nephrectomy and thrombectomy for patients with metastatic kidney cancer or tumors extending into the vena cava, and salvage surgery following radiation for patients with bladder or prostate cancer.
Follow on Twitter: @FCUroOnc
Kutikov, A., Egleston, B.L., Canter, D., Smaldone, M.C., Wong, Y.N., Uzzo, R.G. (2012). Competing risks of death in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma: a comorbidity based model. J Urol, 188(6): 2077-83. PubMed
Smaldone, M.C., Simhan, J., Kutikov, A., Canter, D.J., Starkey, R., Zhu, F., Nielsen, M.E., Stitzenberg, K.B., Greenberg, R.E., Uzzo, R.G. (2013) Trends in regionalization of radical cystectomy in three large northeastern states from 1996 to 2009. Urol Oncol, 31(8): 1663-9. PubMed
Tomaszewski, J.J., Uzzo, R.G., Handorf, E.A., Bekelman, J.E., Corcoran, A.T., Kutikov, A., Mehrazin, R., Smaldone, M.C. (2014) Care transitions between hospitals are associated with treatment delays for patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. J Urol, 192(5): 1349-54. PubMed
Kim, S.P, Gross, C.P., Nguyen, P.L., Smaldone, M.C., Shah, N.D., Karnes, R.J., Thompson, R.H., Hand, L.C., Yu, J.B., Trinh, Q.D., Ziegenfuss, J.Y., Sun, M., Tilburt, J.C. (2014) Perceptions of active surveillance and treatment recommendations for low-risk prostate cancer: Results from a national survey of radiation oncologists and urologists. Med Care, 52(7):579-85. PubMed
Martin, J.M., Handorf, E.A., Kutikov, A., Uzzo, R.G., Bekelman, J.E., Horwitz, E.M., Smaldone, M.C. (2014) The rise and fall of prostate brachytherapy: Use of brachytherapy in the treatment of localized prostate cancer in the National Cancer Database. Cancer, 120(14):2114-21. PubMed
Corcoran, A.T., Handorf, E, Canter, D, Tomaszewski, J.J., Bekelman, J.E., Kim, S.P., Uzzo, R.G., Kutikov. A, Smaldone, M.C. (2015) Variation in performance of candidate surgical quality measures for muscle invasive bladder cancer by hospital type. BJU Int, 115(2):230-7. PubMed
Wang, E.H., Gross, C.P., Tilburt, J.C., Yu, J.B., Nguyen, P.L., Smaldone, M.C., Shah, N.D., Abouassally, R., Sun, M., Kim, S.P. Shared decision making and use of decision AIDS for localized prostate cancer: perceptions from radiation oncologists and urologists. (2015) JAMA Intern Med, 175(5):792-9. PubMed Collapse
The following ratings and reviews are based on verified feedback collected from independently administered patient experience surveys. The ratings and comments submitted by patients reflect their own views and opinions. Patient identities are withheld to ensure confidentiality and privacy. Learn more about our Patient Experience Ratings.
Patient comments
I could not be happier with the care I am receiving from Dr. Smaldone and his entire office! While I hate why I am there (prostate cancer) I truly believe that I am in the best possible place to deal with these challenges and again, I could not be happier with the care I am receiving from this team! [...] I never call the office. I just use the health portal. It works great. It looks like the portal messages are screened by someone who really knows what they are doing. If it is an issue that Dr. Smaldone needs to chime in on, he responds in a very timely manner. If it is something that Dr. Smaldone doesn't really need to respond to directly, I always receive a timely response, and the response is always complete and accurate. For me, this is actually much better than calling the office. [...]
Doctor Smaldone was very respectful and professional. He took the time to go over all my options before my surgery. Once I agreed to surgery he did a great job. He assured me my ability to reach him at any time. His staff was also respectful and professional, Everyone that I encountered at Fox Chase treated me like a person not just a patient. I already recommended a family member. He had a consultation appointment with Dr. Smaldone last week.
Dr. Smaldone is the best of best not only as Doctor but as a human being who cares about his patients.
Everyone on Dr. Smaldone's team was very professional well knowledgeable and very concerned about my wellbeing. Everyone ROCK. Me and my family Thank you all very much.
Grateful to Marc Smaldone and team for the care I'm receiving.