Keith J. Kowalczyk
MD, MPH
Keith J. Kowalczyk, MD, is a board-certified urologist and robotic surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH). In addition, he is an associate professor in the Department of Urology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Kowalczyk treats patients with a full range of urologic conditions, focusing on kidney, testicular, bladder and prostate cancers. He is one of the few urologic surgeons in the DC metropolitan area with specific expertise and training in the use of urologic robotic surgery for the treatment of urologic cancers.
Dr. Kowalczyk has performed hundreds of procedures using robotic surgery, which allows for more precision in removing tumors and generally results in fewer complications. Thus, Dr. Kowalczyk is able to offer more options and potentially better outcomes for certain high-risk patients, such as obese men requiring prostatectomy and patients with large kidney masses who have been told their kidney requires removal.
Dr. Kowalczyk is actively involved in health services research on cancer treatments, outcomes, and patterns and costs of care, and he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on these topics. His research has been published in European Urology, Urologic Oncology, Radiation Oncology and JAMA Surgery. He frequently presents his research on diagnosis and management of prostate cancer and the role of active surveillance and robotic prostatectomy at meetings of medical professionals and the community.
Dr. Kowalczyk received a Teacher-of-the-Year Award from the Georgetown University/MedStar Washington Hospital Center Urology Residency Program. His other honors include a Resident Teacher Award bestowed by the Department of Urology, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
To keep current with advances in urology and surgical techniques, he maintains memberships in professional societies, including the American College of Surgeons, the American Urological Association, and the Endourological Society. In addition, he serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Oncology, European Urology, Urologic Oncology, Cancer, Medicare and Medicaid Research Review, British Journal of Urology International, Canadian Journal of Urology and BMC Urology.
His medical degree is from the Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he also completed an internship in general surgery. He completed a residency in urology at MGUH and a residency in urologic oncology at the National Institutes of Health. He then completed a fellowship in minimally invasive urologic oncology and health services research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School.
Research Interests
Dr. Kowalczyk’s research interests include the following:
- Urologic oncology
- Management and treatment of cancers of the bladder, prostate and kidney
- Minimally invasive surgical techniques
- Robotic-assisted surgery
- Outcomes and costs of urologic cancer treatment
- Surgical outcomes for locally advanced prostate cancer
Selected Research
Optimal timing of adjuvant radiation therapy following radical prostatectomy for locally advanced prostate cancer
Dr. Kowalczyk and colleagues explored the optimal timing of post-radical prostatectomy adjuvant radiation therapy. This work was published in Urologic Oncology (2014;32:303-8. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2013.09.004).
The burden of skeletal-related events in patients with prostate cancer and bone metastasis
In this observational study, Dr. Kowalczyk and colleagues used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify patients with prostate cancer, bone metastases, and skeletal-related events. Patient characteristics, hospital admissions, charges, and mortality were assessed. The authors concluded that cost-effective prevention and management of skeletal-related events are needed in this population. This work was published in Urologic Oncology (2015;33:17.e9-18. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2014.09.010).
Research Areas
- Health Services/Quality/OutcomesOther MedicalOther Surgical