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Alejandro Sanchez
( out of 212 reviews )

Alejandro Sanchez, MD

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

Clinical Locations

Huntsman Cancer Institute - Cancer Hospital South

Clinic 2B, Urology
Salt Lake City
801-587-4381
  • Clinical Information

    Dr. Alejandro Sanchez is a native of Cali, Colombia. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Urology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and a Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator. Dr. Sanchez specializes in the surgical care of patients with urologic cancers using open, laparoscopic, robotic and endoscopic techniques. His practice at the Huntsman Cancer Institute primarily focuses on the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with prostate, bladder, kidney, testicular, adrenal, urethral and penile cancers.

    Academic Information

    Dr. Sanchez received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Biochemistry. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his urologic surgery training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Sanchez then completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he received a Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Urologic Oncology to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the association of sarcopenia (low skeletal muscle mass) and poor oncologic outcomes in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. During his fellowship, Dr. Sanchez also received the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Basic Science.

    As an Assistant Professor in the Division of Urology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Dr. Sanchez’s research efforts are primarily focused on clinical trial development and translational research.

    Patient Rating

    4.9 /5
    ( out of 212 reviews )

    The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

    The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety.
    Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    August 24, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    Very respectful and dont beat around the bush

    August 17, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    I find him to be very knowledgeable and caring Doctor. I have all the faith in the world in him.

    August 17, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    Good explanation of what is going to happen.

    August 17, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    Warm and genuine. Knowledgeable. Put us at ease

    August 11, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    Hilliary the PA performed the procedure and she was excellent along with Monica

    August 05, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    It was a pleasure to see and visit with Dr. Sanchez. He's such a nice fella. He gave me a thorough looking over and was pleased with my progress.

    August 03, 2023
    SUGAR HOUSE HEALTH CENTER

    Dr. Sanchez is an excellent Doctor. I am confident in his care and opinions.

    July 24, 2023
    HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

    Thanks for the way explaining thinks

    July 24, 2023
    HUNTSMAN CANCER CENTER

    He was very knowledgeable and had a good bedside manner.

  • Clinical Information

    Dr. Alejandro Sanchez is a native of Cali, Colombia. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Urology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and a Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator. Dr. Sanchez specializes in the surgical care of patients with urologic cancers using open, laparoscopic, robotic and endoscopic techniques. His practice at the Huntsman Cancer Institute primarily focuses on the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with prostate, bladder, kidney, testicular, adrenal, urethral and penile cancers.

    Academic Information

    Dr. Sanchez received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida where he graduated Summa Cum Laude in Biochemistry. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed his urologic surgery training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Sanchez then completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he received a Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Urologic Oncology to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the association of sarcopenia (low skeletal muscle mass) and poor oncologic outcomes in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. During his fellowship, Dr. Sanchez also received the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Basic Science.

    As an Assistant Professor in the Division of Urology at the University of Utah School of Medicine and Huntsman Cancer Institute, Dr. Sanchez’s research efforts are primarily focused on clinical trial development and translational research.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Surgery -Primary
    Academic Divisions Urology

    Education history

    Certification Clinical Research Methodology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Certificate
    Urologic Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Fellow
    Postdoctoral Training Epidemiology - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Visiting Scientist
    Urologic Surgery - Massachusetts General Hospital Resident
    Internship General Surgery - Massachusetts General Hospital Intern
    Medicine - Harvard Medical School M.D.
    Undergraduate Biochemistry and Microbiology - University of Florida B.S.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Hu S, Chang CP, Snyder J, Deshmukh V, Newman M, Date A, Galvao C, Haaland B, Porucznik CA, Gren LH, Sanchez A, Lloyd S, ONeil B, Hashibe M (2023). Mental health outcomes in a population-based cohort of patients with prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. (Read full article)
    2. Brown SM, Barkauskas CE, Grund B, Sharma S, Phillips AN, Leither L, Peltan ID, Lanspa M, Gilstrap DL, Mourad A, Lane K, Beitler JR, Serra AL, Garcia I, Almasri E, Fayed M, Hubel K, Harris ES, Middleton EA, Barrios MAG, Mathews KS, Goel NN, Acquah S, Mosier J, Hypes C, Salvagio Campbell E, Khan A, Hough CL, Wilson JG, Levitt JE, Duggal A, Dugar S, Goodwin AJ, Terry C, Chen P, Torbati S, Iyer N, Sandkovsky US, Johnson NJ, Robinson BRH, Matthay MA, Aggarwal NR, Douglas IS, Casey JD, Hache-Marliere M, Georges Youssef J, Nkemdirim W, Leshnower B, Awan O, Pannu S, OMahony DS, Manian P, Awori Hayanga JW, Wortmann GW, Tomazini BM, Miller RF, Jensen JU, Murray DD, Bickell NA, Zatakia J, Burris S, Higgs ES, Natarajan V, Dewar RL, Schechner A, Kang N, Arenas-Pinto A, Hudson F, Ginde AA, Self WH, Rogers AJ, Oldmixon CF, Morin H, Sanchez A, Weintrob AC, Cavalcanti AB, Davis-Karim A, Engen N, Denning E, Taylor Thompson B, Gelijns AC, Kan V, Davey VJ, Lundgren JD, Babiker AG, Neaton JD, Lane HC, ACTIV-3bTherapeutics for Severely Ill Inpatients with COVID-19 TESICO Study Group (2023). Intravenous aviptadil and remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19-associated hypoxaemic respiratory failure in the USA (TESICO): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Respir Med, 11(9), 791-803. (Read full article)
    3. Michalek IM, Graff RE, Sanchez A, Choueiri TK, Cho E, Preston MA, Wilson KM (2023). Evaluation of statin use and renal cell carcinoma risk identifies sex-specific associations with RCC subtypes. Acta Oncol, 62(9), 988-993. (Read full article)
    4. Hu S, Chang CP, Snyder J, Deshmukh V, Newman M, Date A, Galvao C, Porucznik CA, Gren LH, Sanchez A, Lloyd S, Haaland B, ONeil B, Hashibe M (2023). Comparing Active Surveillance and Watchful Waiting With Radical Treatment Using Machine Learning Models Among Patients With Prostate Cancer. JCO Clin Cancer Inform, 7, e2300083. (Read full article)
    5. Moses KA, Sprenkle PC, Bahler C, Box G, Carlsson SV, Catalona WJ, Dahl DM, DallEra M, Davis JW, Drake BF, Epstein JI, Etzioni RB, Farrington TA, Garraway IP, Jarrard D, Kauffman E, Kaye D, Kibel AS, LaGrange CA, Maroni P, Ponsky L, Reys B, Salami SS, Sanchez A, Seibert TM, Shaneyfelt TM, Smaldone MC, Sonn G, Tyson MD, Vapiwala N, Wake R, Washington S, Yu A, Yuh B, Berardi RA, Freedman-Cass DA (2023). NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Prostate Cancer Early Detection, Version 1.2023. J Natl Compr Canc Netw, 21(3), 236-246. (Read full article)
    6. Ged Y, Sanchez A, Patil S, Knezevic A, Stein E, Petruzella S, Weiss K, Duzgol C, Chaim J, Akin O, Mourtzakis M, Paris MT, Scott J, Kuo F, Kotecha R, Hakimi AA, Lee CH, Motzer RJ, Voss MH, Furberg H (2022). Associations between Pretreatment Body Composition Features and Clinical Outcomes among Patients with Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Immune Checkpoint Blockade. Clin Cancer Res, 28(23), 5180-5189. (Read full article)
    7. Mano R, Hoeh B, DiNatale RG, Sanchez A, Benfante NE, Reznik E, Leitao MM, Shoushtari AN, Goh A, Donat SM, Herr HW, Bochner BH, Dalbagni G, Donahue TF (2022). Urethral Melanoma - Clinical, Pathological and Molecular Characteristics. Bladder Cancer, 8(3), 291-301. (Read full article)
    8. Graff RE, Wilson KM, Sanchez A, Chang SL, McDermott DF, Choueiri TK, Cho E, Signoretti S, Giovannucci EL, Preston MA (2022). Obesity in Relation to Renal Cell Carcinoma Incidence and Survival in Three Prospective Studies. Eur Urol. (Read full article)
    9. Hutten R, Khouri A, Parsons M, Tward A, Wilson T, Peterson J, Morrell G, Dechet C, ONeil B, Schmidt B, Kokeny K, Lloyd S, Cannon D, Tward J, Sanchez A, Johnson S (2022). The Clinical Significance of Maximum Tumor Diameter on MRI in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy or Definitive Radiotherapy for Locoregional Prostate Cancer. Clin Genitourin Cancer, 20(6), e453-e459. (Read full article)
    10. Kaufman CS, Sanchez A, Ayyagari R (2021). Image-Guided Targeted Prostate Biopsies. Tech Vasc Interv Radiol, 24(4), 100777. (Read full article)
    11. Mano R, Duzgol C, Ganat M, Goldman DA, Blum KA, Silagy AW, Walasek A, Sanchez A, DiNatale RG, Marcon J, Kashan M, Becerra MF, Benfante NE, Coleman JA, Kattan MW, Russo P, Akin O, Ostrovnaya I, Hakimi AA (2021). Somatic mutations as preoperative predictors of metastases in patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma - An exploratory analysis. Urol Oncol, 39, 791.e17-791.e24. (Read full article)
    12. Hutten RJ, Parsons MW, Weil CR, Tward JD, Lloyd S, Sanchez A, Lester-Coll N, Johnson SB (2021). Temporal Trends and Predictors in Diagnosing Pathologic Node-Positive Prostate Cancer in Clinically Node-Negative Patients. Clin Genitourin Cancer, 19(6), e360-e366. (Read full article)
    13. Sanchez A, Agarwal N (2021). Quantifying the Costs of Care Among Patients With High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Treated in the Veterans Health Administration. JAMA Netw Open, 4(3), e213816. (Read full article)
    14. Sanchez A, Furberg H (2020). Understanding the obesity paradox in cancer: looking to body composition and tumor-specific biology to understand this complex association. Am J Clin Nutr. (Read full article)
    15. Mano R, Duzgol C, Ganat M, Goldman DA, Blum KA, Silagy AW, Walasek A, Sanchez A, DiNatale RG, Marcon J, Kashan M, Becerra MF, Benfante N, Coleman JA, Kattan MW, Russo P, Akin O, Ostrovnaya I, Hakimi AA (2020). Preoperative nomogram predicting 12-year probability of metastatic renal cancer - evaluation in a contemporary cohort. Urol Oncol, 38(11), 853.e1-853.e7. (Read full article)
    16. Sanchez A, Kissel S, Coletta A, Scott J, Furberg H (2020). Impact of body size and body composition on bladder cancer outcomes: Risk stratification and opportunity for novel interventions. Urol Oncol, 38(9), 713-718. (Read full article)
    17. Kissel S, Sanchez A (2020). Editorial Comment. J Urol, 204(3), 569. (Read full article)
    18. Sanchez A, Furberg H, Kuo F, Vuong L, Ged Y, Patil S, Ostrovnaya I, Petruzella S, Reising A, Patel P, Mano R, Coleman J, Russo P, Liu CH, Dannenberg AJ, Chan TA, Motzer R, Voss MH, Hakimi AA (2019). Transcriptomic signatures related to the obesity paradox in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a cohort study. Lancet Oncol, 21(2), 283-293. (Read full article)
    19. Mano R, Flynn J, Blum KA, Silagy AW, DiNatale RG, Marcon J, Wang A, Sanchez A, Coleman JA, Russo P, Ostrovnaya I, Hakimi AA (2019). The predictive role of preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. Urol Oncol, 37(12), 916-923. (Read full article)
    20. DiNatale RG, Xie W, Becerra MF, Silagy AW, Attalla K, Sanchez A, Mano R, Marcon J, Blum KA, Benfante NE, Voss MH, Motzer RJ, Coleman J, Choueiri TK, Reznik E, Russo P, Heng DYC, Hakimi AA (2019). The Association Between Small Primary Tumor Size and Prognosis in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Insights from Two Independent Cohorts of Patients Who Underwent Cytoreductive Nephrectomy. Eur Urol Oncol. (Read full article)
    21. Silagy AW, Sanchez A, Manley BJ, Bensalah K, Bex A, Karam JA, Ljungberg B, Shuch B, Hakimi AA (2019). Harnessing the Genomic Landscape of the Small Renal Mass to Guide Clinical Management. Eur Urol Focus, 5(6), 949-957. (Read full article)
    22. Silagy AW, Flynn J, Mano R, Blum KA, Marcon J, DiNatale RG, Sanchez A, Carlo MI, Motzer RJ, Coleman JA, Russo P, Ostrovnaya I, Chen YB, Hakimi AA (2019). Clinicopathologic features associated with survival after cytoreductive nephrectomy for nonclear cell renal cell carcinoma. Urol Oncol, 37(11), 811.e9-811.e16. (Read full article)
    23. Gupta S, Argani P, Jungbluth AA, Chen YB, Tickoo SK, Fine SW, Gopalan A, Al-Ahmadie HA, Sirintrapun SJ, Sanchez A, Hakimi AA, Mcfarlane T, Salazar PA, Williamson SR, Skala SL, Mehra R, Hes O, Antonescu CR, Ladanyi M, Arcila ME, Reuter VE (2020). TFEB Expression Profiling in Renal Cell Carcinomas: Clinicopathologic Correlations. Am J Surg Pathol, 43(11), 1445-1461. (Read full article)
    24. DiNatale RG, Sanchez A, Hakimi AA, Reznik E (2019). Metabolomics informs common patterns of molecular dysfunction across histologies of renal cell carcinoma. Urol Oncol. (Read full article)
    25. Hakimi AA, Voss MH, Kuo F, Sanchez A, Liu M, Nixon B, Vuong L, Ostrovnaya I, Chen YB, Reuter VE, Riaz N, Cheng Y, Patel P, Marker M, Reising A, Li M, Chan TA, Motzer RJ (2019). Genomic and transcriptomic predictors of tyrosine kinase inhibitor response in the COMPARZ phase III trial. Cancer Discov, 9(4), 510-25.
    26. Hakimi AA, Voss MH, Kuo F, Sanchez A, Liu M, Nixon BG, Vuong L, Ostrovnaya I, Chen YB, Reuter V, Riaz N, Cheng Y, Patel P, Marker M, Reising A, Li MO, Chan TA, Motzer RJ (2019). Transcriptomic Profiling of the Tumor Microenvironment Reveals Distinct Subgroups of Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer: Data from a Randomized Phase III Trial. Cancer Discov, 9(4), 510-525. (Read full article)
    27. Sanchez A, Feldman AS, Hakimi AA (2018). Current Management of Small Renal Masses, Including Patient Selection, Renal Tumor Biopsy, Active Surveillance, and Thermal Ablation. J Clin Oncol, 36(36), 3591-3600. (Read full article)
    28. Kashan M, Ghanaat M, Htker AM, Duzgol C, Sanchez A, DiNatale RG, Blum KA, Becerra MF, Manley BJ, Casuscelli J, Chiok M, Coleman JA, Russo P, Tickoo SK, Akin O, Hakimi AA (2018). Cystic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Report on Outcomes of Surgery and Active Surveillance in Patients Retrospectively Identified on Pretreatment Imaging. J Urol, 200(2), 275-282. (Read full article)
    29. Graff RE, Cho E, Preston MA, Sanchez A, Mucci LA, Wilson KM (2018). Dietary Acrylamide Intake and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in Two Large Prospective Cohorts. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 27(8), 979-982. (Read full article)
    30. Graff RE, Sanchez A, Tobias DK, Rodrguez D, Barrisford GW, Blute ML, Li Y, Sun Q, Preston MA, Wilson KM, Cho E (2018). Type 2 Diabetes in Relation to the Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma Among Men and Women in Two Large Prospective Cohort Studies. Diabetes Care, 41(7), 1432-1437. (Read full article)
    31. Mendonca SJ, Sanchez A, Blum KA, Ghanaat M, Kashan MY, Benfante N, Russo P, Coleman JA, Crago AM, Hakimi AA (2018). The association of renal cell carcinoma with gastrointestinal stromal tumors. J Surg Oncol, 117(8), 1716-1720. (Read full article)
    32. Sanchez A, Wszolek MF, Niemierko A, Clayman RH, Drumm M, Rodrguez D, Feldman AS, Dahl DM, Heney NM, Shipley WU, Zietman AL, Efstathiou JA (2018). Incidence, Clinicopathological Risk Factors, Management and Outcomes of Nonmuscle Invasive Recurrence after Complete Response to Trimodality Therapy for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. J Urol, 199(2), 407-415. (Read full article)
    33. Graff RE, Sanchez A, Tobias DK, Rodrguez D, Barrisford GW, Blute ML, Li Y, Sun Q, Preston MA, Wilson KM, Cho E (2018). The association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and fatal RCC in two prospective cohorts. Diabetes Care.
    34. Feldman AS, Meyer CP, Sanchez A, Krasnova A, Reznor G, Menon M, Kibel AS, Choueiri TK, Lipsitz SR, Sun M, Trinh QD (2017). Morbidity and Mortality of Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Population Based Analysis Comparing Radical Prostatectomy versus External Beam Radiation. J Urol, 198(5), 1061-1068. (Read full article)
    35. Sanchez A, Schoenfeld JD, Nguyen PL, Fiorentino M, Chowdhury D, Stampfer MJ, Sesso HD, Giovannucci E, Mucci LA, Shui IM (2016). Common variation in BRCA1 may have a role in progression to lethal prostate cancer after radiation treatment. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis, 19(2), 197-201. (Read full article)
    36. Sanchez A, Rodriguez D, Allard CB, Bechis SK, Sullivan RJ, Boeke CE, Kuppermann D, Cheng JS, Barrisford GW, Preston MA, Feldman AS (2016). Primary genitourinary melanoma: Epidemiology and disease-specific survival in a large population-based cohort. Urol Oncol, 34(4), 166.e7-14. (Read full article)
    37. Hanske J, Sanchez A, Schmid M, Meyer CP, Abdollah F, Roghmann F, Feldman AS, Kibel AS, Sammon JD, Noldus J, Trinh QD, Eswara JR (2015). Comparison of 30-day perioperative outcomes in adults undergoing open versus minimally invasive pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction: analysis of 593 patients in a prospective national database. World J Urol, 33(12), 2107-13. (Read full article)
    38. Kreydin EI, Kim MM, Barrisford GW, Rodriguez D, Sanchez A, Santiago-Lastra Y, Ko DS (2015). Urinary Lignans Are Associated With Decreased Incontinence in Postmenopausal Women. Urology, 86(4), 716-20. (Read full article)
    39. Hanske J, Sanchez A, Schmid M, Meyer CP, Abdollah F, Feldman AS, Kibel AS, Sammon JD, Menon M, Eswara JR, Noldus J, Trinh QD (2015). A Comparison of 30-Day Perioperative Outcomes in Open Versus Minimally Invasive Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Analysis of 896 Patients from the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database. J Endourol, 29(9), 1052-8. (Read full article)
    40. Sanchez A, Wszolek MF (2015). Bladder cancer: Quality of life in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Nat Rev Urol, 12(4), 186-8. (Read full article)
    41. Rodrguez D, Barrisford GW, Sanchez A, Preston MA, Kreydin EI, Olumi AF (2014). Primary spermatic cord tumors: disease characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes. Urol Oncol, 32(1), 52.e19-25. (Read full article)
    42. Sanchez A, Eisner BH (2013). Editorial comment. Urology, 82(6), 1318. (Read full article)
    43. Sanchez A, Eisner BH (2013). Re: Visceral fat is correlated with prolonged operative time in laparoscopic single-site adrenalectomy and laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Urology, 82(6), 1318.

    Case Report

    1. Vehawn J, Choudry M, Mahlow J, Agarwal J, Dechet C, Sanchez A (2022). Case of testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumor cancer soft tissue seeding after inguinal orchiectomy. Urol Case Rep, 43, 102120. (Read full article)

    Letter

    1. Mahlow J, Sanchez A, Barry M, Sirohi D (2022). Composite pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma-ganglioneuroma with a germline SDHC mutation: a first of its kind case report. [Letter to the editor]. Histopathology, 81(5), 682-685. (Read full article)
    2. Sanchez A, Furberg H (2020). Obesity Paradox in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Immunotherapy. [Letter to the editor]. JAMA Oncol, 6(6), 940-941. (Read full article)

    Other

    1. Betancourt LH, Gil J, Kim Y, Doma V, akr U, Sanchez A, Murillo JR, Kuras M, Parada IP, Sugihara Y, Appelqvist R, Wieslander E, Welinder C, Velasquez E, de Almeida NP, Woldmar N, Marko-Varga M, Pawowski K, Eriksson J, Szeitz B, Baldetorp B, Ingvar C, Olsson H, Lundgren L, Lindberg H, Oskolas H, Lee B, Berge E, Sjgren M, Eriksson C, Kim D, Kwon HJ, Knudsen B, Rezeli M, Hong R, Horvatovich P, Miliotis T, Nishimura T, Kato H, Steinfelder E, Oppermann M, Miller K, Florindi F, Zhou Q, Domont GB, Pizzatti L, Nogueira FCS, Horvath P, Szadai L, Tmr J, Krpti S, Szsz AM, Malm J, Feny D, Ekedahl H, Nmeth IB, Marko-Varga G (2021). The human melanoma proteome atlas-Defining the molecular pathology. Clin Transl Med (11(7), pp. e473). United States. (Read full article)
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