USA Health adds fellowship-trained urologic oncologist
Tarek I. Lawen, M.D., MSc, will treat prostate, kidney, ureter, bladder, testicular and penile cancer. He will also evaluate adrenal masses and other complex urologic tumors when surgical management is needed.
By Carol McPhail
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Tarek I. Lawen, M.D., MSc, has joined USA Health as a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist with specialized expertise in robotic and minimally invasive cancer surgery and the treatment of cancers involving the urinary system and male reproductive organs.
“I was drawn to urologic oncology because it combines several things I love about medicine,” Lawen said. “You develop long-term relationships with patients, help them navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and often have the opportunity to treat or even cure their cancer through surgery.”
As part of the academic health system for the University of South Alabama, Lawen will join the faculty as an assistant professor of urology at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Lawen to USA Health,” said Christopher E. Keel, D.O., FACS, chair of the Department of Urology. “His expertise in urologic oncology and robotic surgery will strengthen our team and expand access to advanced cancer care for patients throughout the region. We look forward to the contributions he will make to our patients and our department.”
His role will complement the department’s existing expertise while expanding access to advanced robotic surgery and specialized cancer care. The Mitchell Cancer Institute will be an important part of Lawen’s multidisciplinary approach to care. He will work closely with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other specialists to develop individualized treatment plans for patients.
“Cancer treatment is rarely the work of one physician,” Lawen said. “I collaborate closely with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and the broader cancer care team to review each patient’s case and develop an individualized plan.”
Lawen will treat prostate, kidney, ureter, bladder, testicular and penile cancer. He will also evaluate adrenal masses and other complex urologic tumors when surgical management is needed.
He is particularly interested in helping patients prepare physically for cancer treatment through exercise, nutrition, and overall health optimization. He tells his patients that recovery begins well before surgery and continues long after the procedure.
“Surgery should not be viewed as a single day,” he said. “It is a process, and the better prepared patients are going into it, the better positioned they may be to recover afterward.”
Lawen completed his undergraduate studies in anatomy and physiology at McGill University in Montreal, followed by a master’s degree in physiology and biophysics, and a medical degree and urology residency at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He completed fellowship training in urologic oncology at MD Anderson in Houston. He holds Royal College Examination credentials in Surgical Foundations and Urology.
Lawen said he aims to treat patients’ cancer while also preserving their quality of life and helping them understand and participate in decisions about their care.
“Ultimately, I want patients to receive the same thoughtful, advanced and compassionate cancer care here in Mobile that they would expect from any major cancer center in the country,” he said.
