About

Michael R Abern is an Associate Professor of Urology at Duke University and a member of the Duke Cancer Institute. He is affiliated with the Duke Department of Urology, located at 40 Duke Medicine Circle, Durham, NC. His professional role involves contributions to urology education, research, and clinical practice, with a focus on urologic oncology. As part of his academic responsibilities, he participates in the Duke Urologic Oncology Fellowship and the Urology Residency Program, supporting the training of future urologists. His work is integrated within Duke's broader efforts in cancer research and urology, emphasizing advancements in understanding and treating urological cancers.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Cell biology
• Cancer research
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Endocrinology
• Surgery

Selected publications

• IP12-09 BCG RESPONSE AND ONCOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN HIGH RISK NON-MUSCLE INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER FOLLOWING PREVIOUSLY TREATED UPPER TRACT UROTHELIAL CARCINOMA: A PROPENSITY-MATCHED ANALYSIS

  The Journal of Urology · 2025-04-08

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• A Comparison of Stockholm3, Serum Biomarkers, and Risk Calculators to Predict Prostate Cancer in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Cohort: Evaluation of the Stockholm3 Multiethnic SEPTA Trial: Erratum

  The Journal of Urology · 2025-07-08

  erratum
  PublisherDOI

• BCG response and oncological outcomes in high risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer following previously treated upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A propensity-matched analysis

  Urologic Oncology Seminars and Original Investigations · 2025-04-22 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: Metachronous bladder recurrences after prior treatment for primary upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) can occur in ∼3% to 50% of patients. Because UTUC demonstrated distinct molecular alterations, bladder recurrences in these patients may be molecularly and phenotypically different compared to primary bladder carcinoma. We aim to study the BCG efficacy in patients with primary high risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (P-NMIBC) and metachronous bladder recurrences after previous nephroureterectomy for UTUC (M-NMIBC). METHODS: We reviewed an IRB-approved prospective uro-oncology database of patients who underwent resection followed by BCG therapy for high grade NMIBC from 2017 to 2021. Clinicopathological parameters, intravesical therapies and the oncological outcomes were analyzed. Patients in the P-NMIBC group were matched to patients in the M-NMIBC cohort (control) via propensity score matching (PSM) to adjust for potential clinicopathological confounders. Nearest-neighbor PSM targeting a 4:1 ratio of study to control subjects was performed using a caliper of 0.2, aiming for an absolute standardized mean difference of <0.1 across key covariates. Secondary outcomes were progression to distant metastasis and overall survival. Logistic and cox regression analyses were performed to elucidate independent variables associated with intravesical recurrences and disease progression. RESULTS: Of the 183 patients diagnosed with NMIBC, 35 patients were identified to have a history of UTUC with radical nephroureterectomy. EAU risk stratification revealed 50 (27.3%) intermediate risk, 107 (58.5%) high risk and 26 (14.2%) very high risk groups. P-NMIBC patients were more likely to have symptomatic presentation (79.7% vs. 23.9%), and a larger mean tumor size (25.7 mm vs. 15.4 mm) than M-NMIBC. The mean follow-up duration for the study was 34.0 months. In the unmatched analysis, M-NMIBC was associated with increased risk of HG intravesical recurrence post BCG compared to P-NMIBC (54.3% vs. 28.4%, P = 0.006, HR 2.14, 95% CI: 1.25-3.65) and increased risk of progression to MIBC (28.6% vs. 4.7%, P = 0.007, HR 4.19, 95% CI: 1.47-11.95). For the propensity-matched analysis, the control group consisted of 35 M-NMIBC matched to 123 P-NMIBC patients for similar demographics, EAU risk score and BCG doses. M-NMIBC again demonstrated a higher HG intravesical recurrence rate (54.3% vs. 22.8%, P = 0.001, HR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.50-4.77), progression to MIBC (28.6% vs. 5.7%, P = 0.022, HR 3.42, 95% CI: 1.20-9.75) and progression to distant metastasis (20.0% vs. 6.5%, P = 0.033, HR 3.02, 95% CI: 1.09-8.35). Overall survival in both groups were not significantly different in both unmatched and matched analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that BCG treatment may be less effective for NMIBC patients with a history of UTUC, with a higher risk of intravesical recurrences and disease progression. This is an important consideration when counselling patients for BCG treatment and overall prognostication.

  PublisherDOI

• Robotic single-port multiquadrant surgery to treat renal tumors and benign abdominal conditions

  Minerva Surgery · 2023-03-22

  article

  BACKGROUND: Multiquadrant procedures are technically more demanding than sequential operations. The new single port (SP) system allows to work in every abdominal quadrant maintaining an adequate triangulation without the need for changes in the port positioning. METHODS: In February 2020, two patients underwent a robotic SP partial nephrectomy for malignancy combined with a cholecystectomy and a left inguinal hernia repair respectively. RESULTS: Both procedures were successfully completed with one robotic docking and without the need for conversion. The operative time was 213 minutes for the right partial nephrectomy (126 min) with cholecystectomy (18 min), and 257 minutes for the left partial nephrectomy (161 min) with inguinal hernia repair (35 min). Estimated blood loss was 200 (150-250) mL, while the total warm ischemia time was 15 minutes for the right partial nephrectomy and 53 minutes for the left partial nephrectomy. There were no intraoperative complications or perioperative transfusions. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the postoperative hospital stay was 1 and 2 days. Both resections had free margins and the median tumor size was 2.5 (1.5-3.5) cm. Histopathology analysis revealed chronic cholecystitis and renal cell carcinomas with free margins and a median tumor size of 2.5 (1.5-3.5) cm. After a mean follow-up of 24 months, no surgical-related complications or recurrence were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The robotic SP approach facilitates the completion of combined surgical procedures in multiple abdominal quadrants through a single 25mm incision.

  PublisherDOI

• Genomic Sequencing Should Not be Part of the Standard of Care for Most Urologic Cancers

  European Urology Focus · 2022-05-01 · 1 citations

  article1st author
  PublisherDOI

• Reconciling Discordance Between Prostate Biopsy Histology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Suspicion – Implementation of a Quality Improvement Protocol of Imaging Re-review and Reverse-fusion Target Analysis

  European Urology Oncology · 2022-07-22 · 7 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Single-Port robot assisted partial nephrectomy: initial experience and technique with the da Vinci Single-Port platform (IDEAL Phase 1)

  Minerva Urology and Nephrology · 2022 · 38 citations

  • Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Internal medicine

  BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RAPN) performed using the da Vinci Single-Port (SP) platform. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted from December 2018 to December 2019 of 14 consecutive patients with localized renal cancer who underwent SP robot-assisted partial nephrectomy at a single institution. The procedures were performed by 2 experienced robotic surgeons, reproducing the steps of the standard multiport robotic approach to partial nephrectomy. A transperitoneal approach was utilized with a 2.5 cm para-rectus incision with one assistant 12 mm laparoscopic port. RESULTS: No conversions to open or laparoscopic surgery occurred and no additional laparoscopic assistant ports were required. The median total operative time was 202 (162-231) minutes and the median total room time was 258 (215-295) minutes. The warm ischemia time averaged 20±8 minutes. 2 patients required angioembolization due to postoperative acute bleeding (Clavien-Dindo Grade 3a complication). Trifecta outcome (<25 min warm ischemia, no perioperative complications and negative margins) was achieved in 79% of patients. In one case, a positive margin was present. The median length of stay was of 1 day (Interquartile Range 1-2) with a median pain score on post-operative day 1 of 3.5 (Interquartile Range 2.4-5); 1/14 (7%) patient needed narcotic use at one week from discharge. At a median follow up of 5.0 (4.0-8.0) months, no patients have had evidence of disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: In this initial cohort, considering the introduction of a new technology, we observed satisfactory outcomes for several key perioperative variables including operative time, warm ischemia time, surgical margins, hospital stay, pain requirements in patients undergoing RAPN with the SP platform. For experienced robotic surgeons, RAPN with the SP platform is a safe and feasible approach for single site partial nephrectomy.

  PublisherDOI

• Advanced chronic kidney disease; A comparison between nephroureterectomy and nephron-sparing surgery for upper tract urothelial carcinoma

  Urologic Oncology Seminars and Original Investigations · 2022-12-14 · 9 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Vitamin D sufficiency enhances differentiation of patient-derived prostate epithelial organoids

  iScience · 2021 · 39 citations

  • Biology
  • Endocrinology
  • Cell biology

  [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101974.].

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Vitamin D sufficiency enhances differentiation of patient-derived prostate epithelial organoids

  iScience · 2021-06-01 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  (iScience 24, 101974-1–101974-17; January 22, 2021) In the originally published article, the x axis in Figure 4G was mislabeled during the preparation of the revised manuscript. The x axis should have been “- - ++” for each patient, not “- + - +”. This has now been corrected. The authors apologize to the readers for any confusion caused.Figure 4. 1,25D inhibits Dickkopf family member 3 (DKK3) (Original)View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT) Vitamin D sufficiency enhances differentiation of patient-derived prostate epithelial organoidsMcCray et al.iScienceDecember 21, 2020In BriefCell Biology; Developmental Biology; Transcriptomics Full-Text PDF Open Access

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Thomas J. Polascik

  Duke Medical Center

  27 shared

• Matvey Tsivian

  Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

  23 shared

• Stephen J. Freedland

  Durham VA Medical Center

  15 shared

• Brant A. Inman

  Western University

  14 shared

• Emma H. Allott

  10 shared

• Richmond Owusu

  10 shared

• Rajan T. Gupta

  9 shared

• Jiaoti Huang

  Duke University

  9 shared