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Part of the Duke Cancer Institute
About Me
Every day, my goal is to take the best surgical care of my patients' kidney or prostate cancer by offering the most up-to-date minimally invasive surgical treatments, while making sure that their experiences and outcomes at Duke Health are top-notch! As we look at the scans together and discuss biopsy results, it is important to me that I spend all of the time that my patients and their families need to clearly understand their diagnosis as well as all treatment options, so that we can make joint decisions about next steps and their treatment plan. Many of my patients are referred from all over the country to seek highly specialized urology care, including nonsurgical focal cryotherapy for prostate cancer, robotic surgery for prostate cancer, or robotic surgical removal of their kidney tumor called a partial nephrectomy, among other treatments, with our multidisciplinary, collaborative team. I always reassure and share my positive outlook with my patients as we navigate the health system together. My patients know that, as their physician, I will be their champion and advise them and guide them through their treatment. We are in this together.
- Lawrence C. Katz Distinguished Professor, Urology 2024
- Professor of Urology, Urology 2011
- Professor in Radiology, Radiology 2023
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Prostate Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Focal Therapy
- Prostate MRI
- Robotic Surgery
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
My research focuses on prostate cancer imaging, focal therapy of prostate cancer, prostate cancer outcomes, kidney cancer outcomes, minimally invasive surgery, and nerve-sparing cryotherapy for prostate cancer.
- Hessian Map- Platelet Proteomic Assay awarded by Hessian Labs, Inc. 2025 - 2030
- VAPOR 2 Study awarded by Francis Medical, Inc. 2023 - 2028
- Polascik, T. J., J. De la Rosette, R. Sanchez-Salas, and A. R. Rastinehad. Imaging and Focal Therapy of Early Prostate Cancer, Third Edition, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66754-1.
- Polascik, T. J. Preface, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-182-0.
- Ahmed, Hashim U., Oguz Akin, Jonathan A. Coleman, Sarah Crane, Mark Emberton, Larry Goldenberg, Hedvig Hricak, et al. “Transatlantic Consensus Group on active surveillance and focal therapy for prostate cancer.” BJU Int 109, no. 11 (June 2012): 1636–47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10633.x.
- Tsivian, Matvey, Charles Y. Kim, Jorge R. Caso, Michael D. Rosenberg, Rendon C. Nelson, and Thomas J. Polascik. “Contrast enhancement on computed tomography after renal cryoablation: an evidence of treatment failure?” J Endourol 26, no. 4 (April 2012): 330–35. https://doi.org/10.1089/end.2011.0337.
- Abern, Michael R., Matvey Tsivian, and Thomas J. Polascik. “Focal therapy of prostate cancer: evidence-based analysis for modern selection criteria.” Curr Urol Rep 13, no. 2 (April 2012): 160–69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-012-0241-5.
- Villers, A., J. Olivier, T. M. Wheeler, D. Seguier, M. Mottaghi, and T. J. Polascik. “Understanding Tumor Biology and Pathology: Cancer Grade, Volume, and Spatial Location: As a Foundation for Focal Therapy.” In Imaging and Focal Therapy of Early Prostate Cancer, Third Edition, 97–102, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66754-1_9.
- Polascik, T. J., J. De la Rosette, R. Sanchez-Salas, and A. R. Rastinehad. “Correction to: Imaging and Focal Therapy of Early Prostate Cancer.” In Imaging and Focal Therapy of Early Prostate Cancer, Third Edition, C1, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66754-1_42.
- Tay, K. J., E. S. Adams, and T. J. Polascik. “Focal Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Guide for Patients.” In Imaging and Focal Therapy of Early Prostate Cancer, Third Edition, 3–14, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-66754-1_1.
- Morris, Kostantinos E., Srinath Kotamarti, Thomas J. Polascik, and Judd W. Moul. “Re-thinking How We Use Prostate Health Index for African American Men.” In Urology, 175:144–50, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2022.12.057.
- Chan, D. Y., S. R. Moavenzadeh, T. J. Polascik, M. L. Palmeri, and K. R. Nightingale. “Screening and Image-Guided Targeted Biopsy of Prostate Cancer Using 3D Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) Imaging.” In IEEE International Ultrasonics Symposium, IUS, Vol. 2022-October, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1109/IUS54386.2022.9957510.
- Shah, Anand, Thomas J. Polascik, Daniel J. George, John Anderson, Terry Hyslop, Alicia M. Ellis, Andrew J. Armstrong, et al. “Implementation and Impact of a Risk-Stratified Prostate Cancer Screening Algorithm as a Clinical Decision Support Tool in a Primary Care Network.” In J Gen Intern Med, 36:92–99, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06124-2.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- Astellas Pharma Inc.
- Ferring Pharmaceuticals
- Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson)
- Merck Sharpe & Dohme (Merck & Co, USA)