Onconephrology is a new field dedicated to caring for cancer patients with kidney-related complications. Established in 2018, UH Seidman Cancer Center’s Onconephrology program has led the way in clinical research to help all patients worldwide.

Arash Rashidi, MD
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Program director Arash Rashidi, MD is an executive board member and past president of the American Society of Onconephrology (ASON), which sets national guidelines for kidney care in cancer patients. He has also co-authored multicenter national and international clinical research studies. This includes research related to immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and other cancer treatments.

It has been documented that cancer patients can sustain acute kidney injury (AKI) from conventional chemotherapies and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) – which is only becoming more common. In addition, onconephrologists have noted hypertension among patients taking VEGF inhibitors, among other medications. The emergence of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapies have further necessitated the need for more research. Plus, with cancer patients living longer, many are developing chronic kidney disease, hypertension and electrolyte abnormalities unrelated to their cancer treatment.

The team at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center has a long-standing commitment to research and discovery. University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center is one of the best cancer hospitals in the U.S. for over 20 years by U.S. News & World Report.

UH Seidman Cancer Center is part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine – one of an elite group of 52 such comprehensive cancer hospitals in the U.S. The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has an “Exceptional” rating from the NCI, a rating only seven NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers currently hold.