As a genitourinary medical oncologist at Johns Hopkins, Jean Hoffman-Censits, MD, Associate Professor of Oncology and Urology, focuses on urothelial cancers of the bladder and upper tract, particularly women’s bladder cancer, which is often more aggressive than in men. In addition to a busy clinical schedule, Hoffman-Censits is immersed in research and has published 74 original research journal articles, along with numerous book chapters, article reviews, and other media.

“I trace my career interests back to my Fox Chase hematology and oncology fellowship (2006-2009),” says Hoffman-Censits. “From day one, I was encouraged to take ownership of caring for my patients and enjoyed collaborating with surgeons and radiation oncologists—a hallmark of Fox Chase care.”

“A watershed moment during Fellowship was working with Betsy Plimack, MD, now Fox Chase Cancer Center's Senior Deputy Director. Dr. Plimack was, and is, the ultimate clinical trialist. From her, I learned to articulate unmet needs in urothelial cancers and how to write, conduct, and manage complex clinical trials, especially for clinical outliers—cancers without textbook presentations or current therapeutic solutions.”

I was fortunate to work with Dr. Plimack on her landmark study, which established biomarker associations with preoperative bladder cancer chemotherapy outcomes. This discovery was the basis for three new national trials (link to study).”

“Recently, I participated in a practice-changing phase III international study of a new FDA-approved chemotherapy combination that nearly doubled overall survival in untreated advanced urothelial cancer, as compared to a prior standard chemo regimen (Link to N Engl J Med. 2024). Results that could transform the way we treat many urothelial cancers.”

“Early in my Fox Chase training, I knew this was what I was meant to do, and the same holds today. I feel grateful to spend each day working on new treatments to cure bladder and upper tract cancers.”