Dr James Thompson is an experienced robotic, laparoscopic, endoscopic and open urological surgeon. He has sub-specialty training in (and passion for) the treatment of prostate, bladder and kidney cancer using the latest robotic surgery techniques and for high-impact cancer research that has the ability to immediately improve quality of life and cancer cure rates for the community.
Urologist, Robotic Surgeon &
Cancer Specialist
A/Prof James Thompson - prostate and bladder cancer specialist and robotic surgeon
Biography
Associate Professor James Thompson BSc (Med) MBBS (Honours 1st class UNSW) FRACS (Urol) PhD (UNSW) IMGSS (RCS Ed) is an experienced robotic, minimally invasive, endoscopic and open urological surgeon.
He has specialty training in all aspects of urology, with particular additional specialist skills and training in (and passion for) the treatment of prostate cancer, bladder cancer and benign bladder and prostate conditions, using the latest robotic and focal therapy techniques.
After commencing medical training in 2000, he completed 18 years of medical and surgical training in Australia and the UK. He is a fully qualified specialist urologist, having completed a 6-year College of Surgeons accredited training program in all aspects of General Urology and Robotic Uro-Oncology across St Vincents, St George and Liverpool Hospitals.
He then completed a post-graduate fellowship in robotic prostate and bladder cancer treatment at University College London Hospital UK in 2017. He was appointed at UCLH as a specialist consultant in robotic bladder and prostate cancer treatment in late 2017.
In late 2018, he accepted an offer to return to Sydney to work across St George Hospital and St Vincents, St George and Hurstville Private Hospitals, as well as College Street Specialists and The Urology Practice.
He offers all cutting edge treatments for prostate cancer including robotic nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, Nanoknife focal ablation therapy, brachytherapy and active surveillance. He also offers all cutting edge treatments for bladder cancer including robotic nerve sparing surgery, neo-bladder formation, intra-vesical BCG/ chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
He chairs the Uro-Oncology Surgical Research program at St George Hospital and is vice-chair of the Uro-Oncology Surgical Research program at St Vincents Clinic and Garvan Institute/ Kinghorn Cancer Centre.
A/Prof Thompson’s leadership & executive roles include:
Conjoint Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW
Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre NSW Exec Committee
ANZUP Australian Prostate & Bladder Cancer Steering Committees
Prostate Cancer Registry NSW Research Group Steering Committee
Senior Research Fellow & Supervisor of PhDs, Masters, Honours & ILPs at Garvan Institute/ Kinghorn Cancer Centre with UNSW
Robotic Surgery Steering Committee, Hurstville Private Hospital
Chief Supervisor, St George Urology JMOs & Pre-SET Registrars
Chief Supervisor in Urology, Phase 2-3 UNSW Faculty of Medicine
Urological Services
General Urology
A/Prof Thompson is a fully qualified urologist caring for men and women with all types of urologic problems including PSA, haematuria, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, penile cancer, urinary symptoms, prostate enlargement and prostatitis, kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, vasectomy, infertility, incontinence, recurring urinary infections and Peyronie’s disease.
Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery has replaced open surgery as the gold standard to cure prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. Benefits include quicker recovery, shorter hospital stay, less blood loss, less pain, less complications, less incontinence and better sexual outcomes.
Read about the benefits of Robotic surgery »
Compare A/Prof Thompson’s latest robotic surgery outcomes to other surgeons
Prostate Cancer
1 in 6 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Most are curable if detected at an early stage by PSA screening combined with MRI, PSMA-PET, genomic tests and trans-perineal image-fusion targeted biopsy. Treatment via robotic surgery, nanoknife focal therapy, radiotherapy, brachytherapy or active surveillance is usually curative if delivered at the right time.
Learn more about Prostate Cancer treatments »
PSA Screening
Prostate cancer is common, affecting 1 in 6 Australian men. It is a silent killer, meaning it doesn’t cause symptoms until it is incurable. Therefore, men should consider screening with a PSA blood test, at least yearly or 2nd yearly from age 50 years. This allows prostate cancer to be detected whilst it is still curable.
Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer can develop in men or women of any age. Most are curable via cystoscopy (like removing a polyp via a camera into the bladder). Sometimes further immunotherapy or chemotherapy into the bladder or occasionally robotic removal of the entire bladder and creation of a new bladder is required to ensure cure.
Blood in the urine
Blood in the urine may be visible to the naked eye or only under the microscope. It requires evaluation by a urologist as it may occur for many reasons such as infection, stones, Inflammation, benign prostate enlargement or occasionally cancers of the kidney, bladder or prostate.
Our Practice
Patients have the choice to consult with A/Prof James Thompson at 5 Locations: St Vincents Darlinghurst, College Street CBD (opp Hyde Park), Miranda, Hurstville and Kogarah.
A/Prof Thompson is a staff specialist at St George Public Hospital. He also sees patients and can admit patients and operate at St Vincents Private Hospital, St George Private Hospital, Kareena Private Hospital, Hurstville Private Hospital and St Luke’s Hospital.
“Dr Thompson was encouraging and compassionate and as a result I had complete confidence in his ability to bring me back to good health. My confidence was not misplaced. Within weeks I was back doing most of my normal activities. I think anyone who has Dr James Thompson as their surgeon is very lucky indeed!!”
— CT patient of Dr Thompson 2019
World First Clinical Trials
A/Prof James Thompson runs a busy clinical practice and is also involved in a number of clinical trials in prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. His research interest is predominantly on novel imaging techniques and biomarkers for diagnosis and risk stratification of cancer, novel robotic surgical techniques, focal ablation therapy, new drug trials, novel biomarker and genetic tests and active surveillance for cancer.
