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I love my work at Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJ Barnabas Health. I grew up in Connecticut, studied Biology and Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and earned my medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh. I completed a six-year urology residency at the University of Chicago, where I spent a dedicated year in research and trained with some of the nation’s highest-volume bladder cancer surgeons. I then pursued a two-year fellowship in Urologic Oncology at the Mayo Clinic, where I also earned a Postdoctoral Research Certificate in Clinical and Translational Science and continued to collaborate with leading experts in urologic cancers.
Before joining Rutgers, I built a busy clinical practice and research program at the University of Iowa, performing more than 100 bladder removals (cystectomies) each year and gaining extensive experience with advanced intravesical therapies such as gemcitabine and docetaxel (Gem/Doce), for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Today, I serve as Associate Professor of Surgery at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
My focus is bladder cancer. It is a disease that can be aggressive and impacts quality of life - it is deeply rewarding to help patients through these challenges. I strongly support patient advocacy groups such as the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network and have always emphasized a patient-centered approach. I believe that real progress comes when physicians drive innovation, which is why much of my research has centered on developing and implementing several new treatments for bladder cancer.
I have received funding from the American Cancer Society to improve the safety and effectiveness of therapies for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer. My research also explores biomarkers and precision medicine—finding ways to match each patient with the treatment most likely to help them. In addition, I lead studies on quality of life and novel therapeutics, with the goal of restoring patients’ bladder function and well-being after treatment.
Beyond bladder cancer, I treat all urologic cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancer. I have expertise in bladder tumor resection (TURBT) with blue light, and complex open and robotic surgery. I believe outcomes are best when patients are cared for by experienced hands, and I am grateful to my world-class mentors for instilling this commitment in me. I make it a priority to spend time with patients, explaining every option so they feel empowered to make the best decision for their care.
I am active in many national cancer societies, serve as a top reviewer for leading urology journals, and am frequently invited to speak nationally and internationally about improving outcomes in bladder cancer. I have co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
March 6, 2025
Very good.
February 27, 2025
I've never been treated so wonderfully by any doctors I've seen in my lifetime. There wasn't a thing that wasn't fully explained.
February 25, 2025
Very pleased with my visit with both dr. & nursing staff.
February 17, 2025
My son and I left feeling like we were heard and mattered.
January 3, 2025
Dr. Packiam was very straight forward & explained everything in a honest straight forward manner.
December 27, 2024
One of the best experiences I have had with a dr.'s practice. Highly recommend them.
December 25, 2024
Dr very professional knowledgeable and caring explained everything we need to know made me feel better
October 21, 2024
No bad experiences.
October 18, 2024
Very pleased
September 24, 2024
No problems at all
September 23, 2024
Good.
Accepted Health Plan information is only as accurate as the most current information submitted. Prior to your appointment, it is advisable to verify with your insurance company they are still a participating plan prior to receiving services or care. Each plan is different and some provide different levels of coverage that could make a difference in your out-of-pocket costs. It is always best for the patient receiving care to contact their insurance company to obtain more information.
Listen in as Dr. Packiam discusses advances in NMIBC and how it should be used in patient care.
Dr. Packiam presents findings from nearly 300 patients who underwent comprehensive restaging including blue light cystoscopy, mapping biopsies, retrograde pyelograms, and upper tract evaluations.
Dr. Sam Chang speaks with Dr. Vignesh Packiam about the CHAI (Computational Histology AI) biomarker for treatment selection in high-grade non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Vignesh T. Packiam, MD, Rutgers Cancer Institute, and Nitin Yerram, MD, Hackensack Meridian Health, explore the latest advances in non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including combination immunotherapy with BCG, emerging data in papillary disease, and the development of AI-driven biomarkers like CHAI to guide personalized treatment decisions.
Listen in as Dr. Vignesh Packiam discusses optimizing TURBT with UroToday.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel debates the management of high-grade T1 bladder cancer with lymphovascular invasion and variant histology, weighing the benefits and limitations of repeat TURBT, the use of blue light cystoscopy, and the implications for intravesical therapy, early cystectomy, or systemic treatment in light of emerging data and evolving risk stratification.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel discusses a wave of bladder cancer therapies—including cretostimogene, gem/doce, and AI-driven biomarkers—highlighting the excitement around new data, treatment sequencing, and the potential of combination strategies to improve bladder preservation.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel explores the practical challenges and logistical considerations of delivering emerging bladder-sparing therapies like gem/doce and TAR-200 in real-world settings, emphasizing the appeal of streamlined treatment regimens in community practice and discussing evolving strategies such as re-induction with nadofaragene firadenovec and the role of real-world data in validating clinical trial outcomes.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel shares how patient lifestyle, bladder symptoms, treatment tolerability, and logistical considerations like travel distance and clinic capacity influence intravesical therapy selection, while also exploring adjunct strategies like rectal Valium to improve tolerability and drug exposure, the impact of BCG shortages, and the cautious interpretation of CREST trial data in the context of systemic immunotherapy use.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel discusses the complex considerations and evolving landscape of bladder cancer treatment, weighing the promise and toxicity of immunotherapy in BCG-naïve patients, the logistical and financial barriers to accessing new therapies in both academic and community settings, and new data suggesting higher patient satisfaction with early radical cystectomy, prompting a reevaluation of how aggressive disease should be counseled and managed.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel considers the evolving role of radiation therapy in managing high-grade T1 bladder cancer, the cautious adoption of bladder-sparing protocols, and the growing potential of urinary and circulating biomarkers to guide risk stratification, surveillance, and treatment decisions in both NMIBC and muscle-invasive disease.
At the American Urological Association 2025 Annual Meeting, an expert panel convened to discuss the evolving treatment and diagnostic landscape of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), including Dr. Vignesh Packiam.
Listen in as UroToday's Joep de Jong interviews Vignesh Packiam about gemcitabine-docetaxel (gemdoce) for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and potential predictive biomarkers.
Amanda Nizam, MD, of Cleveland Clinic, speaks with Vignesh Packiam, MD, of Rutgers Cancer Institute, about his innovative study on an AI-powered model designed to predict patient response to intravesical BCG in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
Vignesh T. Packiam, MD, and Katie S. Murray, DO, MS, weigh multiple recent studies that explore the efficacy of gemcitabine/docetaxel as a frontline therapy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma, highlighting its potential as an alternative to BCG amid supply shortages and its promising outcomes in preserving kidney function.
Sam Chang hosts a conversation with Vignesh Packiam to discuss the emerging role of intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (gem/doce) for treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), spotlighting Dr. Packiam's recent publication in Urologic Oncology.
Learn more about how blue light cystoscopy is used to help patients with bladder cancer with Dr. Vignesh T. Packiam.
Testicular cancer is most common between the ages of 15 and 45, with the median age for diagnosis being 33, according to the American Cancer Society. Dr. Vignesh T. Packiam shares more.
Clinicians continue to consider and research the best options for patients in light of the ongoing unreliability of BCG. Learn more.
An alternative off-label option for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC is sequential intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (Gem/Doce)," write Rachel Passarelli, MD, and Vignesh T. Packiam, MD. Learn more.