Roles
- Professor of Radiation Oncology
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Biography
Dr. Pollack is Professor and Chair Emeritus of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Miami and later graduated from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Ph.D. to M.D. program. He did an internal medicine internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, before doing a residency in Radiation Oncology at U.T.-M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. While at M.D. Anderson, Dr. Pollack attained the rank of Professor, was Director of the Residency Training Program and was a co-leader of the Genitourinary (GU) Cancer group before assuming the Chair in Radiation Oncology position at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia in 2001. He held that position and co-led the GU program before being recruited to Miami as Chair and Professor of Radiation Oncology and GU program co-leader in 2008. He became interim Deputy Director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2017. He has led the effort to bring proton therapy to Sylvester. Dr. Pollack’s clinical and research interests are in the management prostate and bladder cancers. -
Education & Training
Education
Post Graduate Training
Licensures and Certifications
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Honors & Awards
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Teaching Interests
Mentorship in clinical management and research related to biomarkers and imaging are at the forefront of my interests. I run the K12 physician scientist program and co-organize the Design and Management of Clinical Trials Course. I lecture and mentor our radiation oncology trainees and junior faculty. -
Research Interests
Dr. Pollack’s research interests have centered primarily on the management of prostate cancer with radiotherapy (RT), the role and length of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), radiation dose escalation, radiation fractionation, small molecule/gene/viral vector targeted therapy, immunomodulation, prostate cancer patient disparities, and markers of outcome (tissue biopsy, liquid biopsy and imaging markers). He co-led the genitourinary translational research program (GU TRP) in the NRG cooperative group for several years and now serves as GU TRP co-chair emeritus. He published a series of papers on biomarkers that predict response to RT ± ADT for men treated on cooperative group trials. Many of these biomarkers are potential treatment targets and some of these targets have been investigated in his laboratory. Dr. Pollack’s quantitative imaging research on men with prostate cancer has been funded by the NCI for several years. Dr. Pollack has been the PI on several clinical trials, including a current randomized trial at UM that provides the platform for quantitative imaging marker studies centered on defining prostate habitats with aggressive phenotypes associated with histopathologic factors, radiomics, and transcriptomics, and circulating tumor cells. He is also the lead PI on a national RTOG/NRG study (SPPORT, 0534) prostate cancer post-prostatectomy radiotherapy trial that successfully reached the accrual goal of over 1700 men and is pending publication. -
Publications
Disclaimer: Information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.Grants & Sponsored Research
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Articles & News
Sylvester’s 2026 K12 Scholars Drive the Future of Cancer Research
Global Reach, Local Impact: Sylvester’s Clinical Trials Course Returns
Transforming Cancer Research: Sylvester’s 2025 K12 Scholars
Disclaimer:
Information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.
Clinical Trials
Viewing 0 of 10 clinical trials.
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A Phase II Randomized Trial of MRI-Guided Prostate Boosts Via Initial Lattice Stereotactic vs Daily Moderately Hypofractionated Radiotherapy - The Miami BLaStM Trial
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Not Accepting
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Collection and Measurement of Blood and Imaging Biomarkers in Patients Undergoing Standard Primary and Postoperative Radiotherapy for Prostatic Neoplasms - The Miami CoMBINe Trial
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Open
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A Prospective Comparative Study of Outcomes With Proton and Photon Radiation in Prostate Cancer
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Not Accepting
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A Phase III Trial of Hypofractionated External Beam Image-Guided Highly Targeted Radiotherapy: The HEIGHT Trial
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Closed
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A Phase I Trial of MRI-Guided Lattice Extreme Ablative Dose Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Closed
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A Phase III Prospective Randomized Trial of Dose-Escalated Radiotherapy With or Without Short-Term Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Patients With Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: Phase 3
- Enrollment Status: Closed
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Significance/Purpose: This study proposes to establish a radiation oncology prostate cancer database at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC). Data will be collected from patients with prostate cancer who have received or will receive radiation therapy. Once populated, the database will contain comprehensive clinical, pathologic, treatment related, and followup information investigators may use to conduct retrospective research.Hypothesis: The hypothesis is that analysis of the resulting clinical, pathologic, treatment, and followup data will lead to a better understanding of how to stratify and treat patients in the future and will provide the necessary framework for new prospective clinical trials. Primary Objective (specific aims): The primary objective is to develop a comprehensive prostate cancer database of men treated with radiotherapy for prostate cancer to examine relationships between patient characteristics and treatment parameters to side effects and outcome.Secondary Objectives (specific aims)(1) find better ways to stratify patients in clinical trials and select appropriate treatment as a result of the primary objective (2) provide a foundation for other protocols that may involve biomarker analysis.Risk/BenefitsThe primary risk, although slight, is breach of patient confidentiality. New knowledge gained from this research will benefit society. The information from this study will help physicians learn more about the treatment for prostate cancer and help future prostate cancer patients.
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: N/A
- Enrollment Status: Open
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Prostate cancer is commonly treated with radiotherapy and, although cure rates are improving, our data show that higher radiation doses are needed to ensure complete tumor eradication. In a recent paper, we found that doses above 80 Gy are optimal, but that even at these high doses, some patients experience recurrence, which most often is a result of leaving viable tumor cells behind in the prostate. We hypothesize that there are multiple factors contributing to an inability to completely kill all of the prostate cancer cells in the prostate, including tumor related (e.g., Gleason score, tumor burden, molecular abnormalities), dosimetry (coverage of the prostate with radiation) and genetic (genetic variations in the normal cells from which the cancer arises) factors. Here we propose to investigate dosimetric and genetic factors as major determinants for tumor response and toxicity. The ultimate goal is to develop models that will enable us to better design treatments to improve cure rates without sacrificing toxicity. We propose to study unique cohort of patients from Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) Protocol 02602 A PHASE III INTENSITY MODULATED RADIOTHERAPY DOSE ESCALATION TRIAL FOR PROSTATE CANCER USING HYPOFRACTIONATION,(copy attached in section 19) in which very complete tumorrelated and dosimetric data are available and in whom genetic variation analyses will be performed. We plan to correlate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in ionizing radiation (IR) genes with tumor response, defined by the freedom of biochemical failure. We also will study the contribution of SNPs of IRresponse to late normal tissue toxicity, when considered in conjunction with radiation treatment dosimetric parameters. There are two grant associated wih this study. To arrive to the results the same activities will be performed with the samples.Specific aims 1)To determine the relationship between SNPs of IRresponse genes and dosimetric parameters to biochemical failure, when considered in conjunction with tumor related factors,2)To establish the association of SNPs of IRresponse genes to late gastrointestinal toxicity, genitourinary toxicity and sexual dysfunction, when considered in conjunction with dosimetric parameters.3)To understand the relationship of SNPs of IRresponse genes to quality of life when considered in conjunction with dosimetric parameters. 4)To establish the association of SNPs to late gastrointestinal toxicity and genitourinary toxicity, when considered in conjunction with dosimetric parameters.5)To define the relationship between RT dose to the penile bulb and corporal bodies, and SNPs, to sexual function.6)To understand how normal tissue dosimetry and SNPs relate to quality of life.
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: Other
- Enrollment Status: Open
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We plan to determine the expression levels of series of biomarkers and determine a predictive model/nomogram related to treatment outcome To construct a model predictive of distant metastasis and/or cause specific mortality based on molecular marker expression and clinical factors. To quantify biomarker expression in samples from RTOG 9413 and apply the model, developed in 2.1 and develop a new model for determining poor prognosis after RTSTAD.To extend our biomarker analysis to other patient populations.Of note, there will be no prospective sample collection for these studies at the RTOG or the University of Miami. There is no data collection, propspective or retrospective, at the University of Miami. Living patients enrolled in these studies have consented to continue to be monitored at other institutions. These records will never be viewed at the University of Miami.
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Enrollment Status: Open
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A Phase III Trial of Short Term Androgen Deprivation With Pelvic Lymph Node or Prostate Bed Only Radiotherapy (SPPORT) in Prostate Cancer Patients With a Rising PSA After Radical Prostatectomy
- Principal Investigator: Alan Pollack
- Study Phase: Phase 3
- Enrollment Status: Closed