Dr Vinson Chan

Profile

Dr. Vinson Chan is an Interventional Radiology Specialist Trainee at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Leeds. His research focuses on image-guided cancer therapies, non-thermal ablation (including histotripsy), combination immuno-oncology treatments, and diagnostic pathways for renal and prostate cancers.

Dr. Chan graduated from Leeds School of Medicine in 2022 with the Hillman Prize in General Medicine, completed foundation training in 2024, and was awarded a competitive Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Pre-doctoral Research Bursary in Interventional Oncology before commencing speciality training in Interventional Radiology.

An active academic researcher since 2020, Dr. Chan has published over 70 peer-reviewed papers with more than 1,600 citations (h-index: 23). His work, published in leading journals including European Urology, Radiology, and European Radiology, has directly reshaped clinical practice and led to changes to European Association of Urology (EAU) international guidelines, particularly regarding renal mass biopsy and cryoablation. He contributed to landmark prostate cancer studies including the VISION meta-analysis and the PRIME trial, and currently leads CRUK-funded research evaluating radiomics and machine learning to predict treatment and immune responses following renal tumour ablation.

Dr. Chan is part of the UK Interventional Radiology Trainee Research Collaborative (UNITE) and co-founded the Yorkshire Imaging and Interventional Radiology Symposium (YiiRS). His work has been recognised with awards from the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE Rolf W. Günther Grant, Cum Laude), Royal College of Radiologists (RCR Steven Carstairs Prize), British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR), and the Royal Society of Medicine.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Research Fellow
• Interventional Radiology Specialty Trainee

Research interests

Biopsy Prior to Localised Renal Cancer Treatment

I established the critical clinical requirement for image-guided biopsy prior to treating small renal masses, reversing the widespread historic practice of treating without histological confirmation or histology only at the time of treatment. Leading a landmark European Registry for Renal Cryoablation (EuRECA) study (European Radiology, doi:10.1007/s00330-022-08556-2), I demonstrated that pre-treatment biopsy drastically reduces the unnecessary treatment of benign lesions. This practice-changing work was formally incorporated into the European Association of Urology (EAU) renal cancer guidelines, shifting standard diagnostic algorithms internationally.

Image-Guided Ablation for Localised Renal Cancer

I played a pivotal role in establishing image-guided ablation as a less-invasive, non-inferior alternative to partial and nephrectomy for small renal masses. By authoring meta-analysis, comparative studies and long-term cohort analyses (Int J Surg, doi:10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.106194; Eur Radiol, doi:10.1007/s00330-022-08719-1), I provided the high-impact evidence base that shifted practice away from invasive surgery toward minimally invasive ablation. This work earned the RCR Steven Carstairs Research Prize and ECIO Cum Laude.

Repeat Image-Guided Ablation in Hereditary RCC

I provided longitudinal evidence establishing repeat thermal ablation as a durable, renal-function-sparing intervention in complex hereditary renal cell carcinoma (VHL, HLRCC, BHD). I led a 15-year landmark retrospective observational study (Eur J Surg Oncol, doi:10.1016/j.ejso.2021.10.022) cited in the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) VHL Guidelines, as well as a multi-center EuRECA study (Cancers, doi:10.3390/cancers15072187) that drove the inclusion of cryoablation into EAU guidelines for hereditary RCC management.

Combination Immunotherapy and Image-Guided Ablation

I drive clinical and translational research investigating ablation-induced immunomodulation, establishing systemic immune markers (NLR/PLR) to optimise synergistic combination protocols with systemic immunotherapies in advanced renal and primary liver cancers (Cancers, doi:10.3390/cancers15072187; RSM Malcolm Coptcoat Prize runner-up).

Prostate Cancer Diagnostics

I serve as a member of the Clinical Operations Group for the CRUK-funded and National Cancer Imaging Translational Accelerator (NCITA)-supported PRIME (Prostate Imaging using MRI +/- contrast Enhancement) Trial (JAMA; doi:10.1001/jama.2025.13722). I played a core operational role in the trial's design and delivery, including securing ethical approval, leading multi-centre site recruitment, site initiation, and trial quality control. Furthermore, I authored the practice-changing individual patient data meta-analysis (European Urology, doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2024.08.022) establishing Level 1a evidence for MRI-targeted biopsy over systematic biopsy, and co-led a global initiative optimising and standardizing prostate MRI protocols (Radiology, doi:10.1148/radiol.231130).

Novel Non-Thermal Ablative Modalities

I lead international multi-centre research into next-generation non-thermal ablation modalities, including irreversible electroporation (IRE) and histotripsy. I led the analysis for the landmark multi-centre REWIRED study evaluating real-world outcomes of IRE in complex small kidney cancer management (doi:10.1007/s44343-026-00049-z). Additionally, I am driving research into histotripsy for non-thermal mechanical tissue destruction and immune system priming in localised and advanced cancers.

Medical Education & Workforce Research

I co-led national multi-center studies that reshaped UK undergraduate Urology and Interventional Radiology education, auditing national curricula across >7,000 trainees (BJU Int, doi:10.1111/bju.15758; Clin Radiol, doi:10.1016/j.crad.2023.07.001). I also co-founded YiiRS, creating a sustainable regional education platform that has supported >800 delegates (Clin Radiol, doi:10.1016/j.crad.2021.09.007).

Qualifications

• Medicine and Surgery MBChB 2022 (Leeds)

Professional memberships

• General Medical Council
• British Society of Interventional Radiologist (BSIR)
• Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE)
• European Association of Urology

Student education

I supervise fourth and fifth-year medical students in the ESREP/ ENQUIRE module.