For Dr. George M. Suarez, the most satisfying aspect of his accomplished medical career is his work as a volunteer at La Liga Contra Cancer, the League Against Cancer.

"It’s very important to give back to your community," he said in a recent interview conducted in his new South Miami offices. "It’s a good feeling at the end of the day when you know that you have contributed to a worthy cause, particularly the cancer league, where you know that you literally have saved somebody’s life…that if this person did not receive the treatment or the pro bono surgery and the follow up that we are providing as an organization — myself and another 150 physician volunteers — that this person would have had no other place to go."

Nationally recognized in the field of urology, Suarez came to the United States from Cuba as an infant in 1955. He grew up in Miami and was captain of the Columbus High School football team his junior and senior years. After graduating from Columbus in 1973, he went on to Ohio’s Heidelberg University on a football-academic scholarship. Upon graduation in 1976, he enrolled in Rutgers Medical School, then did general surgery residency at Northwestern, and urology residency at Tulane from 1982 to 87.

Suarez grew up wanting to be a doctor and recalls the story his mother tells of how he would, as a very young boy, feign illness so she would take him to see the doctor. Today, he is among the top urologists in the world, has operated or lectured in almost every country in the world, has written dozens of papers on urology and holds several patents for medical devices used in connection with incontinence.

"Urology is very challenging and interesting," said Suarez. "At the present time it’s probably one of the most exciting fields in the development of technology. It’s forging much farther ahead at a faster pace than any specialty that I know."

Suarez, while noting that he’s not a liberty to discuss specifics because of a confidentiality agreement, said he was one of 20 urologists invited recently to participate in a "think tank" and review progress in the field.

"The advances they’re making are incredible," he said. "It’s like Star Wars of the cells, cancer-versus-treatment. They’re talking about how certain proteins act and how you can combine DNA and re-combine it and treat it and create a vaccine. It is amazing."

He noted that the major pharmaceutical companies are spending billions of dollars to develop products aimed at keeping an aging baby boomer population healthy, developing medications for such ailments as impotence, incontinence, cancer treatment and prevention and much more.

"Chemotherapy and vaccine research that is being done for prostate cancer is just so impressive," he said. "And, some of the things that are being done to prevent it from happening are equally impressive.

"We are now scratching the surface in understanding quite a bit that we didn’t know before and one of the most important things is the behavior of cancer cells. Essentially, understanding cellular behavior is understanding the building blocks, the foundation and the architecture of the very basic element of the human body. And, that’s where the research money is going, that’s where the grants are going and that’s where the future is going."

Suarez, 44, is divorced and resides in Coral Gables. He taught at the University of Miami from 1987-90, then went into private practice to open the Miami Urological Institute in a partnership that lasted until 1997. Now, he’s opened solo offices in South Miami.

Last year, a South Florida Magazine panel of physicians named him as one of best doctors in the community and a Washington, DC, publication selected him as one of the best physicians in America. His patients speak of him in glowing terms.

In addition to his work with the Cancer League, he volunteers time to the Veterans Administration and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. He also is a consultant to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Children’s Medical Services.

Suarez’ new offices are located at 7000 SW 62 Ave.

He may be contacted at 305-569-0333.