Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Posts Tagged ‘surgery’

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a disease that affects 1 out of 6 men in the United States. It is the second leading cause of death for men. Patrick Walsh, a prostate cancer survivor, speaks about his experience of being cured by the disease by Dr. David Samadi, Vice Chairman of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. After ten years of routine PSA level screenings, Dr. Samadi discovered Walsh’s level to be elevated. Though symptomless, Walsh heeded Dr. Samadi’s advice and chose to go forward with robotic radical prostatectomy surgery. Nine months later, he has a zero PSA level and is cured of prostate cancer. Dr. Samadi discusses the importance of removing a cancerous prostate – not only to cure the disease, but also because the extent of the cancer is not known until it is seen. According to Dr. Samadi, in approximately 40% of radical prostatectomy cases the cancer is found to be significantly more advanced that pre-surgical testing indicated. Dr. Samadi encourages men to be mindful of their PSA level trend over time and stresses the importance of choosing an experience prostate cancer specialist, if needed. He adds that healthy eating, with particular emphasis on lycopene, and exercise are key to prostate health.

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The niche bestseller “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery” begins with the shooting of a urologist and includes a World War II Battle. The book exposes the big lie about radical prostate surgery, is filled with cartoons and simple diagrams, and is written for the average layperson in easy-to-understand style. “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery” quotes Dr. Gary Onik, M.D., Cryosurgeon and Director of Surgical Imaging at Celebration Health Hospital, Celebration, Florida, who says: “I expect that within five years we will see the death of the radical prostatectomy as a treatment for prostate cancer.” The author, Bradley Hennenfent, M.D., has seen five uncles suffer from prostate cancer and his book includes many uplifting stories about less harmful treatments than surgery. Dr. Hennenfent also explains the problem of lies, damn lies, and prostate cancer statistics. The adverse effects of surgery: impotence, sexual dysfunction, incontinence, and urethral strictures are explained in realistic fashion. “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery” quotes oncologist Dr. Robert Leibowitz of Compassionate Oncology Medical Group, who says: “If radical prostatectomies worked, the data would be there. The reason the data is not there is because radical prostatectomies don’t work.” Dr. Leibowitz adds: “No prospective randomized trial has ever found radical prostatectomy to be both necessary and effective.” Urologist W. Reid Pitts, Jr., M.D., FACS, wrote an outstanding letter-to-the-editor of the “Journal of Urology” lambasting the radical prostatectomy. When interviewed for “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery,” Dr. Pitts said: “Although I did the first ever nerve sparing radical prostatectomy at New York-Cornell Hospital, I’ve abandoned the radical prostatectomy for my prostate cancer patients. There is always a better treatment option.” Dr. Hennenfent co-founded the Prostatitis Foundation (www.prostatitis.org). He also founded the Epididymitis Foundation (www.epididymitisfoundation.org), and the Acoustic Neuroma Foundation (www.acousticneuromafoundation.org). He previously published “The Prostatitis Syndromes.” “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery” quotes urologist Ronald Wheeler, M.D. of the Prostatitis and Prostate Cancer Center, who says: “In my opinion, prostatitis resolution holds the key to the future of prostate cancer resolution.” “Two randomized, controlled studies suggest that 95% or more of all prostate cancer surgery done to date, has failed to extend the life of the patient,” says Dr. Bradley Hennenfent M.D., the book’s author. “Surgery should no longer be presented or advertised as a cure-all for prostate cancer,” says Dr. Hennenfent. “My book is all about the options to harmful surgery. “Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery,” details the harm done by surgery, while explaining the pros and cons of watchful waiting, active noninvasive therapy, radiation seed implants, three-dimensional radiation therapy, herbal medications, cryosurgery, and hormone blockade. The website for the book is: www.SurvivingProstateCancerWithoutSurgery.org.

Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery

Over 200000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. The New England Journal of Medicine has just released a new study showing the long-term benefits of two different common methods of prostate cancer treatment, watchful waiting and surgical prostate removal (most commonly done now through a procedure called a robotic prostatectomy). Dr. David Samadi, member of the Fox News Medical “A-Team” and Vice Chair of Urology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC, discusses this study and the role that robotic surgery can play in preventing deaths due to prostate cancer. Watchful waiting is a technique used by doctors where prostate cancer indicators, such as PSA levels, are used to monitor a patient’s risk of developing an aggressive form of the disease. In many cases prostate cancer is slow growing, and treatment may not be necessary as the cancer will never progress to a life-threatening point. Robotic prostate surgery takes a different approach to treatment, removing the prostate entirely from the body to eliminate all traces of the cancer. The study released by the NEJM shows that there is a large survival benefit for those who choose prostate removal as a treatment option; with a 38% lower risk of death versus watchful waiting. This is very important news for individuals who are deciding on an appropriate treatment method. With advancements in prostate surgery due to newer robotic methods, patients often don’t experience many of the side-effects associated with …

www.nucleusinc.com This 3D medical animation on prostate cancer surgery shows the laparascopic removal of a cancerous prostate gland and its surrounding tissues. A prostatectomy is a surgery to remove an enlarged prostate gland due to benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer. Simple or radical prostatectomy can be done using open or laparoscopic techniques. ANCE00192

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The Intelligent Patient Guide book series was created in 1989 by a group of American and Canadian-trained physicians frustrated by the lack of quality information available for their cancer patients. The books became bestsellers, and their appeal has grown despite the development of the Internet. Whereas the Internet is an explosion of medical information that can confuse and intimidate, these books are personal guides designed to equip the patient to take an active role in their care by providing clear, organized and relevant information that gives them back a sense of control. In cancer centers across the country it is not uncommon to see a well-worn, personal copy of an Intelligent Patient Guide under the under the arm or at the bedside of a patient awaiting treatment. The books are frequently gifted by friends or family, or recommended by the patient’s oncologist. Intelligent Patient Guides are the number one choice of patient information projects across the country and are provided to all newly-diagnosed breast/prostate cancer patients by government and charity-funded groups in five Canadian provinces.

Along with all the information you need to ask the right questions, evaluate options and contribute to your treatment decisions, Intelligent Patient Guides are loaded with special topics the doctors have seen come up time and again: My mother has cancer, what is my risk? Does diet really matter? Do alternative treatments work? What happens when you have surgery? Treatments to avoid. When should you seek a second opinion? What to do if you get a complication from treatment. Handling the psychological effects of your treatment.

“The Intelligent Patient Guide has been at my side for the last eight months as I fought cancer. When I needed (information), it never failed me.” Former CEO Canadian Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute of Canada

Intelligent Patient Guide to Prostate Cancer: Information about risk, prevention, symptoms, signs, diagnosis, stage, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, prognosis, treatment of/for prostate cancer

David B. Samadi, MD — Chief, Division of Robotics and Minimal Invasive Surgery Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City Interview on For News: Prostate Awareness and Prostate Cancer Surgery. Dr. Samadi is an expert in robotic prosate surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer (robotic prostatectomy), robotic kidney surgery (robotic nephrectomy) for the treatment of kidney cancer, and bladder cancer surgery (robotic cystectomy).

David B. Samadi, MD — Chief, Division of Robotics and Minimal Invasive Surgery Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City Interview on For News: Prostate Awareness and Prostate Cancer Surgery. Dr. Samadi is an expert in robotic prosate surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer (robotic prostatectomy), robotic kidney surgery (robotic nephrectomy) for the treatment of kidney cancer, and bladder cancer surgery (robotic cystectomy).

Mitchell Humphreys, MD, urologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona Physicians at Mayo Clinic in Arizona have developed a new surgical procedure for the treatment of prostate cancer using natural orifices – signaling the next step in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery. The latest advances in surgical treatment of the disease involve using the body’s own natural orifices as access points instead of making incisions through the skin. These types of procedures, Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgical or NOTES have advanced over the past decade and now a NOTES procedure has been perfected to remove the prostate called Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgical Radical Prostatectomy or NOTES RP. Business Wire Press Release available: www.businesswire.com

David B. Samadi, MD — Chief, Division of Robotics and Minimal Invasive Surgery Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City Interview on For News: Prostate Awareness and Prostate Cancer Surgery. Dr. Samadi is an expert in robotic prosate surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer (robotic prostatectomy), robotic kidney surgery (robotic nephrectomy) for the treatment of kidney cancer, and bladder cancer surgery (robotic cystectomy).

David B. Samadi, MD — Chief, Division of Robotics and Minimal Invasive Surgery Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City Interview on For News: Prostate Awareness and Prostate Cancer Surgery. Dr. Samadi is an expert in robotic prosate surgery for the treatment of prostate cancer (robotic prostatectomy), robotic kidney surgery (robotic nephrectomy) for the treatment of kidney cancer, and bladder cancer surgery (robotic cystectomy).