Cryosurgery for prostate cancer is also known as cryotherapy. It is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses extremely cold gas to freeze and destroy the prostate. With cryosurgery for prostate cancer, transrectal ultrasound is used to map and guide needles through the area between the anus and scrotum so that the cold gases can be directed to the prostate.
Read MoreCyberknife is an alternative option to treat prostate cancer, as well as many other cancers such as lung, brain, spine, liver and pancreatic cancer. It is not a surgical procedure, but a form of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and robotic-assisted radiosurgery that utilizes a computerized robot to automatically deliver high doses of radiation to the prostate gland. For men with prostate cancer, Cyberknife is recommended for men with cancer limited to the prostate, and men with low to moderate risk prostate cancer.
Read MoreActive Surveillance/Watchful Waiting. These are not types of treatment, but ways to monitor prostate cancer when it is very low-risk or slow growing. During active surveillance or watchful waiting, your doctor will keep track of the prostate cancer using various tests including a PSA blood test, digital rectal exam, and ultrasound. If the prostate cancer becomes more aggressive, your doctor may recommend other treatment options.
Read MoreIf you’re one of the 230,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, you’re probably dealing with a dilemma of which treatment option to choose. Your doctor has likely spoken with you about radiation and surgery, but how do you choose?
Read MoreDoctors have been fighting high cholesterol for years using a class of drugs known as statins. They work by blocking, or inhibiting, an enzyme that plays a key role in making cholesterol in the liver, the body's primary cholesterol producer. Similarly, doctors have been managing type 2 diabetes with the drug metformin at least since the early 90's. The drug works by suppressing glucose production in the liver, thereby controlling blood sugar levels.
Read MoreA multi-center study by New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center found a urine test can determine if a patient has high-grade prostate cancer with 92% accuracy. The findings were presented at the AUA 2015 Annual Meeting. This study could present a breakthrough in how doctors screen for prostate cancer.
Read MoreThe treatment options for prostate cancer can vary depending on a number of factors. These factors also affect the prognosis of the disease. The most important factor when determining which treatment option is best is the stage of the prostate cancer.
Read MoreThe most accurate way to know your cancer staging when it comes to prostate cancer is through a prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate). Treatment for prostate cancer recurrence is radiation but studies are showing there is a decline in use despite its known benefit. We explore.
Read MoreResearchers at the University of Michigan have found a previously unknown biomarker that may be significant in diagnosing and treating aggressive prostate cancers. Here's what men need to know.
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New research has emerged these past few weeks on prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and its genetic root. There's a big debate in how prostate cancer should be treated in older verses younger men. Now, a new study is showing where the gaps are and in particular when we find aggressive prostate cancer, how it should be treated.
Read MoreThe good news about prostate cancer is that the medical community continues to work toward new and improved treatment options. With a quick Google search you can find hundreds of articles and web sites full of prostate cancer treatment options. Some are factual, based on sound research and medical expertise while others are more embellished and opinion based. Often it can be difficult to weed through the clutter and pull out dependable information on which to base your treatment decisions.
Comparing treatment options: robotic prostate surgery verses HIFU.
I’d like to share my recent concern about the way in which one treatment option is being sold. HIFU, which stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is a non-FDA-approved method for treating localized prostate cancer. During the procedure, a rectal probe sends an ultrasonic beam of sound waves to the cancerous prostate. The beam heats and destroys the cancerous tissue, which is later urinated out.
Some web sites offer very factual, concise information about HIFU, its risks and benefits. One, in particular, however spends a great deal of time attacking robotic radical prostatectomy. Using phrases such as “limp and leaking” or warning men about the negative impact that prostatectomy surgery will have on their marriage. This seems to me to be counter to the united goal of the medical community to offer support and proven treatment and cure options. Rather than discussing HIFU successes, they focus on your trip to Cancun, Bermuda or the Bahamas for the procedure with pictures of blue waters and tropical excursions.
One analogy suggests that robotic prostatectomy surgery is like playing Russian Roulette. On the contrary! Prostatectomy is the one, true way for a doctor to plainly see the extent of the cancer. During robotic surgery I have a clean, clear view of the prostate and everything surrounding it. No amount of testing can give us as full a picture of the cancer staging before surgery. What is believed to be localized prostate cancer could actually be found to be more extensive during and after the surgery. I don’t approach patient education this way, but it could be argued that choosing an option besides surgery is Russian Roulette. Surgery is the only way to see that the cancer is fully removed. My patients have a 97% cure rate. Earlier this year, a ten-year American Urological Association (AUA) study found an 83% success rate with HIFU.
With regard to urinary continence and sexual function, my SMART (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique) surgery is a unique approach that allows me to preserve both. In most circumstances, you will be able to have sex with your wife. It’s highly likely that you’ll be able to control your urine over time. I don’t perform robotic prostatectomy surgery to boost my ego. I do it to help men live long, fulfilling lives.
HIFU may have appropriate application with some patients, but it is not FDA-approved and it does not give visual proof that all cancer has been removed. HIFU is still considered an experimental procedure in the United States. Robotic radical prostatectomy is a sound, proven treatment option for the elimination of prostate cancer.
Be wary of finding a medical miracle on a sandy beach. My goal is not to offer you a luxurious vacation and a quick fix. Strongly consider the benefits of minimally invasive robotic radical prostatectomy and whether it is right for you. The peace of mind that comes after surgery is priceless. And then you can take a tropical vacation with your wife to celebrate your happy marriage and your cancer-free life.
Many men have various concerns regarding prostate cancer surgery. I know there’s another segment of the population though who are also concerned about whether surgery is an option – men who have had ineffective radiation treatment for prostate cancer in the past.
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