“My PSA is elevated, but I keep having negative biopsies. What does this mean?” This is a common question among many men under the care of a urologist. If you are familiar with prostate cancer, you know that having an elevated or rising PSA (prostate-specific antigen) may mean you have prostate cancer.
Read MoreAccording to a new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, scientists at the University of California-Davis have found that a diet rich in walnuts, or its oil, can slow prostate tumor growth. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men.
Read MoreNew healthcare guidelines from the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommend that men should not have a PSA test to screen for prostate cancer. A PSA test is a simple blood test that measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen in a man’s blood.
Read MoreResearchers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center have found that vitamin D can help block a protein that causes prostate tumors to grow.
Read MorePSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests are familiar routine for men over the age of 40. The test is typically used as a screening tool for prostate cancer, and has helped countless men detect and treat their prostate cancer early. When treated early, the cure rate for prostate cancer is upwards of 95 percent.
Read MoreAt the Dr. David Samadi Prostate Cancer Center here in New York, we are continually on the forefront of clinical and technological innovation.
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.
Read MoreIt happens very often that a vitamin, mineral, or a combination of them in a supplement form is said to reduce the risk of cancer. Often times these are things that are found in our daily diet when eating healthy.
Read MoreSeptember marks Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and as a result, women throughout the United States have a valuable addition to their to-do list. We are urging women to take advantage of this month, and remind the men in their lives to get screened.
Read MoreA new blood test for prostate cancer is improving the accuracy of diagnoses and may even reduce the frequency of false positives and unnecessary biopsies.
Read MoreFor a surgeon who has successfully treated prostate cancer in many thousands of men by removing their prostate gland, the idea that science might one day be able to regenerate this gland using stem cells is a foreign one — and yet highly intriguing.
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