focal laser ablation Archives - Page 7 of 8

Uncertainty and Anxiety during Active Surveillance

The word is out: Patients with early stage, low risk prostate cancer have often been rushed into radical prostatectomy when many of them could have afforded to wait to seek treatment—possibly for years. Untold numbers of men were left with urinary and sexual problems that lasted for months, or were never fully resolved. For low keep reading

Updated Focal Therapy Data From NIH

Dr. Peter Pinto is one of the most respected urologic researchers in America. He is the Head of the Prostate Cancer Section of the Urologic Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research (National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health). That’s a very long formal title for a man who is humble, personable and good-natured. His keep reading

Does Money Buy Life?

Everyone knows that money doesn’t buy happiness. But can it buy life? A new study out of the University of Washington Medical Center suggests that prostate cancer patients in extreme financial distress are more likely to die than those who are not. This doesn’t mean that having money can buy life, but hardship is a keep reading

New Image-Based Analysis Predicts Focal Laser Ablation Outcomes

I’m excited to announce news about a new way to quantify the effects of focal laser ablation (FLA) in a way that may allow us to predict long term treatment success. I was a member of a research team out of Case Western Reserve University that developed an innovative way to use MRI before, during keep reading

Concern Regarding Radiation Overuse

Here’s a little quiz: Which whole gland therapy for prostate cancer has the highest risk of recurrence? Radical prostatectomy Radiation therapy Cryotherapy of the whole gland HIFU of the whole gland If you answered radiation, you are correct. According to a recent article, the rate of prostate cancer coming back after conventional external beam radiation keep reading

Gleason Pattern 4: Active Surveillance or Focal Laser Ablation?

The strategy of using active surveillance (AS) is increasingly recommended to low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients as a way to avoid or delay overtreatment. This is a new way of thinking; before the New Millennium, PCa was assumed to be multi-focal and most men with more than 10 years of life expectancy were hurried into keep reading

Prostate Cancer: Family History and Focal Laser Ablation

At the Sperling Prostate Center, we believe family history matters, and patients who have a hereditary history of any kind of cancer, especially first degree relatives deserve special counseling. keep reading

Medical Change at the Grassroots Level: A New Year’s Wish

“Power to the people!” This slogan, and variations of it, took on a life of its own in the Sixties and Seventies. John Lennon even wrote a song with that title, and James Brown used it as a lyric. Change that comes as a result of a social movement is often referred to as change keep reading

Call to Action: Make Your Voice Heard

I can’t begin to count the number of times patients have asked me questions like these: “Why isn’t focal laser ablation covered by Medicare or insurance?” “My urologist said he won’t do my follow-up if I have focal laser ablation. Do you know a laser-friendly urologist in my area who will work with me?” “How keep reading

International Experts Give Focal Therapy a Green Light

One of the oldest and most respected urologic professional associations is the Société Internationale d’Urologie (SIU), headquartered in Montreal. It was founded in 1907 during a period when national and local urologic societies were getting off the ground. As part of their membership, urologists are subscribed to the World Journal of Urology. According to the keep reading

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