PROSTATE CANCER CONSORTIUM
If you know anyone diagnosed with prostate cancer, you know about the confusion surrounding which treatment course to take, and even which doctor to see.
Medical specialists from several fields are getting together for the first time at a major conference to better coordinate the knowledge, treatment, and approach to prostate cancer, something that has been lacking for this very common and important cancer in men.
“It was a very difficult experience, because we didn’t know what to do. At the beginning you are very confused.” Alfonso Cogollos’ story is similar to that of many men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Whom should be the doctor to turn to?
A urologist- the surgeon who would cut out the cancer?
A medical oncologist- someone who is a cancer specialist?
A radiation oncologist—a person who specializes in treating the cancer with radiation; it is perhaps the treatment of choice today for cancer that has not spread.
And then, what treatment is best for that individual person- radiation, surgery, or both?
Dr. Roy Berger, a prostate cancer specialist and urologist, says, “Prostate cancer up until now has been a disease in which primarily urologists got involved first, because they’re the ones who did the biopsies. Over the last ten years or so, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists have become more involved because they also have things they can do for patients.”
So now, for the first time in a major meeting, experts from all these fields are getting together to share knowledge and work towards better coordinating the care of prostate cancer patients. Dr. Berger is leading the effort.
“The newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer have choices .We still are not 100% sure which is the best choice and we try and tailor the treatment for each of them The treatments that have been shown to be effective are radical prostatectomy, radioactive seed implantation, external beam radiation therapy, and we think given by IMRT, or intensity modulated radio therapy, it achieves higher doses and a higher cure rate,” states Dr. Berger.
Instead of trying to claim their particular approach is best, now the thought process is to have everyone contribute to the care of the prostate cancer patient. “The problem patients and physicians have today is that its very difficult to choose which treatment is right for them. So, we think that a patient who is newly diagnosed should see a surgeon or urologist, a urologist surgeon, a radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist. By seeing all three that patient would get a much better idea of what the treatments are and what would be a correct fit for that patient,” Dr. Berger believes.
Dr. Berger, who is an urologist, says the treatments might best be coordinated by a medical oncologist, who will be up on the latest medical studies and genetic research, and can help coordinate between the urologist and the radiation oncologist.
It’s a collaboration that’s been a long time coming, a commendable step forward in the battle against prostate cancer.
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