daVinci® Provides More Options for Prostate Cancer Treatment
The prospect of prostate cancer is a daunting one for men. Fortunately, effective screening tests are available through your family physician, and outcomes are good when prostate cancer is caught in its early stages.
When prostate cancer is diagnosed, there are many possible ways to approach care and treatment offered through Lancaster General, including surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, cryosurgery (the use of extreme cold to destroy cancer cells), and in some instances, “watchful waiting.”
When surgery is recommended, Lancaster General has recently added a minimally invasive option for many patients to consider: the daVinci® Surgical System.
“The daVinci is a device that assists surgeons during minimally invasive surgical procedures,” says Stacey Youcis, Assistant Vice President, Perioperative Services at Lancaster General. “It gives both the surgeon and the patient a different option on how to treat certain conditions that require surgical intervention, such as prostate cancer.”
The daVinci Surgical System has a successful track record in safety and outcomes. Once the technology of the daVinci Surgical System reached outcomes comparable to existing surgical procedures, Lancaster General felt confident adding this tool to its surgeons’ arsenal.
“The results have been at least equivalent to those of open surgery,” says David Svetec, MD of the Lancaster Urological Group. “Where the daVinci has been superior is in lower blood loss, shorter hospital stay and shorter catheter time.”
“Some quality of life issues, such as urinary control and overall return to normal activity, have been restored more quickly after daVinci surgery when compared to traditional open surgery,” adds Christopher Woodard, MD, of Urological Associates of Lancaster.
The daVinci is actually a robot-assisted device that allows surgeons to get a three-dimensional look at the surgical area, and is designed to eliminate tremors. The surgeon controls all movements and incisions during a laproscopic surgical procedure. Lancaster General purchased the four-armed daVinci, a recent upgrade from the three-armed model that gives the surgeon enhanced flexibility and control.
Open surgery or daVinci?
With similar outcomes for both open surgery and laproscopic surgery using the daVinci, how can a man determine which one is right for him?
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Screening for prostate cancer
Specific signs of prostate cancer can
be difficult to notice at the early stages,
and symptoms usually only present at
the later stages of the disease.
That is why an annual physical
examination, prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) blood test, and digital rectal
exam (DRE) are your best chances to
find prostate cancer early, when
treatment is more successful.
It is recommended that men should be
screened annually when they reach the
age of 50. African-American men, and
men with a history of prostate cancer
in their family should be tested annually
at age 40. |
“It is an individual choice,” Stacey says. “Not everybody is an ideal candidate for the daVinci. But when you are, it’s important to trust your surgeon or oncologist to help you make the best decision for your treatment.”
Surgery using the daVinci frequently requires more time in the operating room (OR) than other surgical approaches, so a patient with medical concerns, such as prior abdominal surgery or severe lung disease, would benefit from a shorter time in the OR and might be better served by an alternative approach than the robot.
There is data out that suggests that by 2010, 60 percent of all prostatectomies will be performed using the daVinci. “The numbers are growing every year and the outcomes are improving,” Stacey says. “The good news for patients is that every year brings more tools in the hands of the clinicians to give patients individualized options and choices. Patients need to talk with their trusted physician to know what the right choice is for them.”
Since 2005, Dr. Svetec and Mark Jarowenko, MD, of Lancaster Urological Group, have performed many surgical procedures using the daVinci. “With a quicker return to normal activities and with less pain and scarring, the daVinci is growing as the preference for patients in need of a prostectomy,” Dr. Svetec says.
“We’ve had a great experience with the daVinci,” Dr. Woodard says. “Our patient satisfaction has been high.” Dr. Woodard and Paul Russinko, MD, of Urological Associates of Lancaster have over six months of experience using the daVinci.