Coordinated efforts to foster increased public awareness about prostate cancer appear to be paying off. In fact, urologist Kip L. Bodi, MD, believes, "We may be beginning to win the battle against prostate cancer - one of the most common cancers found in men."

Dr. Bodi sees evidence of this trend in his practice. "More men are having annual PSA tests and digital rectal examinations, researching prostate cancer on the Web, and having earlier interventions when a prostate biopsy is positive for cancer," he said.

Christine Greiner, RN, MS, co-founder of Huntington Hospital's Prostate Cancer Discussion Group, agrees. "Men who are new to the group seem to be coming up to speed much faster than in the past," she said. "They are more sophisticated about gathering information on treatment options."

This increased pool of knowledge and publicity surrounding the prostate cancer treatment of high-profile men such as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani have spurred interest in radiation therapy as an alternative to radical prostate surgery.

Gail Probst, RN, AOCN, Coordinator of Huntington's Oncology Program, confirms this trend. "When we look at the numbers of the past year, more patients are opting for radiation treatments," she noted, adding, "Educated patients are more familiar with the benefits of newer treatments."

"As with all medical treatments, early experiences with radiation therapy, going back to the beginning of the century, were associated with some ill effects," stated Richard Byrnes, MD, Chief of Radiation Therapy at Huntington Hospital.

"This was due to a lack of knowledge, experience, and technology," added Jeffrey Musmacher, Chief Radiation Therapist at the hospital.

The technique has evolved considerably, however. "The goal is to place the radiation in the area of the cancer and save surrounding tissue from exposure and damage," Dr. Byrnes explained. "Over the years, we have seen increased accuracy with external beam therapy. Now computergenerated planning based on a CAT scan of the patient, among other things, make brachytherapy, or radiation seed implantation for prostate cancer, a highly effective treatment. Potential side effects are far less severe than with earlier radiation treatments."

Patients who are candidates for brachytherapy typically receive injections once a month for three months to decrease their testosterone levels. On the day of the procedure, they enter the hospital for a "same-day" stay. The seeds are implanted in the Operating Room by a radiation oncologist, radiation therapist, and the patient's urologist. The procedure is done under general or spinal anesthesia. The actual implantation is done through needles placed in the patient's perineum, which is the area between the scrotum and rectum. A sophisticated computer generated plan specifies the total number of seeds required and where they should be placed. The patient goes home the same day, and may require a urinary catheter for several days.

Michael Buchholtz, MD, Chief of Oncology at Huntington, noted, "While chemotherapy and hormone therapy do have a role in the treatment of prostate cancer, the mainstays of initial therapy for localized cancer are radical surgery and seed implantation."

Radiation therapy as an option in the treatment of prostate cancer has recently been the focus of discussion at the hospital's Prostate Cancer Discussion Group. Dr. Byrnes was the featured speaker. Upcoming meeting dates are April 8 and May 13.

"The group is a great opportunity for patients and other interested parties to come, learn, and share in discussions," said Jack LoViglio, RN, group co-founder. "We look forward to seeing both long-term members and new faces."

The Prostate Cancer Discussion Group meets the second Monday of each month, from 7:30 - 9:00 PM in the Human Resources Conference Room. For information and registration, call (631) 351-2449 or (631) 351-2568.

MARCH 2002