Urologic Oncology
Urologic oncology is the sub-specialty within urology that encompasses the evaluation and treatment of cancers. These include cancers of the male genito-urinary tract (i.e., kidney, renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, prostate, urethra, penis) and female urinary tract (i.e., kidney, renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, urethra) and adrenal glands in both male and female.

Our physicians offer highly specialized care in a supportive environment with attention to quality of life issues. Today, more than ever, the patient with a newly diagnosed cancer will have many therapeutic options. Depending upon cancer type and location, organ preservation and minimally invasive surgery may be the most appropriate option.

Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common solid organ tumor in men in the United States. In 2002 there are an expected 189,000 newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases, and 30,200 prostate cancer deaths in the United States. The rate of newly diagnosed prostate cancers increased over the past 30 years, with a dramatic rise in incidence seen in the late 1980's following the introduction of serum PSA testing as part of prostate cancer screening. Since 1992, however, the annual incidence of prostate cancer has declined by 11%. Prostate cancer mortality fell by 6.3% from 1991 to 1995. The mortality rate for men under the age of 75 years fell by 7.4%. The cause for these changes are unclear, but may in part be due to the effectiveness of serum PSA screening.

The most appropriate treatment recommendation for those men found to have prostate cancer is based upon the stage or extent of disease at the time of diagnosis (i.e., cancer localized to prostate versus spread to other areas). The digital rectal examination, serum prostate specific antigen level, biopsy Gleason grade and radiological imaging studies are all utilized to measure extent of disease. This information will allow the physician to best counsel the newly diagnosed patient regarding expected natural history of disease and treatment options. Patients will want to discuss the options of radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation therapy, prostate brachytherapy (seeds), systemic treatment and surveillance alone.

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