New Book Suggests Surgery For Prostate Cancer No Longer Necessary in Most Cases: More Men Now Choose High Tech Radiation Therapies

A new book, Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery, is the first to report that the majority of prostate cancer patients are now forgoing surgery in favor of state-of-the-art radiation therapies. The authors are members of one of the country's premier cancer care teams, the Dattoli Cancer Center & Brachytherapy Institute located in Sarasota, Florida. The most up-to-date and comprehensive guide for patients and their families explains how radioactive "seeds" and "smart beams" have made the scalpel obsolete.

Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) April 4, 2005 -- During the 1990's most prostate cancer patients had their prostates removed by the surgical procedure known as radical prostatectomy. But in more recent years, radical surgery has fallen increasingly out of favor. The majority of prostate cancer patients now avoid the knife by opting for more effective, state-of-the-art radiation therapies.

That trend is reported in a new patient guidebook, Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery: The New Gold Standard Treatment That Can Save Your Life and Lifestyle, coauthored by members of a leading radiation oncology team under the direction Dr. Michael J. Dattoli of Sarasotas Dattoli Cancer Center. Citing the most recent medical studies and Medicare statistics, this is the first book to report that advanced radiation therapy has now replaced radical prostatectomy as the mainstream treatment of choice for most early stage prostate cancer patients. The issues involved are similar to those raised by radical mastectomies for the treatment of breast cancer, which can also be treated by less invasive methods.

According to Dr. Dattoli, one of the pioneers of high tech radiation research in this country, the new 'Gold Standard treatment for prostate cancer is a cutting edge protocol that combines radioactive seed implants (brachytherapy) with advanced external radiation therapy, known as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT).

With one of the highest cure rates in the country and numerous peer-reviewed studies to his credit, Dr. Dattoli explains, The greater than 10-year disease-free survival rate for patients who have completed our brachytherapy protocol is superior to surgical removal of the prostate, with far less risk of complications such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Recent advances in the delivery of high energy photons, ultrasound imaging, and computerized treatment planning have essentially turned the tide against what was previously thought to be a disease most effectively treated by means of radical surgery. In just the past few years, we have seen a revolution in the field."

The director of the Dattoli Cancer Center & Brachytherapy Institute, Don Kaltenbach, himself a 14-year prostate cancer survivor, suggests, With increased awareness, more men are choosing not to go under the knife because they want to avoid the high risk of complications. We now have sophisticated, non-invasive treatments like seed implants and IMRT that have proven more effective in curing the disease, while preserving quality of life for most patients. In recent years some high-profile prostate cancer patients such as Colin Powell and Robert Deniro have had prostatectomies, but more men are now following the example of former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose prostate cancer was successfully treated with seed implants."

In Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery, Dr. Dattoli discusses all the pros and cons of the currently available treatments. He points out, Many surgeons dont inform their patients that even in the best surgical hands there is a great likelihood that a man will be wearing diapers the rest of his life, and he is also very likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, even with Viagra and similar remedies. We now know that in addition to those unwanted side effects, surgical removal of the prostate leaves behind cancer in as many as half of those patients who are characterized as intermediate or high risk. To a large extent, the increasing popularity of brachytherapy and IMRT has been patient-driven, with men doing their homework, joining support groups and searching the Internet. At this time, an overview of prostate cancer care and treatment from a non-surgical perspective is crucial for every patient wishing to receive the highest standard of care."

IMRT is the most advanced form of external radiation therapy, often referred to as 'Smart Beam technology because of its extraordinary ability to direct thousands of precisely targeted radiation 'beamlets into the tumor itself while avoiding healthy surrounding tissue. Dr. Dattoli explains, Our protocol typically combines IMRT with brachytherapy in order to increase the dose and more effectively eradicate the cancer. Even higher risk patients (those with high PSA values and high Gleason scores) have enjoyed a greater than 80% survival rate in our program, while low risk patients have a success rate of more than 90%. As we discuss in our book, we now have every reason to believe that the vast majority of early state prostate cancer patients can be cured without surgery."

Unlike other books on the subject, Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery provides patients with advice from three essential points of view: physician, nurse, and patient-survivor. Drawing on their shared experience, the book is intended to guide patients step-by-step through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Knowing what to expect is one of the keys to beating this disease," says Kaltenbach. We want to prepare patients for the journey ahead, regardless of which particular treatment they may choose for themselves. We want them to be fully informed."

Published by Seneca House Press and the Dattoli Cancer Foundation, Surviving Prostate Cancer Without Surgery: The New Gold Standard Treatment That Can Save Your Life and Lifestyle is available from bookstores and Amazon.com, or by calling the trade distributor, Pathway Book Service at (800) 345-6665.

Paperback. 284 pages. 22 color photographs, index, glossary, resource directory. ISBN: 0-9640088-8-2. Pub date: March 28, 2005.

Additional information can be obtained from the Dattoli Cancer Foundation by calling (800) 915-1001, or by visiting the Web site: http://www.pca-survivingwithoutsurgery.com

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