Beating Prostate Cancer
Inova Loudoun Hospital Offers Less- Invasive Treatment Options
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| Gregory Schenk, MD, with the da Vinci robot, which is used for minimally invasive prostate surgeries. |
Each year, about one in six men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although most prostate cancers progress slowly and may not need immediate treatment, some types grow and spread quickly. At Inova Loudoun Hospital, the medical team can help you understand your risk and provide the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available.
The Right Solution
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that produces fluid for transporting sperm cells. Although cancer of the prostate may not cause symptoms in its early stages, advanced disease can produce problems or pain with urination; blood in the urine; or pain in the pelvis, back or hip. Depending on your age and health, your physician may recommend active surveillance, which involves monitoring the progression of the disease with blood tests and biopsies to determine the need for future treatment. Treatment options offered at Inova Loudoun Hospital include minimally invasive robotic surgery, radiation therapy and hormone therapy.
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Quick Comeback
When Rick Ricker had a robot-assisted prostatectomy, the 56-year-old technology executive was amazed at how quickly he recovered from the surgery.
“The medical technology is really amazing,” says Ricker. “I was extremely concerned about the side effects and yet I was very pleased that the outcome was as good as it was,” he says. Ricker went home the day after his surgery and, after a week, was relieved to have his catheter removed without the side effect of incontinence. Within two weeks of his surgery he was back to work.
Robotic surgery allows physicians to perform minimally invasive procedures through tiny incisions with the highest level of precision and accuracy. “With the robotic platform, we’re seeing less blood loss during surgery and quicker recuperation compared to traditional open surgery,” says Gregory Schenk, MD, Medical Director of the Inova Loudoun Hospital Robotic Surgery Program. “The known benefits of minimally invasive surgery are achieved without jeopardizing our ability to treat the cancer.”
As for Ricker, he’s back to a busy work schedule and pursuing his passion for racing cars. He’s glad he chose Inova Loudoun Hospital and Dr. Schenk for his prostate cancer treatment. “I could’ve gone to a major institution to have this done, but I felt that our local facility really had the ability to get the job done,” he says. “I was very pleased with the outcome.”
Prostate Cancer Awareness
To learn more about treatments for prostate cancer at Inova Loudoun Hospital, click here.
