Ending the Silence about Prostate Cancer
Long Beach resident discusses treatment options
September 2009 - Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
 

Leslie and Robert celebrate their wedding anniversary in the Bahamas.

ORANGE COUNTY, CA, September 21, 2009 -  September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month—a perfect time to talk about the disease that men aren’t talking about. According to the American Cancer Society, more prostate cancer cases will be diagnosed this year than any other cancer in men. Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer killer among men. It appears to run in families and recent evidence suggests a possible link with some viruses as the cause in some men.  It typically doesn’t always show itself until it has spread to other organs, thus limiting treatment options, so early diagnosis it important to allow successful treatment.  All this and yet men aren’t getting screenings and families aren’t talking about this common but highly treatable cancer.  

Dr. Robert Pugach, Pacific Coast Urology Center Medical Director, thinks men avoid prostate cancer screening exams because they are embarrassed and have misconceptions about the screening process.  In addition, many people know prostate cancer patients who have been treated and suffer from the two common side effects associated with treatment -  incontinence and erectile dysfunction.  Both can cause serious, permanent changes in a man’s daily lifestyle and are frightening.  New, minimally invasive treatment options are changing that,  according to Dr. Pugach.  “Prostate cancer can be a deadly diagnosis, but, if treated early, survival rates approach 90%.  The good news is that we have new, effective technologies for minimally invasive treatments and a much lower potential for complications,” says Dr. Pugach.   

Even though prostate cancer is a deeply personal matter, Robert Aymar, a 58-year-old medical purchasing agent from Long Beach, has decided to speak publicly about his experience with prostate cancer and his decision to be treated with a procedure called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) that currently isn’t available in the United States.

Aymar went in for his routine prostate cancer screening with his family physician, Dr. Julie Ann Sherman.  “I was devastated when I received the diagnosis but I knew I had to act right away,” says Amyar. “Dr. Sherman strongly advised me to immediately schedule my appointment with urologist Dr. Robert Pugach,” he says.

 “I liked Dr. Pugach right away because he spoke to me like I was an intelligent human being.  He explained the pros and cons of all the treatment procedures carefully and thoroughly so I had a good understanding of my options.”  He continued, “during the consultation, Dr. Pugach discussed a new minimally invasive procedure called HIFU and both my wife Leslie and I wanted more information.”  

Dr. Pugach, explained the procedure and his experience of treating prostate cancer patients with HIFU for more than four years. Dr. Pugach also advised Aymar and his wife, Leslie to speak with other patients who had been treated with HIFU.

 “Since the procedure isn’t currently done in the United States, I wanted to speak to other patients who had received this treatment,” says Mrs. Aymar.  Mr. And Mrs. Aymar were pleased to learn about HIFU’s high rate of success, very short recovery time and a dramatically lower rate of side effects like ED and incontinence.  This is possible because “HIFU precisely and accurately targets the tissue to be destroyed without injuring the adjacent tissue,” advises Dr. Pugach. 

On May 5, 2009, after careful research and Dr. Pugach’s treatment recommendation, Aymar scheduled his HIFU procedure in the Bahamas.  Dr. Pugach and the professional HIFU team fly to different locations that meet the high standards set by International HIFU.  “It was the best decision I could have made,” states Aymar. ‘”In fact, the day after the procedure my wife and I went to dinner with Dr. Pugach.”  Aymar is now cancer free and looks forward to romancing his his wife for the next 25 years.  “Many of my patients who are physically and sexually active are now using HIFU as a viable, safe, and effective option,” says Dr. Pugach  

During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Pugach encourages men to get screened for this disease and to become their own best advocates in order to determine the optimal way to treat the cancer and maintain the highest quality of life possible.

The Sonablate^® 500 is not approved for use in the U.S and  remains investigational in the U.S. and is being studied for the treatment of prostate cancer in clinical trials in the U.S. FDA has made no decision as to the safety or efficacy of the Sonablate^®500 for the treatment of prostate cancer.  Visit www.internationalhifu.com