3 Key Takeaways:
- Advanced Urology Institute offers the most advanced prostate cancer treatment with a caring and compassionate environment. AUI helps you learn more about the treatment with an overview of radiation therapy.
- Radiation therapy for prostate cancer is an intricate process that involves state-of-the-art technology and knowledgeable staff.
- The treatment process begins with a CT simulation and typically spans between 8-10 weeks depending on the patient’s needs.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it’s crucial to be informed about treatment options. The journey of a patient through prostate cancer treatment, specifically through radiation therapy, is an intricate process. It involves not only state-of-the-art technology but also an empathetic and knowledgeable staff that guide the patients throughout the process.
Bridging Science and Compassion
Martin Tompkins, Practice Manager at Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute, puts it best when he says, “One thing I’m very proud of here at Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute is the fact that we have a great staff and we have a general feeling that this is our purpose and our calling. It’s not just our employment.” This statement embodies the spirit of dedication and commitment that the staff of APCI brings to its work, treating not just the illness but also a person.
The initial consultation includes a tour of the facility, a showcase of the cutting-edge technology being used, and an overview of what happens during the radiation therapy procedure. It’s an effort to answer any questions the patients may have and to alleviate any concerns. According to Tompkins, “educating the patient about what to expect, what’s actually going on while they’re in the room is a big thing that I like to do that helps to ease the patient’s concerns and questions that they have.”
The Journey through Radiation Therapy
A general outline of the treatment process begins with a CT simulation. After about a week spent creating a plan, quality assurance checks ensure everything is in order. The patient then returns for a quick QA session in Florida, where the accuracy of the plan is verified.
The treatment, then, commences on the following day. For a patient who still has a prostate, this process will span about 9 to 10 weeks. For those who have already undergone a prostatectomy, the treatment lasts for 8 weeks with the preparation stage remaining the same – summing up to a 9-week process.
Advanced Urology Institute: The Name to Trust
Every patient’s path through prostate cancer treatment is unique but what remains constant is the need for skilled and compassionate care. Advanced Urology Institute, boasting the largest urology practice in Florida, brings both of these to the table. With an ethos of treating patients as friends, coupled with a meticulously designed course for radiation therapy, the treatment isn’t just about combating cancer—it’s about safeguarding the quality of life.
Remember, you’re not just a patient at Advanced Urology Institute, you’re a friend. And this friendship extends beyond your treatment. From providing the most advanced prostate cancer treatment to creating a comfortable and caring environment, they are there with you every step of the way. Trust Advanced Urology Institute, where science, compassionate care, and life meet.
References:
- “CT Simulation | Central Vermont Medical Center.” https://www.cvmc.org/departments-programs/cancer-care/radiation-oncology/what-expect/ct-simulation.
- “Radical Prostatectomy | Johns Hopkins Medicine.” https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/radical-prostatectomy.
- “Prostate Cancer Treatment | Surgery, Radiation, & Chemotherapy.” https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/treating.html.
Transcription:
Martin Tompkins, Practice Manager at Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute:
One thing I’m very proud of here at Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute is the fact that we have a great staff and we have a general feeling that this is our purpose and our calling. It’s not just our employment. My name is Martin Tompkins, I’m with Advanced Prostate Cancer Institute.
When a patient comes in for a consultation, I get to spend a few minutes with them and showing them the equipment in the room and then also we sit down in my office and I show them a video of actually what is going on while the patient is on the table being treated. So educating the patient about what to expect, what’s actually going on while they’re in the room is a big thing that I like to do that helps to ease the patient’s concerns and questions that they have.
I find that when patients see the technology and when they see the surroundings and what the care that we’ve taken to make sure that their experience is the best that they could have, how much attention that they receive, they’re not just patients, they’re friends. So in general for prostate cancer treatment for a person that has a prostate, they’re basically going to be a 10-week process.
They’re going to have a CT simulation, there’s going to be about a week where we’re making the plan, creating everything, QA-ing the plan, make sure it’s ready to go. The patient will come back for an appointment, we’ll do a quick QA session where we’ll check and make sure that the plan that we’ve made and the match that we do is correct and then we’ll start the treatment usually the next day and the patient will have 9 weeks of treatment.
So we’re looking at a 9-10 week process for a patient with a prostate. For a patient who’s already had a prostatectomy, they’ll have 8 weeks worth of treatment but the CT and the prep time is still going to be the same. So that’s going to be about a 9-week process for a post-prostatectomy patient.
