Key Takeaways:
- Radiation therapy for prostate cancer typically requires 45 sessions, each lasting 10 minutes.
- Advanced Urology Institute provides a supportive environment for patients going through radiation therapy, including support groups and shared experiences.
- Advanced Urology Institute is dedicated to delivering the best possible treatment and creating a positive experience for patients.
Introduction
If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, chances are, you might have considered radiation therapy as a treatment option. Undoubtedly, undergoing radiation therapy can be overwhelming for some, especially when considering that it may involve multiple sessions. In this article, we break down what to expect from radiation therapy for prostate cancer, drawing from valuable insights shared by Martin Tompkins from Advanced Urology Institute, Florida’s largest urology practice.
The Duration of Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
As Tompkins explains, “The first day when I meet with the patients, they meet with a physician, they’re learning about radiation therapy and what to expect, and they hear that they may have to come for 45 treatments.” While the number of sessions might seem daunting at first, it is essential to note that each appointment lasts only 10 minutes. As Tompkins points out, “Sometimes the patient drives a lot longer than they would actually be here in parking and waiting for their appointment and leaving.”
While the number of sessions can vary depending on the individual’s needs and the stages of their prostate cancer, a typical course of radiation therapy may indeed involve 45 sessions.
The Supportive Environment at Advanced Urology Institute
Undergoing radiation therapy requires not only top-notch medical care but also a supportive environment to help patients through the process. At Advanced Urology Institute, the staff takes pride in their purpose-driven approach to patient care. Tompkins says, “We have a general feeling that this is our purpose and our calling. It’s not just our employment.”
The highly skilled team at Advanced Urology Institute is committed to understanding each patient’s unique background, addressing their concerns, and providing education and guidance throughout the treatment journey. Their goal is not only to deliver the most accurate and competent treatment but also to create a positive experience for patients. As one therapist tells patients, “The first day you’re a guest and after that, you’re family.”
Support Groups and Shared Experiences
Advanced Urology Institute’s commitment to patient care extends beyond the treatment itself. They offer support group meetings once a month, attended by both survivors and their significant others. Tompkins highlights the importance of these gatherings: “They come back sometimes to see other patients, sometimes to see some of the staff, and then sometimes to learn something about a topic, whatever the support group is about.”
Being a prostate cancer specialty center, Advanced Urology Institute also offers patients the opportunity to interact with others going through similar experiences. As Tompkins notes, “When they come to the waiting room, they’re in the waiting room with other people, men who look just like them.”
Choose Advanced Urology Institute for Your Prostate Cancer Treatment
In conclusion, radiation therapy may indeed require multiple sessions, but with the right support and care, it can become a manageable and effective prostate cancer treatment option. At Advanced Urology Institute, you will find a team of dedicated professionals who not only provide the best possible treatment but also create a nurturing and supportive environment. Choose Advanced Urology Institute for your prostate cancer treatment and become part of their ever-growing family.
References:
- CDC. (2022). What is Prostate Cancer? Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/prostate/basic_info/what-is-prostate-cancer.htm
2. NHS. (2021). Prostate Cancer Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/treatment/
3. National Cancer Institute. (2020). Prostate Cancer Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/patient/prostate-treatment-pdq
4. American Cancer Society. (2022). Treating Prostate Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/treating.html
Transcription:
The first day when I meet with the patients, they meet with a physician, they’re learning
about radiation therapy and what to expect, and they hear that they may have to come for
45 treatments, they’re kind of, you know, I wouldn’t say shell-shocked, but they’re
kind of surprised, gosh, I have to come 45 times to get this treatment done.
And of course, those appointment times are only 10 minutes each time, so it is a short
period of time.
Sometimes the patient drives a lot longer than they would actually be here in parking
and waiting for their appointment and leaving, and that’s just the nature of the beast.
It is what it is.
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.
And so we understand and realize that there’s different types of people who come from different
types of backgrounds and walks of life and things that that is, but we want to make sure
that we take the same fundamental steps each time to show the respect and the privacy and
the understanding, the knowledge and the education, educating the patient to help them to understand at their level, whatever it may be, that we’re here to give them the best treatment that they could get.
We not only want to give you the most accurate, professional and competent treatment, but
we want to make it the experience.
So this is just a bump in the road.
We have a therapist that tells the patients, you know, the first day you’re a guest and
after that you’re family.
So we have a support group meeting that meets once a month, and we have a lot of alumni,
I guess you could say, or survivors that come with their spouses or significant others and
come back sometimes to see other patients, sometimes to see some of the staff, and then
sometimes to learn something about a topic, whatever the support group is about.
Because we are a prostate specialty center, one of the benefits to the patients is, and
their spouses or significant others, is when they come to the waiting room, they’re in
the waiting room with other people, men who look just like them.
