3 Key Takeaways:
- Immunotherapy is an important tool for treating prostate cancer, and is proving to be beneficial in patients who have failed primary treatments and hormone therapy.
- Immunotherapy is beneficial to patients as it has fewer side effects and can be managed in a more delicate fashion, giving them a better quality of life.
- The Advanced Urology Institute is setting the pace for immunotherapy and is focused on providing the best quality of life for their patients.
The Emergence of Immunotherapy in Urology
“Immunotherapies are coming around,” affirms Dr. Webb McCanse. His tone is optimistic, enthused even. Yet for many dealing with prostate cancer, this revelation sparks hope. As a board-certified urologist based in Largo, FL, Dr. McCanse carries a deep understanding of the challenges that prostate cancer patients face. His optimism about immunotherapy’s potential is indeed promising.
Breaking Ground in Prostate Cancer Treatment
When asked about the application of immunotherapy, Dr. McCanse’s focus is clear. “Where we’re seeing them most right now is generally within prostate cancer.” He explains that these treatments, though still very new, are beginning to make an impact. Initially, immunotherapy was a course of treatment only after other options had been explored and exhausted. Now, its benefits are proving valuable to patients who have failed primary treatment, hormone therapy, and are dealing with metastatic disease.
While in its early stages, the results from immunotherapy, Dr. McCanse asserts, have been “surprisingly good”. “They have moved from utilizing these after they’ve tried chemotherapy… to trying to utilize these before because they have a significantly lower toxicity.”
Immunotherapy: A More Compassionate Approach
But it isn’t just about the impact on the disease. Treatment for prostate cancer has long been a balance between effective disease control and managing the physical and emotional toll the treatments can take on a patient. Here, Dr. Amar J. Raval, a board-certified urologist operating in New Port Richey, FL, and Tampa, FL, sees great promise in immunotherapy.
“Immunotherapy is a huge realm and also for bladder and prostate cancer… Those advantages are very good for the patient,” Dr. Raval articulates. “They have less side effects and can be managed in a more delicate fashion… it prolongs survival by three months, but also gives them a better quality of life. I think that’s key.” By making our focus on the patient and their quality of life, immunotherapy represents a more compassionate approach to urological care.
The Future of Urological Care: Advanced Urology Institute
Immunotherapy is a testament to the progress we’re making in the field of urology. It is a journey of human ingenuity, dedication, and above all, compassion. We’re taking significant steps forward in treatment, and the Advanced Urology Institute is setting the pace.
As the largest urology practice in Florida, the Advanced Urology Institute is at the forefront of this cutting-edge methodology. With experts like Dr. McCanse and Dr. Raval, we are continually pushing the boundaries of urology care. At the Advanced Urology Institute, our aim is to provide the best quality of life for our patients, and the adoption of immunotherapy serves as further testimony to our patient-first approach. From Largo to New Port Richey and Tampa, FL, we are making great strides in urological care, advancing the science and art of urology daily.
References:
- “Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer.” 1 Aug. 2019, https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/treating/vaccine-treatment.html.
- “Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer.” https://www.cancerresearch.org/cancer-types/prostate-cancer.
- “Prostate Cancer – Early-Stage: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment.” https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/prostate-cancer.
Transcription:
Webb McCanse, MD (Board Certified Urologist at Largo, FL):
There’s a lot of immunotherapies that are coming around. Where we’re seeing them the most right now is generally within prostate cancer. Unfortunately they’re still very new and very, not untested, but they’re starting to break out within that. So right now they’re only being utilized in patients who have failed primary treatment and have failed hormone therapy and have metastatic disease.
So far they’ve been actually surprisingly good. So we’re seeing that they have moved from utilizing these after they’ve tried chemotherapy, which is not actually one of our best options for treating prostate cancer, to trying to utilize these before because they have a significantly lower toxicity. So there’s a lot less complications associated with these medicines than we see with chemotherapy especially.
Amar J. Raval, MD (Board Certified Urologist at New Port Richey, FL and Tampa, FL ):
So immunotherapy is a huge realm and also for bladder and prostate cancer. There’s a lot of medications now that can be offered for those with metastatic disease that is not necessarily as toxic as chemotherapy. And those advantages are very good for the patient.
They have less side effects and can be managed in a more delicate fashion. I’m starting to see patients with metastatic prostate cancer and I do offer them immunotherapy for those who have asymptomatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Yeah, I think it is very effective. At the end of the day, the studies have shown that it prolongs survival by three months, but also gives them a better quality of life. I think that’s key.
