Real men in gowns?
Yes, real men wear gowns. And we’re not talking about the latest in formalwear. We’re talking about doctor’s office-exam gowns, as in getting an annual checkup.
Most guys don’t plan on going to the doctor unless they’re deathly ill, and maybe not even then. So it’s up to wives, girlfriends, sisters and significant others to make sure he schedules an annual physical with a primary care physician.
Since September is prostate cancer awareness month, remind your guy that you don’t want him to be “The One,” as in the one of every six American men who gets prostate cancer.
Statistics show prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men other than skin cancer. Without early diagnosis, one in 36 will die from the disease. That makes prostate cancer the second-leading cause of cancer death in men behind lung cancer.
To put this into perspective, think about the eighteen most influential men in your life. Three of them have had or will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.
EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES
But there is good news. More than two million American men who have had prostate cancer are still alive today. And do you know why? They were man enough to wear a gown and get screened as part of an annual checkup with their primary care physician.
With early detection through regular screenings, skilled physicians can catch the disease at an early stage when it’s highly treatable.
If there’s a diagnosis of prostate cancer, the good news is treatment options are now better than ever before.
At Scottsdale Healthcare, experienced surgeons are using the daVinci surgical robot for minimally invasive procedures to remove cancerous prostates. Scottsdale Healthcare surgeons were the first in Arizona to use daVinci for prostate surgery, expertise that patients appreciate.
“The benefits of this technique, which has the same cure rate as open incision surgery, are impressive. Hospital stays are generally shorter and patients experience less pain and scarring, shorter recovery time and fewer complications,” says Scottsdale Healthcare urologist Gil Brito, M.D.
ARIZONA'S FIRST WITH DaVINCI
Scottsdale Healthcare acquired Arizona's first daVinci in 2001 and the state’s first daVinci robotic prostatectomy was performed at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center in 2002. There are two daVinicis at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and another at Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital.
Surgery with the daVinci robot requires only a few small dime-size incisions rather than the large abdominal incision made during traditional open surgery. The robot’s pencil-thin, high-tech instruments are inserted through the small incisions into the patient. The surgeon sits at a digital console and views a magnified 3D, high-definition image of the surgical field. As the surgeon makes movements at the console, the robot’s instruments correspond, allowing the surgeon to operate in real time more precisely than standard surgery.
Scottsdale Healthcare offers other minimally invasive options for prostate cancer treatment as well, including the technologically advanced Novalis Shaped Beam Radiotherapy.
With one in every six men facing prostate cancer in their lifetime, why gamble? “Screening and early detection saves lives,” says Scottsdale Healthcare urologist Bernard Gburek, M.D.
Now is the time to schedule a screening exam (or schedule it for your guy) with a primary care physician. If follow-up is needed, many of Arizona’s leading specialists are on staff at Scottsdale Healthcare hospitals.
Time to man up and wear that gown. It’s worth the peace of mind.
Help is just a click or call away. Visit shc.org/mis or call 480-323-3663 for more information.
– Jamie Houston
Photo: Bernard Gburek, M.D., Scottsdale Healthcare urologist
