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Dr. Mariados works closely with other specialists — especially Drs. Welchons and Sekula — to individualize and opti- mize patients' care plans. "If one of my patients is meeting with Dr. Mariados, whose office is right down the ha ll from mine, I'll often stop by to be present for the appointment, and he may do the same when patients meet with me," Dr. Welchons says. "Dr. Mariados and I stay in nearly constant contact to exchange ideas and determine the best plans of treatment for patients." A M P R a d i a t ion O nc olo g y of fer s severa l treatment options for patients with prostate cancer, including brachy- therapy — impla ntation of radioactive seeds in the prostate. Dr. Ma riados is fellowship-tra ined in brachy therapy, a ra rit y for Centra l New York. "To undergo brachytherapy, a patient must be able to tolerate general or spinal anesthesia, and his prostate can't be too large or too small," Dr. Mariados says. "During a one- to two-hour operation, we implant radioactive seeds in the gland using ultrasound guidance and specialized computer planning. Patients return home the same day and may resume normal activities within a week." Other options include external beam radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which ca n deliver ra d iat ion t hat mat ches t he precise shape of a tumor and spares surrounding healthy tissue. "Patients who receive conventional external beam radiation therapy typically follow a nine-week, five-days-per-week schedu le during which they receive treatment for 12 minutes each day and can then go about their normal activities," Dr. Mariados says. "Side effects are quite minimal. Certain patients may be can- didates for a shorter course of treatment that lasts five-and-a-half weeks." For Dr. Welchons, AMP's ability to offer advanced surgery and radiation therapy ma kes the practice Mohawk Va lley 's premier destination for prostate cancer care, and he and his colleagues intend to keep bolstering that reputation. "I came back home to Central New York to take care of the people here," Dr. Welchons says. "At AMP, we want people to receive the same quality of care in this region as they could anywhere else. That's what we deliver." For more information about prostate cancer care and other AMP services, visit www.ampofny.com. n Associated Medical Professionals Locations and Hours SERV ING PATIENTS THROUGHOUT the Central New York region, Associated Medical Professionals has several locations in order to treat patients close to home. Auburn 192 Genesee St. Camillus 5700 West Genesee St. Fayetteville 4211 Medical Center Drive, Suite 211 Fulton 806 West Broadway (Route 3) Liverpool 5100 West Taft Road, Suite 4D New Hartford 2 Ellinwood Drive Oneida 357 Genessee St., Suite 1 Syracuse 1226 East Water St. 1 6 1 6❱❱❱❱❱ S P E C I A L F E A T U R E