MDNews - San Antonio

THE URONAV FUSION BIOPSY SYSTEM "Of ten, prostate ca ncer is not sy mptomatic," says Scot t Dahlbeck, MD, PharmD, board-certified radiation oncologist at Aurora Prostate Cancer Center, "and as such it is usually discovered as part of routine screening." If a patient presents with high levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), or a physician finds abnormalities on the prostate during a rectal exam, the provider may order imaging studies or a biopsy. However, the current prostate biopsy standard — transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy — has limitations. "TRUS biopsies can be hard to read," Dr. Dahlbeck explains. "Images are not always clear, so it can be difficult to detect clinically significant abnormalities." Moreover, biopsy needles can miss the tumor entirely. The UroNav Fusion Biopsy System allows providers to fuse real-time ultrasound imaging with MRI images taken prior to the biopsy. This enables providers to navigate the prostate more clearly, potentially finding areas of cancer that did not appear on the TRUS. "UroNav also has an onboard computer, much like a GPS," Dr. Dahlbeck says. "As physicians move the biopsy needle, the computer helps guide the needle to where it needs to be for the biopsy, which greatly improves the accuracy of the procedure." UroNav can be used for most patients who require a biopsy, and it is especially beneficial for those who have high PSA levels but negative prior biopsy results. "There might be different pockets of cancer within the prostate, and UroNav minimizes the number of biopsies necessary in order to find the cancer," Dr. Dahlbeck says. "The MRI thus helps the provider hit all the suspicious spots, which can ultimately affect the therapeutic approach." SPACEOAR HYDROGEL Specialists at Aurora Prostate Cancer Center use image-guided radiation therapy to treat prostate cancer, with less than 5% of patients experiencing significant side effects, says Jui-Lien "Lillian" Chou, MD, Medica l Director and board-certified radiation oncologist at Aurora Prostate Cancer Center. However, even the slight possibility of side effects related to bowel, urinary or sexual function understandably causes concern for patients. To alleviate those fears, Aurora Prostate Cancer Center has introduced the SpaceOAR hydrogel, a water-based polymer that is injected to create space between the prostate and rectum prior to radiation treatment. The space makes the rectum less likely to be exposed to radiation. The water-based gel maintains necessary spacing for roughly three months and is absorbed within approximately six months, according to the manufacturer. " We're the f irst facility in Sa n Antonio to utilize SpaceOAR hydro- gel," Dr. Dahlbeck says. "The injection is performed by our urologists, and it's very similar to a biopsy procedure. It takes five minutes or less to inject the fluid into the space, and patients usually don't notice any side effects or toxicity." Aurora Prostate Cancer Center: E XPERIENCED SPECIALISTS LE VER AGE AN ARR AY OF STATE-OF-THE ART TECHNOLOGIES, DELIVERING ADVANCED, COMPA SSIONATE DIAGNOSIS AND TRE ATMENT SERVICES AT THE AUROR A PROSTATE CANCER CENTER. " Our team provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. That is key to successful patient outcomes." — JUI-LIEN "LILLIAN" CHOU, MD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND BOARD-CERTIFIED RADIATION ONCOLOGIST AT AURORA PROSTATE CANCER CENTER Delivering State-of-the-Art Care to Foster Optimal Outcomes BY HILLARY EAMES STERLING CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Scott Dahlbeck, MD, PharmD, and Jui-Lien "Lillian" Chou, MD 0 6❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y

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