DUARTE, Calif., August 18, 2008 - City of Hope has opened a new Prostate Cancer Survivorship Clinic to address the health issues specific to prostate cancer survivors, including long-term survivorship. The new program is part of the institution’s Center for Cancer Survivorship, which focuses on the long-term heath issues cancer survivors may face associated with treatment. City of Hope maintains the largest prostate cancer program in California, according to data from the Office of Statewide Planning and Development.
“The Prostate Cancer Survivorship Clinic is unique in the nation because it combines both comprehensive, multidisciplinary follow-up care and clinical research to help improve the overall quality of life and long-term survival of all prostate patients,” said Smita Bhatia, M.D., M.P.H., chair of the Department of Population Sciences at City of Hope and director of the Center for Cancer Survivorship.
Prostate cancer is the leading cancer diagnosis in men. An estimated 186,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Standard treatment for prostate cancer can include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, observation and surgery to remove the prostate gland. Prostate cancer survivors may face the physical, psychological and emotional issues from urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunctions, which can be common complications of treatment. Since 2003, City of Hope physicians have performed more robotic-assisted prostatectomies, which offer the potential benefit of reduced side effects and quicker healing, than any other center in the western U.S.
“City of Hope has a large population of prostate patients, and the Prostate Cancer Survivorship Clinic will increase our ability to address all the needs of these survivors,” said Timothy Wilson, M.D., Pauline and Martin Collins Family Chair in Urology, and chief of the Division of Urology and Urologic Oncology, City of Hope.
Patients enrolled in the prostate cancer survivorship clinic are offered a personalized plan based on their treatment history with recommendations for periodic health checks, ongoing monitoring for cancer recurrence and evaluation for any long-term complications from treatment. Patients also receive education on lifestyle choices that may help prevent new health problems, including regular screenings for other cancers. Prostate cancer survivors also have the opportunity to enroll in clinical trials addressing long-term health concerns and quality of life that will help improve follow-up care for all survivors. The Center for Cancer Survivorship collaborates with the patient’s primary health care provider to ensure that their recommended care continues when the patient returns home.
“City of Hope is dedicated to treating the whole patient and not just the disease, which means that programs such as our survivorship clinic are an integral part of the care patients receive for their cancer,” said Robert Figlin, M.D., Arthur and Rosalie Kaplan Professor in Medical Oncology, and interim cancer center director, City of Hope.
The Center for Cancer Survivorship also runs the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Clinic, which addresses the health and developmental issues children may face after treatment of their cancer. Bhatia and Wendy Landier, R.N., M.S.N., clinical director of the Center for Cancer Survivorship, helped establish national guidelines for follow-up care of childhood cancer survivors and is working on guidelines for survivors of adult cancers. More than 11 million survivors in America are currently living cancer free, and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle for these survivors needs to become a critical focus of health care providers.