Prostate Cancer and You

The third podcast in this series features Londi Maduro, a film maker in California. Her film The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community explores the myths, fears, and concerns about the disease. It follows several men who are all battling prostate cancer, focusing on how they’re dealing with their diagnoses, what treatment they decided to pursue, and how the disease has affected their lives.

The second podcast in “Disparities, Awareness, and Access to Health Care in the African America community“ features Mark Kennedy from the Boston Public Health Commission and Dr. Jacques Carter from Beth Israel Lahey and a member of the MPCC Medical Advisory Committee as they discuss how government institutions and health care organizations can work together with patients, families and organizations like MPCC to create more favorable outcomes in prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and longevity.

The first in a three-part series on “Disparities, Awareness, and Access to Health Care in the African American Community” features Archie Emmanuel Jr, Lamont Scott, and Brother Al from MOCHA (Men of Color Health Awareness) located in Springfield, Massachusetts. Listen to their own personal stories on the importance of prostate cancer awareness as well as the learning more about the services that MOCHA and its collaborators provide.

Thanks to Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, for joining the MPCC podcast series, Prostate Cancer & You. In this interview. She provides an outstanding overview of ACS and the latest thinking and activities that she and her colleagues are undertaking with regard to prostate cancer.

In this sixth episode, Michael A. DiSpezio discusses Kegels (aka pelvic floor exercises) and their role in regaining urinary continence. Then, he takes a deeper dive into shared decision making, and why it is essential for all patients to be an active part of this critical process. Michael discusses the advantages of focal therapy (not appropriate for all) as he describes several ablation treatments including ultra-cold temperatures and a relatively new therapeutic option known as HIFU. Michael presents the difficulty in predicting disease progression and response to treatment. He concludes the series referencing the statistics that not only illustrate prostate cancer’s high survival rates, but also highlights the advantage to uncovering the cancer before it has spread to distant sites.

In this fifth episode, Michael A. DiSpezio discusses the quality of life and how it changed following radical prostatectomy. Michael explains the basic difference between external beam radiation and the implantation of radioactive seeds, what radiation does, and addresses the side effects associated with this type of treatment. He introduces hormone therapy and how it is sometimes used alongside of radiation treatment as a therapy for returning cancer. Michael concludes this podcast by profiling the importance of support groups and options available.

In this fourth episode, Michael A. DiSpezio addresses the first PSA test following surgery and what that means as far as the tumor’s spread. He then presents the basics of cancer in terms of cells and DNA. Then, Michael discusses the likelihood of a man getting prostate cancer and how this disease disproportionately impacts African American men. In addition, he explains why prostate illnesses are also a concern for transwomen. Next, he addresses the DRE, short for digital rectal exam. Finally, Michael concludes this segment with a critical explanation of Gleason patterns, Gleason score and the Gleason grade groups.

In this third episode, Michael addresses the concept of quality of life and how one’s choice of treatment impacts the future. He profiles his own challenges with post-operative side effects including urinary incontinence, bowel issues, erectile dysfunction and the emotional turmoil associated with treatments. He addresses the surgical pathology report and how the results are interpreted in terms of cancer’s spread and if indicated, further treatment. He concludes this segment addressing challenges in depression and his return to a normal life.

In this second episode, Michael presents the basics of decision making as it pertains to critical choices he faced, including selecting the type of prostate biopsy. He explains what is communicated in a biopsy pathology report. In addition, Michael introduces us to a radical prostatectomy using a robotic-assisted procedure, along with the reported advantages of high-volume surgeons. He concludes this segment addressing bone scans, and their use in uncovering the spread of prostate cancer.

In this first episode, Michael introduces us to his personal journey with prostate cancer. It begins with addressing PSA and the role of this tumor marker in risk assessment for prostate cancer. He discusses active surveillance as a treatment option, family history, symptoms (and in his case, a lack of symptoms), and the need to expand one’s health care team to include a urologist. He concludes this segment with introducing the MRI fusion-guided biopsy.

Mark the 2022 Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with Dr. Michael Lutz, president of the MIU Men’s Health Foundation, and prostate cancer survivor and former Navy pilot, Craig Reiner, as they discuss the current state of diagnosis and treatment as well as the many changes that have taken place in understanding this disease since Prostate Cancer Awareness month was first established in 1999 and designated as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in 2003. Go here for “Flying High.” This podcast is brought to you in part by BlueEarth Diagnostics. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to MPCC board members Allen Snyder and Analesa Baraka who join MPCC Medical Advisory Committee member Dr. Quoc -Dien Trinh in discussing “Shared Decision Making: Then and Now.” This podcast includes an interview with MPCC chairman Allen Snyder who shares his story on being diagnosed with prostate cancer nearly 25 years ago,. He is followed by Dr. Trinh of Brigham and Women’s Prostate Cancer Program who discusses how the Prostate Cancer Workgroup, part of the MDPH Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Control Network, has contributed to the progress and evolution of shared decision making. The podcast concludes with Analesa Baraka, NP, describing the important role of the nurse practitioner in coordinating the decision making of process of men diagnosed with this disease. Thanks also to Blue Earth Diagnostics for its support of this podcast. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Join Dr. Adam Kibel, Clare Tempany, J. Jacques Carter, Richard Babayan, and Glenn Bubley as they reflect on the advances in prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and research since the Jack Colbert Memorial Award was established by MPCC in 2008. The Colbert Award is presented periodically, at the discretion of the MPCC board of directors, to a distinguished individual in the medical community who has significantly advanced the fight to conquer and cure prostate cancer. Dr. Kibel, the 2021 recipient of this award, was recognized at a November reception at the Harvard Club in Boston. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to David Einstein, MD, from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, for discussing “Into the Unknown: How Do We Study Prostate Cancer Treatments, ” For every exciting new therapy, there is a long road of research along which many other strategies have been abandoned. In this podcast, Dr. Einstein outlines the process of identifying new treatment strategies in the lab, “translating” these into clinical trials, and developing them into standard-of-care treatments. Dr. Einstein will explore this topic in more detail on the May 14 virtual symposium, hosted by MPCC. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to Christina Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for discussing “Exercise as Medicine for Prostate Cancer Survivorship.” Persons at risk and diagnosed with prostate cancer are a vulnerable population in need of non-pharmacologic interventions to improve health outcomes. Using an “Exercise as Medicine” approach, intervention studies demonstrate that exercise can improve comorbid conditions and prostate cancer treatment-related side effects. Dr. Dieli-Conwright will explore this topic in more detail on the May 14 virtual symposium, hosted by MPCC. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to Adam Feldman, MD, PH, for discussing “Prostate Cancer Detection: Past, Present and Future.” Dr. Feldman is a urologic oncologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Urology. Director of the Combined Harvard Fellowship Program in Urologic Oncology and Director of Research for the Department of Urology at MGH, he will be presenting on this topic at the May 14 virtual symposium, hosted by MPCC. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to Dr. Marianne Brandon, clinical psychologist and diplomat in sex therapy, for this interview on “Sex and Intimacy after Prostate Cancer,” in which she discusses this topic in the broader context of intimacy and sexuality. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to Dr. Mark Pomerantz, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, for today’s interview. In this podcast he discusses “Genetics and Prostate Cancer” – highlighting recent discoveries and changes in the field of genetics and how they apply to prostate cancer specifically. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Thanks to Lorelei Mucci, ScD, MPH, for this interview discussing “The State of Evidence behind Lifestyle and Diet for Prostate Cancer Patients.” Dr. Mucci is the Director of the Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention Program in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH). This podcast is based on her presentation at the May 15, 2020 MPCC Virtual Symposium. Click here to learn more about the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Welcome to Prostate Cancer & You, a series of podcasts produced by the Massachusetts Prostate Cancer Coalition. Today’s podcast features Dr. Jairam Eswara from St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston discussing “Signs, Symptoms and Treatment Options for Erectile Dysfunction and Male Stress Urinary Incontinence Post Prostate Cancer.”