David Albala, MD, chief of urology, Crouse Hospital, discusses the key advantages of utilizing PSMA-PET screening in clinical practice for patients with prostate cancer.

The sensitivity and specificity of PSMA-PET scans are superior to that of current modalities used to identify prostate cancer, Albala says. These conventional imaging techniques, such as bone scans or CT scans, and the more recently developed fluciclovine (Axumin)-PET/CT scan have all contributed to advancements in this imaging technology.

Ultimately, PSMA-PET scans show promising diagnostic performance, and could completely change the current landscape of prostate cancer imaging. Moving forward, clinicians should aim to understand what this exciting new technology entails and consider how to best incorporate it into their current treatment strategies, Albala concludes.

Videos

David Albala, MD, discusses the key advantages of utilizing PSMA-PET screening in clinical practice for patients with prostate cancer. 

Dr. Albala on the Advantages of PSMA-PET Imaging in Prostate Cancer   

David Albala, MD, urologist and medical director, Associated Medical Professionals, discusses patients with prostate cancer who are best suited to be treated with robotic surgery.

According to Albala, all patients who are surgical candidates for the procedure that they're going to undergo, can be done robotically. If a patient is a candidate for a prostatectomy—whether the procedure is done with a retropubic, perineal, or a robotic approach&mdash;then they can be operated on robotically.

Obese patients can be be treated with robotic surgery with the new 

 system, which includes longer reaches for the instruments, explains Albala. Despite challenges with some of the earlier porotypes of the robot, these procedures are now able to be done with great ease and yield beneficial results for patients. Overall, anything that can be accomplished with an open procedure, he says, can also be done robotically.

Dr. Albala on Patient Selection for Robotic Surgery in Prostate Cancer

David Albala, MD, urologist and medical director, Associated Medical Professionals, discusses the benefits associated with robotic surgery in the treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

For patients undergoing a prostatectomy, Albala says robotic surgery can provide several benefits. Compared with open surgery, a robotic prostatectomy can result in fewer reports of pain and blood loss, as well as shorter hospital stays.

The real benefit, he says, has been the shorter recovery time for patients. In terms of blood loss, the average amount for a robotic prostatectomy is about 150 cubic centimeters, which is quite small compared with an open prostatectomy, in which patients lose approximately 700 to 1000 cubic centimeters.

The efficacy of the procedure and the complication rates are comparable, Albala explains. Overall, robotics really helps these patients in terms of reduced blood loss, length of stay, and catheter drainage time.

Dr. Albala on the Benefits of Robotic Surgery in Prostate Cancer

David Albala, MD, urologist and medical director, Associated Medical Professionals, spoke with 

 about the role and benefits of robotic surgery in prostate cancer during the LUGPA Annual Meeting.

Robotic surgery has a firm implant in urological surgery, especially in oncology, with prostatectomy and cystectomy procedures, Albala says.

The benefits of robotic surgery for patients include a quicker recovery time, less pain, and less blood loss. The complications are also very similar to what is seen in open surgery.

Patients undergoing a prostatectomy via robotic surgery are typically out of the hospital in one week, Albala says.

David Albala, MD

Articles

Dr. Albala on the Advantages of PSMA-PET Imaging in Prostate Cancer

Dr. Albala on Patient Selection for Robotic Surgery in Prostate Cancer

Dr. Albala on the Benefits of Robotic Surgery in Prostate Cancer

Dr. David Albala on The Role of Robotic Surgery in Prostate Cancer