There are several challenges associated with treating prostate cancer, and many of them lie within the potential harms that occur as a result of the therapy, including the effects on urinary control and sexual function. September is Prostate Cancer Month, so we’re excited to kick it off by welcoming cancer expert, Dr. Scott Eggener as our guest. Dr. Eggener is joining us today to talk about targeted focal therapy, a potential cancer treatment option that has fewer side-effects than most traditional cancer therapies. Stay tuned to find out more!

Dr. Scott Eggener is from the University of Chicago Medicine. His area of expertise is in taking care of men who have been diagnosed with prostate, kidney, or testicular cancer, or men who are at risk of being diagnosed with the disease. He is a urologic oncologist, experienced in robotic and open surgery. He is co-director of the University of Chicago Medicine High-Risk and Advanced Prostate Cancer Clinic, a program that provides focused care for men at risk for prostate cancer and those with advanced disease. His research, which has resulted in over 250 publications, exclusively focuses on urologic cancers and primarily focuses on improving the screening and care of men with prostate cancer. You won’t want to miss this interview, so be sure to listen in to find out about targeted focal therapy! 

Disclaimer: The Prostate Health Podcast is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this podcast should be construed as medical advice. By listening to the podcast, no physician-patient relationship has been formed. For more information and counseling, you must contact your personal physician or urologist with questions about your unique situation. 

Show highlights:

• Dr. Eggener describes what focal therapy is.
• Dr. Eggener explains who the best potential candidates are for targeted focal therapy for prostate cancer.
• How the Gleason scoring system grades prostate cancers.
• Some of the different technologies that are currently utilized for focal therapy.
• The methods that Dr. Eggener is currently utilizing to identify the targeted area to treat with targeted therapy.
• The technologies that Dr. Eggener currently prefers to use in his practice for targeted therapy.
• Dr. Eggener explains how he follows up with men after they have undergone targeted focal therapy.
• Some of the potential advantages of focal therapy when comparing it to entire gland treatment, such as prostatectomy or whole gland radiation therapy.
• Some of the risks that Dr. Eggener talks about when counseling his patients about focal therapy.
• What men can expect in terms of recovery after undergoing targeted focal therapy.
• Dr. Eggener discusses whether or not men can have focal therapy and still have other options for treatment if they might need them someday.
• Dr. Eggener explains why he is restrictive about who he offers targeted focal treatment.

Links and resources:

Get your free What To Expect Guide (or find the link here, on our podcast website)  

Join our Facebook group 

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram