As men and their loved ones explore treatment options for prostate cancer, it's encouraging to know that ongoing innovation is shaping the management of this condition as technology advances.

Today, we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Mark Hong, a pioneer of an advanced treatment for men with prostate cancer and/or BPH, known as Transurethral Ultrasound Ablation, or TULSA. It is a minimally invasive MRI-guided procedure that destroys cancerous tissue while minimizing side effects.

We're thrilled to partner with Profound Medical to introduce today's special guest. Dr. Hong is a board-certified urologist at Integrative Urology in Phoenix, Arizona, and a pioneer of MRI-guided TULSA-PRO incision-free surgery for prostate cancer. He completed his urology residency at Harvard Medical Center and earned selection as a national CAPTURE Scholar in prostate cancer. That allowed him to lead projects alongside world-leading scientists from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, San Francisco. He also completed a fellowship in robotic and minimally invasive surgery at George Washington University in Washington, DC. He has published in almost every major international urology journal, having authored publications on topics ranging from prostate cancer detection to healthcare policy.

Dr. Hong joins us today to share more about TULSA-PRO for men with prostate cancer. Having completed over 200 procedures, he has performed more TULSA procedures as an independent urologist, in the absence of a radiologist, than any other urologist in the world. Stay tuned for more!

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. Hong clarifies what the TULSA procedure is

• How the TULSA procedure differs from other technologies, in terms of its delivery, advantages, and outcomes

• Who are the ideal candidates for the TULSA procedure?

• The potential risks associated with the TULSA procedure

• What patients undergoing the TULSA procedure can expect

• How the development of new technologies leads to better outcomes for men with prostate cance

Links:

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You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini-webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Podcast Partner:

Profound Medical

TULSA-PRO: https://tulsaprocedure.com/

There is now a significant opportunity to improve the safety and quality of life outcomes for men requiring treatment for prostate cancer.

Today, we're discussing the Water IV Prostate Cancer trial, an innovative and meaningful clinical trial that is actively enrolling patients to assess how the safety and efficacy of Aquablation therapy compares with radical prostatectomy in men with localized prostate cancer. I'm excited to share my experience as a current investigator for that study and to have Dr. Inderbir Gill, the co-principal investigator from the University of Southern California, join us.

Dr. Gill is the current Chairman and Distinguished Professor of Urology of the University of Southern California Department of Urology. He is also the Founding Executive Director of the USC Institute of Urology.

Stay tuned to learn who qualifies as a candidate to participate in the trial, how the study works, and how you can get involved.

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.

Pertinent disclosure for today's episode – Today's episode is sponsored by PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation, which manufactures and sells the Aquablation system. Dr. Pohlman is also a paid advisor for PROCEPT BioRobotics Corporation.

Show Highlights:

• How the Water IV Prostate Cancer trial compares Aquablation directly with radical prostatectomy

• How the Water IV Prostate Cancer trial is the first prospective, randomized U.S. trial comparing a novel prostate cancer treatment to radical prostatectomy.

• Who qualifies as an eligible participant for the Water IV Prostate Cancer trial?

• The requirements for those participating in the Water IV Prostate Cancer trial

• How the trial randomizes the participants in the trial

• What the study measures as its primary and secondary endpoints

• How recruitment for the trial has exceeded all expectations

• When the early trial results should come out

Links:

WATER IV Prostate Cancer Study webpage: water4pca.com

Contact the study team: [email protected]

Aquablation Therapy website: https://aquablation.com/

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Sign up for the Prostate Health Academy

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini-webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

There is a new treatment option available now that can precisely target prostate lesions with electrical pulses, while helping preserve sexual function and urinary control. Whether you or a loved one has prostate disease, or you are a urologist considering this technology for your practice, you will not want to miss today's discussion on this innovative new option.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so we have a special episode today to kick it off. We are excited to welcome the distinguished urologist, Dr. Spencer Krane, to the Prostate Health Podcast. Dr. Krane is the Chief of Urology at the US Department of Veterans Affairs in New Orleans, Louisiana. He specializes in personalized medicine for patients with urologic malignancies, aiming to use new biomarkers, genomic classifications, epigenetic signatures, and advanced imaging modalities, including MRI-guided prostate biopsies, to offer his patients individualized care that improves cancer outcomes while minimizing therapy side effects.

Dr. Krane has published extensively in urologic journals, and his work was selected to provide guidelines for urologic care. He has 50 peer-reviewed articles in national and international journals and has presented his work internationally, from Chile and Rome to Taiwan, as well as across the United States. We are excited to welcome him today to share his experience with the innovative new NanoKnife system as a treatment option for men with prostate tumors.

It is exciting to see ongoing innovation in the technology we have available for men with prostate tumors. For the appropriate candidates, this minimally invasive option offers precise targeting of the lesion while helping preserve both sexual function and urinary control.

Pertinent disclosure for today's episode – Dr. Krane is a paid consultant for AngioDynamics, Inc., which manufactures and sells the NanoKnife System. The views, information, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of Dr. Krane, and does not necessarily represent those of AngioDynamics, Inc., its affiliates, or subsidiaries.

Show Highlights:

• Dr. Krane reviews the concept of targeted focal therapy and explains what the NanoKnife system is

• Who is an ideal candidate for irreversible electroporation with the NanoKnife system?

• The advantages and features of the NanoKnife system

• Does prostate size or shape limit the candidacy for IRE with the NanoKnife system?

• Would prostate anatomies on the MRI or biopsy exclude a patient from NanoKnife therapy?

• Dr. Krane explains how long it takes to resolve the initial decrease in sexual ability after NanoKnife therapy.

• Why many patients experience improved urinary function in the long term after having NanoKnife therapy

• Dr. Krane clarifies the time it takes to resolve the initial decrease in sexual ability after being treated with NanoKnife therapy.

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd.

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on X and Instagram

Sign up for the Prostate Health Academy

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini-webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Today, our guest is Tom, a 67-year-old retired senior executive who found it challenging to get an accurate diagnosis and find effective treatment for his enlarged prostate. Frustrated by his limited options and with a growing sense of mistrust, he consulted with several providers before realizing he needed the guidance of a prostate health coach.

Tom retired as a senior IT executive with over 40 years of experience leading transformative technology strategies to drive business growth for global organizations. He led global IT initiatives for Fortune 500 companies across various industries, including financial services, retail, media, manufacturing, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

It is hardly surprising that Tom struggled with an enlarged prostate, since 70% of men over the age of 60 suffer from BPH. We are excited to have him on the podcast today to discuss his BPH experience and share how the Prostate Health Academy gave him the tools and confidence he needed to navigate his treatment process.

Stay tuned for more!

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:

• The symptoms Tom had been dealing with

• How his symptoms disrupted his day-to-day life

• Why the symptoms of BPH are abnormal, and you should not accept them as a part of aging

• Why BPH treatment options must be individualized to fit the anatomy and symptoms of each patient

• How the Prostate Health Academy empowered Tom by providing valuable resources and a community of like-minded individuals

• How the Prostate Health Academy helped Tom make an informed decision about his treatment options and find a urologist offering a range of non-invasive BPH treatments

• Tom shares his experience with the financial burden of having unnecessary tests.

• How a prostate health coach helps you navigate the results of your tests and make sense of the findings

• Why Tom opted for Aquablation therapy after finding a doctor who met his needs

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd.

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Sign up for the Prostate Health Academy

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini-webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life, here.

We are delighted to partner with Western Radiation Oncology today, with two of their distinguished radiation oncologists joining us on the Prostate Health Podcast.

LDR (Low Dose Rate) prostate brachytherapy has recently been an underutilized treatment for prostate cancer. However, advancements in modern techniques have demonstrated that LDR brachytherapy, a procedure that can be performed quite easily in an ambulatory surgery center, offers high cure rates with minimal long-term complications, making it a convenient, non-invasive option for men with prostate cancer.

Today, we chat with Dr. Steven Kurtzman and Dr. Ankit Agarwal, two distinguished radiation oncologists working to expand access to LDR brachytherapy by partnering with urologists to establish new programs across the United States.

Drs. Kurtzman and Agarwal are national leaders in targeted real-time intraoperative planned brachytherapy. With over 7,000 implants performed in the past two decades and more than 700 procedures conducted annually, they have managed to preserve this specialized technique despite its limited expansion in recent years. Based primarily in the Bay Area, California, they provide exceptional cancer care while collaborating with urologists, medical oncologists, and prostate cancer specialists across the United States to assist in establishing LDR programs in ambulatory surgery centers nationwide to provide high-quality prostate cancer care.

Tune in to learn more about this promising treatment option!

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:

• Who are the most viable candidates for LDR brachytherapy?

• How the treatments for low, intermediate, and high-risk prostate cancer patients differ

• The benefits of a combination of brachytherapy and external beam radiation for high-risk prostate cancer patients

• How factors like urinary function, bowel function, and prostate size can influence men's eligibility for LDR brachytherapy

• Why prostate size is no longer a limitation for brachytherapy treatment

• How is the LDR brachytherapy procedure performed?

• What can patients expect in terms of recovery and side effects following brachytherapy?

• Post-therapy safety precautions

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Sponsor Links:

Western Radiation Oncology

Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer with Dr. Steven Kurtzman and Dr. Ankit Agarwal on YouTube

Expanding Treatment Options at Ambulatory Surgical Centers: LDR Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer screening is an essential aspect of men's health, and current advancements in testing are making early detection more precise than ever before.

While the PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test has long been the standard, it has limitations and may lead to unnecessary biopsies. The new EpiSwitch PSE test helps differentiate between high and low prostate cancer risks. With an impressive 94% accuracy rate, the EpiSwitch PSE test empowers patients and physicians to make informed decisions.

In this episode, Dr. Garrett Pohlman explores the latest innovations in prostate cancer screening, focusing on the EpiSwitch PSE blood test.

Stay tuned to discover the benefits of the new EpiSwitch PSE test and learn how precision medicine is reshaping prostate cancer management for men.

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:

• What are the limitations of the PSA test?

• How the EpiSwitch PSE test can predict the risk of prostate cancer with 94% accuracy

• How prostate cancer biomarkers help to identify the likelihood of prostate cancer

• How the EpiSwitch PSE test can provide a more accurate assessment of prostate cancer risk

• How the EpiSwitch PSE test can help men avoid unnecessary biopsies

• The clinical applications of the EpiSwitch PSE test and how it can be used alongside a standard PSA test to improve accuracy

• How the EpiSwitch PSE test requires just two milliliters of blood

• How even patients who have undergone recent BPH procedures or are on 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can use the EpiSwitch PSE test

• Why the EpiSwitch PSE test is more accurate than PSA testing

• Why men need to be aware of their PSA numbers and consider additional testing if they have an elevated PSA

Pertinent disclosures for this episode:

Dr. Garrett Pohlman is a Consultant for Oxford BioDynamics

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

We are thrilled to partner with Laborie to bring you this episode of the Prostate Health Podcast.

In Episode 91, we introduced the Optilume® procedure, a cutting-edge new solution for an enlarged prostate, or BPH, that requires no heating, cutting, or permanent implantation. Today, we bring you the story of how Dr. Sijo Parekattil, a leading urologist specializing in cutting-edge treatments for men with BPH, was approached by Vinit, his closest friend, who was struggling with the effects of an enlarged prostate.

Dr. Sijo Parekattil is the Director of Avant Concierge Urology in Winter Garden, Florida, and an Associate Professor of Urology at the University of Central Florida. He was an electrical engineer before undergoing his medical training, and he was fascinated by surgical techniques incorporating technology, robotics, and microsurgery.

Dr. Parekattil completed his urology residency training at Albany Medical Center and dual fellowship training in laparoscopy, robotic surgery, microsurgery, and male infertility at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland. He is among the elite urologists in the United States still positioned at the forefront of new technology, particularly for managing benign prostate enlargement.

We are delighted to have Dr. Parekattil and his close friend, Vinit, joining us on the podcast today and have Vinit share his prostate journey with our listeners. Stay tuned to learn about his experience undergoing the innovative new Optilume® BPH procedure.

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:

• Vinit explains the symptoms he experienced that began to affect his quality of life

• Dr. Parekattil discusses the tests he performed to obtain more information about Vinit 's condition

• Vinit shares his experience of the initial testing

• How they selected a treatment option for Vinit

• What is Optilume® BPH, and how does it work?

• How Vinit ended up becoming Dr. Parekattil's first Optilume®BPH patient

• Vinit shares his experience with the Optilume® BPH procedure

• Vinit describes his recovery after the Optilume® BPH procedure

• Vinit explains how his prostate journey began

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Laborie

​​Optilume® BPH

Avant Concierge Urology

Dr. Sijo J. Parekattil

We are delighted to partner with Cortechs.ai to bring you this episode of the Prostate Health Podcast.

Prostate MRI has become a valuable tool in enhancing the detection, localization, and staging of prostate cancer. However, current protocols come with various challenges, like inconsistent accuracy, a significant rate of missed clinically significant prostate cancers, and considerable variability in how different radiologists interpret the results.

We are thrilled to have Brittany Hunt, the head of Prostate Business Development at Cortechs.ai, joining us on the show today to introduce OnQ Prostate, an innovative new prostate MRI solution.

OnQ Prostate is an FDA-cleared software solution, designed to improve the precision, consistency, and reproducibility of prostate MRI. It will enable more accurate targeting and, ultimately, better treatment outcomes.

Join us as Brittany dives into this groundbreaking new technology, highlighting its advantages for patients and urologists, and explaining how it will help connect patients, referring physicians, and radiologists far more effectively.

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:

• Brittany reviews some of the ongoing limitations of existing prostate MRIs

• Brittany explains what OnQ Prostate is

• How OnQ Prostate makes it much easier for prostate lesions to be seen

• The benefits of OnQ Prostate for urologists and their patients

• How OnQ Prostate works as a software add-on for existing MRI systems

• The multiple advantages of using the OnQ Prostate system for prostate cancer detection

• Why OnQ Prostate will help to bridge the gaps between patients, referring physicians, and radiologists

• How OnQ Prostate will help urologists become more accurate in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitterand Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

OnQ Prostate Website

Brittany Hunt on LinkedIn

Email Brittany Hunt: [email protected]

We are delighted to partner with Procept BioRobotics to bring you this episode of the Prostate Health Podcast.

The primary reason men consult urologists is due to an enlarged prostate.

With June being Men's Health Month, we are thrilled to welcome urologist Dr. Jennifer Lloyd-Harris on the podcast today to discuss Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a significant health issue for men, and we are excited to inform listeners about a groundbreaking water-based technology to bring men relief from their symptoms. We also have Ken, a patient of Dr. Lloyd-Harris, joining us to share his journey with BPH and his experience with the innovative aquablation procedure.

Dr. Lloyd-Harris is a board-certified urologist at the Penn Medicine Urology Center in Philadelphia. She completed her urology residency training at the University of Wisconsin and now manages both benign and malignant urologic conditions. She has received training in minimally invasive surgery and the medical and surgical treatment of urinary problems and benign enlargement of the prostate. Her goal is to provide high-quality, up-to-date, and comprehensive patient-centered urologic care, and she is committed to building meaningful relationships with her patients through communication and passion.

Stay tuned as Dr. Lloyd-Harris shares her insights on BPH and utilizing the aquablation procedure for treating its symptoms.

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. Lloyd-Harris explains what BPH is

• Some of the symptoms men may experience from BPH.

• Complications that could occur in men with an enlarged prostate

• The issues Dr. Lloyd-Harris has seen with some of the initial treatment options for men with BPH

• The factors Dr. Lloyd-Harris takes into account when guiding men with treatment selections for BPH

• Dr. Lloyd-Harris explains how aquablation technology works.

• Dr. Lloyd-Harris shares her initial motivation for utilizing aquablation technology.

• Which men would be considered appropriate candidates for aquablation?

• What men can expect with the aquablation procedure

• Some of the risks that may be associated with the aquablation procedure

• Ken shares his experience with aquablation therapy and explains how he was able to return to work just two weeks after having the procedure done.

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Procept BioRobotics

Penn Medicine Urology Center

Men have many challenges to deal with when battling prostate cancer, including managing the side effects of their treatment.

One common issue men face after a radical prostatectomy is erectile dysfunction. As June is Men's Health Month, we are fortunate to have men's health expert Dr. Helen Bernie joining us today to provide a modern perspective on restoring erectile function post-prostatectomy through penile rehabilitation.

Dr. Bernie is a board-certified and fellowship-trained urologist. She is the Director of Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, the Andrology Fellowship Program Director, and the Assistant Professor of Urology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where she teaches medical students. She is passionate about men's health, cancer survivorship, and fertility preservation, and she treats all aspects of men's health, including male sexual dysfunctions and infertility. Dr. Bernie completed her residency in urology at the University of Rochester Medical Center and did a two-year fellowship in sexual and reproductive medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre and New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical College. She has presented award-winning research on sexual medicine, testosterone replacement, prostate cancer, and male fertility.

Stay tuned as Dr. Bernie shares her expert insights and practical advice on how men can reclaim their sexual health after prostate cancer treatment.

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:

• How prostate removal or prostate cancer may affect men's sexual function

• How often does erectile dysfunction occur after a radical prostatectomy?

• Dr. Bernie shares some of the many options available for men to regain erectile function after a prostatectomy.

• Some of the barriers that exist in instituting penile rehabilitation

• Dr. Bernie shares her current approach to penile rehabilitation.

• Why it is crucial for anyone diagnosed with prostate cancer or experiencing erectile dysfunction to find out what a penile rehabilitation program is and what it involves.

Links:

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram - @gpohlmanmd

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

Join our Facebook group

Follow Dr. Pohlman on Twitter and Instagram

Go to the Prostate Health Academy to sign up.

You can access Dr. Pohlman's free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men's prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Indiana University School of Medicine

Indiana University Andrology Fellowship Program

Indiana University Urology Services