Confronting the challenge of prostate cancer

Ask your doctor: What’s the best treatment for prostate cancer — radiation, surgery, cryotherapy, active surveillance? The most likely answer will be, “It depends — upon age, overall health, wellness and the stage of the prostate cancer and its location.”

Each patient’s prostate cancer is unique and requires a treatment plan tailored to that patient’s needs and preferences. The more the patient knows about his options, the better prepared he will be to choose the treatment plan that gives him the best outcome.

Under the leadership of Michael Herman, M.D., Director of Urologic Oncology, South Nassau Communities Hospital’s Center for Prostate Health specializes in the range of proven prostate cancer treatment modalities. This includes radiosurgery using the Varian Novalis Tx; robotically assisted, minimally invasive surgery; brachytherapy; cryotherapy; and active surveillance. 

The center’s patient-centered treatment plans are complemented by comprehensive education and counseling services for patients and their primary physicians. The services foster steady communication, resulting in patients’ understanding of the benefits and the stages of the treatment plans they have selected, which is essential to achieving optimal outcomes.

Dr. Herman, a former assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, is at the forefront of the diagnosis and treatment of urologic cancers. He utilizes minimally invasive robotic and laparoscopic surgical technologies to eradicate prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.

Co-author of three book chapters and more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Herman is presently investigating and testing the use of the latest biomarkers and imaging techniques to reduce the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer. This can help reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies while more accurately diagnosing aggressive prostate cancer, thereby leading to improved outcomes for patients. He also utilizes novel genetic testing to determine who is a good candidate for active surveillance, or monitoring, of their cancers.