Yes ... there’s hope even if the diagnosis is prostate cancer – a condition exclusive only to men. With today’s technology, men need not despair. This became the focus of UMED’s 41st State-of-the-Art Conference -- Prostate Cancer: Innovating Treatments, Prolonging Lives.

Held at Unilab’s Bayanihan Center, this one-day SOA conference began with UMED Director Dr. Elizabeth G. Martinez and UMED Manager Rosemarie B. Reyes welcoming the participants. “It is very important that we look into all available treatment modalities,” Dr. Martinez remarked.

For the course overview, Dr. Michael Leh provided the Asian landscape of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the number 1 cancer diagnosed in men in the western world but not in Asia.

Dr. Dennis G. Lusaya, Associate Professor of Surgery (Urology) at the University of Sto. Tomas and Chief of Urologic Oncology at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Global City, discussed “Issues in Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) and Its Utility.” He provided current information on the use of PSA testing for the evaluation of men at risk for prostate cancer; assistance in pre-treatment staging or risk assessment; post-treatment monitoring, and for guiding management of men who recur after primary or secondary therapy. Dr. Lusaya also described the risks and benefits of early detection including over-detection and treatment.

The topic, “Modalities in the Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer,” was discussed by a panel composed of Dr. Joel Patrick A. Aldana for Robotic Surgery; Dr. Ernesto L. Gerial for Laparoscopic Surgery; Dr. Abelardo M. Prodigalidad for open surgery; Dr. Genlinus D. Yusi for High Intensity Focus Ultrasound (HIFU); and Dr. Ulysses T. Quanico for Brachytherapy. Dr. Dennis P. Serrano was the moderator. This panel discussion provided a comprehensive view of the treatment modalities available for localized prostate cancer in the Philippines including the indications and contraindications, success and failure rates, and the complications of each modality.

Dr. Eduardo R. Gatchalian served as the moderator for the discussion on the “Multimodal Treatment for Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer.” The panellists were Dr. Juan Martin J. Magsanoc for “Image Guided Radiation Therapy + Hormonal Therapy” and Dr. Jesus Benjamin L. Mendoza for “Radical Prostatectomy + Hormonal Therapy.”

Dr. Dennis L. Sacdalan, a Clinical Associate Professor and the Section Head of Medical Oncology of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, lectured on “Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer: New Drugs, New Strategies”. Dr. Jaime SD Songco was the moderator. Dr. Edgardo L. Reyes, the senior consultant in urology of the Department of Surgery and associate professor of the Far Eastern University Medical Center Institute of Medicine.

The 41st State-of-the Art Conference … truly an enlightening day for the urologists.

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