Prostate/Genitourinary Cancer
Our Genitourinary Cancer Program provides multidisciplinary, subspecialty care in the diagnosis and treatment of genitourinary cancer. The program is one of the most advanced and comprehensive programs of its kind in the nation with specialists in medical oncology, surgery and radiation who meet twice a month to discuss their patients’ cases and plan the best care for them.
Our multidisciplinary care team includes physicians and nurses who have attained the highest credentials in their area of specialty:
- Urologic surgeons perform surgery using the da Vinci® surgical robotic system. All of our urologic surgeons have received advanced training in robotic surgery. As example of their experience, these surgeons were among the earliest adopters of robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in the United States (2003). They have performed the most RARP procedures in Maine, with over 1500 patients who have undergone this procedure.
- Radiation oncologists use the most up-to-date technology in the curative management of prostate and other genitourinary cancers. It is Maine’s largest radiation oncology program that is accredited by the American College of Radiology.
- Medical oncologists who specialize in treating cancer with medication, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy. Our medical oncologists are involved in the management of women and men with newly diagnosed cancers as well as cancers that have reached a more advanced state.
- A Clinical Patient Navigator, an experienced cancer nurse who serves as your advocate and care coordinator.
Genitourinary cancer, also called GU cancer, refers to cancers in the parts of the body that play a role in reproduction, getting rid of waste products in the form of urine, or both. GU cancers include prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers diagnosed at Maine Medical Center Cancer Institute.
Types of cancer treated in the Genitourinary Cancer Program include:
MMC Cancer Institute's Genitourinary Cancer Program offers the region's most comprehensive array of treatment resources, including clinical trials that are testing new approaches to treatment. Among the treatment methods available are:
Medical Oncology
Chemotherapy is any treatment involving the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. It may consist of single drugs or combinations of drugs, and can be administered through a vein or delivered orally in the form of a pill. Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses the body’s immune system to facilitate the killing of cancer cells. It uses materials made either by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function.
Surgery
Surgical options include nerve-sparing procedures for prostate, testicular and bladder cancers; laparoscopy for kidney cancer; and state-of-the-art lower urinary tract reconstruction and organ-sparing approaches for bladder cancer.
Radiation Therapy
Our American College of Radiology (ACR)-accredited program is the only one in Maine. We offer comprehensive and advanced therapeutic options, including high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
Clinical Trials
MMCCI physicians and scientists are continuously looking for better ways to treat patients with cancer. They create research studies involving volunteers, called clinical trials. In fact, every drug that is now FDA-approved was previously tested in clinical trials.
Maine Medical Center's ongoing commitment to the collection and reporting of clinical outcomes data reinforces its unique role both as a community hospital and a regional referral center. The Genitourinary Cancer Program at MMC's Cancer Institute consistently demonstrates clinical outcomes that meet or exceed national benchmarks. Below are Quality of Life measures for men who were treated for prostate cancer.
Learn more about our Quality & Outcomes
|
Age Group |
Avg. Age |
Normal Urinary Function |
Normal Erectile Function |
||
|
Normal urinary function |
Abnormal urinary function |
* RT Alone |
* RT w/ Hormone |
||
| <60 | 56 | 78% (14/18) | 75% (6/8) | 67% (8/12) | 20% (1/5) |
| 60-69 | 64 | 85% (47/55) | 63% (25/40) | 76% (29/38) | 21% (4/19) |
| 70+ | 73 | 89% (50/56) | 67% (29/43) | 61% (14/23) | 8% (1/12) |
* Includes patients treated with High Dose Rate (HDR) internal beam, or Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) external beam, or both.
|
Age Group |
Avg. Age |
Normal Urinary Function |
Normal Erectile Function |
||
|
Bilateral Nerve Sparing |
Unilateral Nerve Sparing |
No Nerve Sparing |
|||
| <60 | 55 | 86% (249/293) | 78% (141/180) | 59% (55/94) | 25% (1/4) |
| 60-69 | 64 | 79% (299/380) | 64% (116/180) | 45% (50/112) | 22% (6/27) |
| 70+ | 71 | 65% (48/77) | 67% (14/24) | 61% (11/25) | 0% (0/7) |
Robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy
Prostate/GU Patient Navigator
Tracy Robbins, R.N., M.S., OCN, CCRP, Genitourinary Patient Navigator
Phone: (207) 396-8439