Florida Hospital Waterman | Waterman Wellness | Winter 2018

6 FHWaterman.com | Winter 2018 Innovative radiation therapy, close to Leading edge At Florida Hospital Waterman Cancer Institute, we have the leading-edge technolo- gies and medical expertise to help our patients through every stage, from diag- nosis to treatment, all in a compassionate, patient- centered environment. We are dedicated to providing the most advanced treat- ment and care available in central Florida. Accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, we offer both radiation oncology and medical oncology. Our team of board-certified surgeons includes the only fellowship- trained surgical oncologist in Lake County. Learn more at FHWatermanCancer.com . “I didn’t have any symptoms and I had no idea I had prostate can- cer,” explains Steven Burnett, of Tavares. “I went for my annual checkup and my prostate screening bloodwork showed a high Gleason score. It was 64 and the healthy range is below 4.” Burnett’s physician immediately sched- uled him for a biopsy, which confirmed their suspicion of prostate cancer. Burnett sought treatment from Florida Hospital Waterman Cancer Institute and radiation oncologist Anudh Jain, MD. “The Gleason score is a measure of how aggressive the prostate cancer is,” Dr. Jain says. “We use this score to assist us with de- veloping a treatment plan for the patient.” The seed that fights cancer Dr. Jain recommended five weeks of radia- tion therapy using the latest TruBeam linear accelerator system followed by high-dose rate brachytherapy, or HDR, a special type of ra- diation seed implant used for prostate cancer. “HDR has the advantage of being a tem- porary implant. We can specifically place the temporary seeds to give off radiation to the prostate gland only,” explains Dr. Jain. “We do the procedure in the morning and patients typically go home the same day with the tem- porary seeds removed.” Depending on the stage and grade of prostate cancer, some patients only require HDR and can be successfully treated with only two treatments. Some patients receive it in combination with external radiation. According to Dr. Jain, “In addition to pro- viding a better outcome in terms of control- ling the cancer, patients are less likely to have complications or urinary side effects so com- mon in previous methods of seed implants.” “My grandchildren came with me to the Cancer Institute open house when they an- nounced the new TruBeam linear accelerator system. They asked some hard questions of Dr. Jain,” says Burnett. “After several weeks of radiation with the TruBeam machine, I was very comfortable going in to the HDR procedure because Dr. Jain had explained it all to me. The seeds were only in there for about an hour and I just had to lay on my back. I went home the same day and I was back to my normal daily routines right away.” Annual wellness exams Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the chance of having prostate cancer goes up with age.“I had skipped my annual physical for a few years,” says Bur- nett. “It was a routine part of the exam that caught my cancer so I highly encourage my friends to ask for a PSA test every year if they don’t already get one as part of their physical.” “Here at Florida Hospital Waterman, we work directly with patients and other special- ists to come up with the best care,” Dr. Jain says. “We have state-of-the-art cancer treat- ment right here, close to home.” home MEN WHO ARE OVER 40 or have a family history of prostate cancer should get an annual PSA test. For a list of cancer treatment options, visit FHWatermanCancer.com . Anudh Jain, MD