Cancer Treatment:
Promoting Advanced Technologies
Benefiting from Robotic-Assisted Prostate Surgery
John Swan has a history of prostate cancer in his family. His grandfather died from it, and his brother was diagnosed in 2005. So in August 2008, when exams confirmed that John was in the very early stages of prostate cancer, he consulted with Dr. Amy Muzaffar, his primary care physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Los Altos Center. Dr. Muzaffar promptly referred John to PAMF urologist Keith Lee and Frank DelaRama, R.N., MSN, the nurse navigator for prostate cancer patients.
"Dr. Lee gave me the choice to wait and see, or have surgery," said John. "With my family history, it made more sense to have the surgery."
A month after his diagnosis, John had a robotic-assisted prostatectomy (prostate removal surgery) performed by Dr. Lee using the daVinci® Surgical System. This highly precise, minimally invasive surgery is ideal for patients whose prostate cancer has not spread to other areas. Compared with traditional open surgery of the prostate, robotic-assisted surgery typically has a far lower risk of complications, fewer side effects and a recovery time that averages two weeks rather than six.
"I spent just one night in the hospital and was back at work quickly," John said. "I was impressed with PAMF's use of leading-edge technology to reduce the medical, financial and personal costs for its patients."
Promoting Support for World-Class
Cancer Care
Bernie Marren is a cancer survivor who is highly motivated to promote access to world-class cancer care on the Peninsula. In 1998, Bernie had colon cancer that later spread to his liver. Today, thanks to prompt treatment and expert coordination of care by his primary care physician of more than 20 years, Dr. Bart Lally, Bernie is cancer-free and is working hard and enjoying life as a grandfather of 10.
In 2008, Bernie became a member of the Philanthropy Leadership Council, a group created to promote long-term support for Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) capital projects and programs in the Los Altos, Mountain View and Sunnyvale areas. Bernie and his fellow Leadership Council members are currently working to raise $12 million by the end of 2010 to help fund a new cancer center at PAMF's proposed Sunnyvale Medical Center. This world-class medical facility on the former site of the Sunnyvale Medical Clinic is currently in the planning stages and will include medical, surgical and radiological services, diagnostic laboratories and a state-of-the-art digital imaging department.
"Cancer is a very complex illness that requires complex treatment," Bernie said. "The people in our community need and deserve a world-class cancer care facility that is close to home."
