Patient Education Campaign Urges TEAM Approach (NAPSA)}—Golf legend and prostate cancer survivor Arnold Palmer is speaking out about a TEAM approach for optimal prostate cancer treatment through a new public patients to receive optimal treat- education campaign encouraging men to act quickly and ask the right questions of their physician. The “It’s a TEAM Approach: Prostate Cancer Treatment, Educa- tion, Awareness and Management” campaign aims to educate men about the importanceof involving a team of medical experts in the treatment of prostate cancer and urges men to consult a medical oncologist if their hormone therapy is not working and their prostatespecific antigen (PSA) levels are rising. In a public service announcement, Palmer tells men: “If you’ve been treated for prostate cancer and your PSAlevels arestill rising, it may be time to add a medical oncologist to your health care team.” Palmer’s campaign is being launched during prostate cancer awareness month in coordination with the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s first ever Report to the Nation on Prostate Cancer. One of the key points of the Report stresses the need for a multidisciplinary, or team, approach to treating the condition. “The Report to the Nation emphasizes the importance of all men with prostate cancer having the benefit of a multidisciplinary team, including a radiation oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a The best treatment for prostate cancerinvolves a team of experts. urologist,” notes Leslie Michelson, Vice Chairman & CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Urologists are typically the specialists that initially diagnose ment. It can be particularly important for patients to consult with a medical oncologist if they are on hormonal therapy and their prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels begin to rise again—indicating that their cancer is growing in spite of the hormone treatment. “Medical oncologists are an integral part of the treatment decision process for the majority of cancers and this formula also should be applied to men with prostate cancer,” said Dr. Daniel Petrylak, a biopsy and perform surgery to remove the cancerous prostate, if warranted by the stage of the cancer and other factors. They also commonly administer hormone therapy for patients who have a cancer recurrence following local treatment or are diagnosed with advanced disease. Radiation oncologists administer radiation treatments through a variety of mechanisms and techniques to treat both localized as well as recurrent disease. Medical oncologists commonly employ combination drug therapies known as chemotherapy to treat more ad- medical oncologist at NewYorkPresbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and contributing author to the Report to the Nation. “Together with a urologist and a radiation oncologist, we can determine the best treatment strategy for patients.” Diagnosed during the height of his golf career, Palmer worked with his medical team to ensure he received the treatment that was right for him. Today, he continues to be not only a successful golfer, but also an accomplished business executive, aviator and golf course designer. “If a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, he should do as I did: speak to his team of doctors to determine the best treatment strategy that will increase his cer. Each of these specialists plays a vital role in treating patients with prostate cancer and the coordination of their respective areas of expertise is essential for of questions to ask your doctor, contact the Prostate Cancer Foundation at www.prostatecancerfounda tion.org or 1-800-757-CURE. prostate cancer via a prostate vanced or aggressive prostate can- chances of survival,” adds Palmer. For more information, and list
