Dr. Samadi on importance of PSA screening and quality of life issues

Sadly, I can practically guarantee conflict and disagreement. Since you posted it, and know what a touchy subject the good doc is here, we Moderators will be expecting you to offer this information as such and not use this thread to argue when the inevitable counter-points are made. At the first sign of one from either side, I will lock the thread.

Al others, let's keep it in the support, info, and help category. This particular issue has been discussed and cussed ad nauseum here and no further disagreement is needed. The original poster does have the same right to post information for sharing as anyone else.

I'm not concerned with who the first was. But as mentione din the link, I believe Samadi performed it before Menon. Not that it matters.

I think that ideally everyone would post their experiences, where they got these experience, what went well and what didn't. The more information out there the better. Just think of all the questions that haunted us form the minute we discovered we had cancer and the power patients who have gone through this and docs and surgeons have to alleviate those concerns.

It's like mention of Walsh's book and that other prostate snatchers book. When people here mentioned them I immediately drove to Barnes and Noble and read most of them. It;s information.

Not sure what my status in 5 years has to do with anything. No surgeon, doc is a miracle worker, if they were, they'd be saints, not doctors.

I posted this because it is related to the other two threads that were being discussed. It's good to hear a response from someone like Samadi who is an authority on the topics.

two votes for removal

37! yikes. I'm 40. I have met one 34 year old.

Where would the three of us be in 10-15 years without PSA screening?

I think videos like this and many others need to be circulated as much as much as possible. I knew virtually nothing about prostate cancer the first few weeks after being told I had it. I wish good and reassuring information was available for me then.

I don't want to minimize prostate cancer at all, or my own journey, but it's important to understand how curable it is when caught early and how it can be treated even when not.

It's also important for men to know about how common this disease is. For some reason breast cancer gets a ton of media while prostate cancer not enough.

Good basic info. I liked the question regarding how to deal with a mechanical breakdown. The doc seems like a confident surgeon. It is good to get the info out but I do wonder about how much PC is over-treated. As I was wondering that about my situation I probably waited a year longer than I should have.

Rob

AJ 47 said...
First, the sad reality: This is a business, a PR campaign and believe me when I tell you that the docs look for posts like this knowing they have patients coming their way. So let's not fool ourselves. They have TV interviews, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest because they know that 1 in 6 men will have the disease, and thus they have a pretty good chance of catching a few. Sorry, but it's a fact. I can even say that my experience involved some hype, some lunches, a concierge, and everything else to make me comfortable but yet positioned for me to tell the next guy what to do. So when Menon is mentioned or Samadi is mentioned, they know and hope it will bring them clients. And it's partly because the equipment is so expensive. So, as impressive as it may be to get the return call the next day after an internet intake inquiry, it's business. Pure and simple.


Now, with that being said, each patient will assess the doctor's disposition and reach their own conclusions as to the best "fit." I for one would never use Samadi just because he's not a good fit for my personaility. Yes, Menon this, Woods that, Tewari that, Carter this, Catalona that, Hu this, and all of those aces I missed, but we all make our decisions based on our circumstances, locale, and, yes, recommendations by friends and statements on listservs. Believe me, before I made my decision, I Googled "who is the best prostate surgeon in the world." Or, "who's done the most robotic RP in the world." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what makes people choose or at least interview docs.



I make no bones about posting a particular doc's interview on TV. We're all grown ups and to think that one person's kudos is going to make someone decide to us the doctor demeans the intelligence of those who are here looking for information and by now know that even the best surgeon can't dictate the outcome of this strange disease. So, closing the dialogue by a "shut down" (with people asking it be done), while a threat, should be tempered by an admonishment that "to each his own" and "educate yourselfs."

This wasn't about Samadi. Like you said, any simple query will return results for "elite" surgeons and he's up there. This was about the importance of PSA screenings and how the landscape has changed because of them and early testing. Something I am grateful for. Would have hated to find out at 50 what I found out at 40 if I indeed had it for 10 years already.

The PR issue related to this field ( and all other medical fields for that matter) is a topic which I find tobe very interesting. For some reason it doesn't take off as a topic of discussion however.

These guys have already made enough money to live multiple lives as millionaires. I do not believe it is about the money for any of them. I know that in Samadi's case the guy had a tremendous amount of compassion and empathy for me and other patients of his I have talked with .I was warned by some urologists that choosing a surgeon and not a urologist would mean being forgotten about once the surgery was completed. That was hardly the case for me and I doubt it's the case for any of you that have also chosen surgery.

I'd also guess that the PR and advertising are not driven by the surgeon per se but by the hospitals and centers of excellence they work for. And let's face it, they might be making a profit, but they're saving lives and educating people in the process.

PR is a part of it. There's no way around it anymore. It's a sign of the times and I understand it rubs some the wrong way. I personally think it's great. Here are some examples of PR in this field alone:

www.slideshare.net/floridahospital/marketing-your-robotic-surgery-program-on-the-web

Below is a very interesting article

rccancercenters.com/archives/2402

Drive down a highway in Floria and you'll see dozens of billboards advertising services for prostate cancer.

I turn on CBS radio every morning to hear the traffic report and I always catch a few commercials advertising services for various pc related services.

Even my local urologists who don't have enough traffic too specialize only in one field (prostate cancer) have all kinds of literature in the form of brochures and pamphlets selling their services. They also have websites advertising their services but don't have top notch social media monitoring and registration services behind them. They will soon, however.

By the way, mine wasn't an intake form from a website. I called up directly and spoke to the office manager because I wanted him, and my insurance didn't cover him. I was told that he doesn't turn people away just because of that and that he would never turn away someone with cancer. I ended up paying a fraction of the cost. That was really telling for me. I hope you can appreciate that. I've experienced that a few other times with medical professionals, but it didn't involve surgery. I've also been sent packing a bunch of times because my insurance didn't cover them. In fact, my children lost their doctors when the practice dropped our insurance.

I don't think anyone is trying to convince anyone to use a particular doctor. I think as someone who has experienced the process I would tell anyone to get their PSA screened f they're over 40, have a biopsy if it's high and they don't have an existing baseline to compare it to, and when they choose treatment, whether surgery or radiation, to pick someone who is really really good because experience does matter.

You chose Menon, didn't some of these reasons help you make your choice?

questionaboutit said...
what is the big deal? it is a clearly identified link; don't click on it if you don't care to see it. No one seems to call for censorship of any of the multiple links that promote AS so why the urge to quash this?

We are all dealing with cancer and I would think we can all survive a posted link or a difference of opinion on here.

exactly, we are all dealing with cancer and any of our success stories, no matter what level of success, should be reason to celebrate and share.

I know that one day I might need radiation. I read the stories here of people who have had luck with radiation and they reassure me. Likewise someone looking for any info on surgery probably appreciates the many success stories they get to read here on the procedure.

don't they mean if they discover that it's escaped the capsule? don't they find that out after surgery?

I know I was a wreck for a week waiting to hear my pathology and wondering if I would need radiation.

Now, David, calm down.

We have not had a Samadi plug for at least a few weeks.

Mel

question: no one has ever said or hinted that he is a bad doctor, that's not the issue.

mel, unfortunately, i don't think it has been weeks, drats.

I only saw one post here to delete it. Anyway, he's a fantastic surgeon who is world known for his skill and a wonderful man who really takes care of all his patients.

Pointing out why some would want to delete it would be too obvious and takes away from the only purpose of threads like this which is to help others.

In the video he advocates PSA screening. I know that PSA screening might have made it possible for me to live longer. In the video he discusses quality of life issues which he delivers on, he discusses role of spouses, he discusses the changing landscape in this field. All very important and valid points which make it possible for most of us to catch this early and beat it so that we can hopefully avoid getting advanced prostate cancer. All of us with this disease know that we might pass it down to our children so these new ways of approaching this disease are not only in our own interest.

1 in 6 men get this disease. Why not test them early, keep them informed and give them the opportunity to make a personal and educated decision on how to best handle it for themselves?

Samadi has a great blog that discusses these issues. I certainly won't let one or two people stop me from sharing the information. That's what it is, information.

please specify for HW readers which DAVID this is directed to -Davidg or David (Purgatory) -

I think some of the knee-jerk negative reaction to this posting is in part with the inclusion of Dr. Samadi's name in the topic line - if it had read - "video interview of the importance of PSA screening and quality of life issues." I feel there would be a more civil response - you can chose to look at the clip or not.

thank you
BRONSON

Post Edited (tatt2man) : 4/13/2011 6:44:11 AM (GMT-6)