Prioritizing Intimacy
“You have cancer.”
No matter the person, that can be tough to hear. And if it is serious enough, surgery or other intensive treatment may be the next focus.
For patients facing a robotic prostatectomy and/or radiation for the treatment of prostate cancer, there is at least one thing incorporated before treatment – a sit down with an intimacy expert.
That proactiveness can make all the difference with outlook and outcome.
“We know prostate cancer will likely have some impact on a patient’s intimacy,” says Stanton Honig, MD, Yale School of Medicine professor of urology, chief of the department’s sexual medicine and reproductive health section, and a Yale Medicine urologist.
Getting out in front of that impact and offering more comprehensive care is the reason behind Yale Urology’s penile rehabilitation program. Knowledge is power, or at the very least, preparation. And the program provides timely education to patients who have prioritized sexual function or fertility.
Treatment Options
“Patients are quite grateful, knowing things up front,” explains Honig. “They may still be afraid of the cancer and what that all means, but there are fewer surprises. My job is to reassure them there are excellent options available to hold on to one’s quality of life, especially when it comes to intimacy.”
Improving our patient’s quality of life is just as important as extending their life.
Isaac Y. Kim, MD, PhD, MBA
Medication may be the right fit for what patients hope to achieve, or, perhaps, a vacuum device procedure that can be utilized after surgery, all with the goal of optimizing intimacy.
“I tell my patients that the good news is, with proper treatment, prostate cancer is quite survivable. That means they will lead a long and healthy life after addressing the cancer,” says Honig’s colleague, Katherine Rotker, MD, Yale School of Medicine assistant professor and Yale Medicine urologist. “This makes discussions about quality of life after cancer treatment important,” continues Rotker.
Important and positive.
Expert Collaboration
“This is the advantage of coming to an academic medical center,” says Isaac Y. Kim, MD, PhD, MBA, who is chair of the Yale School of Medicine Department of Urology, as well as a urologic surgeon who specializes in robotic surgery. He has performed more than 2,300 robot-assisted prostate cancer operations.
“We strategically use the expertise within our department for the benefit of our patients,” Kim emphasizes.
For instance, several Yale Urology faculty members are researching the impact of additional rehabilitation services, including a pilot study surrounding pelvic-floor exercises pre- and post-surgery.
“This is all part of the advanced care we offer. We’re able to collaborate outside the urology department with our colleagues from radiology, oncology, and physical therapy to address the varied needs of our patients with cancer,” says Rotker.
Certainly, there are distinct specialists, but everyone is talking, sharing, and strategizing. The care team is literally that—a team that hands off to one another to provide the best care for every patient.
“More and more patients with cancer are living longer,” says Kim. “Improving our patient’s quality of life is just as important as extending their life.”