WBLQ AM 1230 Interview with Dr. Joseph Renzulli

May 03, 2021

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May 3, 2021: Dr. Joseph Renzulli appeared on the WBLQ AM 1230 (Westerly, RI) Morning Show and talked about urologic disorders and how robotic surgery will be available at Westerly Hospital via Yale Urology.

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00:00Flying across Nets.
00:09And good morning and welcome
00:10back to the morning show.
00:11It is 7:45 in the morning and Zach.
00:13The temperature on your device.
00:1660 Here say Frank in the
00:18morning and 60 degrees,
00:19and we are at 61 degrees here.
00:22Thank you Zach, and joining us this
00:25morning is Doctor Joe Renzulli.
00:27He is a longtime Rhode Island
00:29urologist assistant professor,
00:30associate professor of urology at Yale,
00:33School of Medicine,
00:34and he takes on a new role recently
00:36appointed as medical Director and
00:38Chief of Urology at Wesley Hospital,
00:41Ann Lawrence and Memorial Hospital
00:43in New London and welcome.
00:47Good morning. Joe
00:50is still with us.
00:52There he is having me
00:54this morning good to have you.
00:56Joni, yes I can hear you.
00:59That's much better, yeah?
01:00So I guess just real quickly for those
01:04people who who don't understand it.
01:06What is the scope of urology?
01:09One of the things that you
01:11are primarily involved with.
01:15Urologist are the surgeons who take
01:18care of both females and males for
01:22problems that could be associated with
01:26the urinary tract or the genital tract,
01:30and that can include benign
01:32things such as kidney stones,
01:35urinary track infections, or it can
01:39include meant answers of the kidneys,
01:42bladder, prostate and that.
01:44Then it even extends beyond that
01:46into infertility problems for men and
01:49****** dysfunction for men and women.
01:51So the the breadth of the field
01:54is quite large.
01:57And has it been a practice
01:58in Wesley up to this point?
02:02Yes, there's been a practice
02:04there for a long time with
02:06Doctor Leddy and Doctor Enquist.
02:09The big change coming in just two
02:11weeks will be the addition of the
02:14ability to provide robotic surgery,
02:17which is the Davinci, Robot,
02:19and majority of the cancer procedures
02:22done these days in urologic surgery are
02:25done with robotic technology and and
02:27to have that advancement in westerly
02:30is a great addition to the community.
02:33They'll also be.
02:35MRI guided prostate biopsy's which
02:37are really cutting edge for how to
02:41diagnose cancers such as prostate
02:43cancer and that technology is all
02:45been purchased and is going to begin
02:48you being used in May of this year,
02:51so this is exciting for westerly
02:54and we're really excited to bring
02:57Yale Urology to Rhode Islanders as
03:00opposed to Rhode Islanders having
03:02to leave the state to get care.
03:05At a world class,
03:07institutions such as Yale,
03:08what are
03:09the most common types of cancers you treat?
03:13The most common in men in his
03:17prostate cancer and then bladder
03:19and kidney cancer follow and those
03:23are about 2/3 men. One third women.
03:29With prostate cancer,
03:30and we often hear hear that.
03:32How prevalent is it and?
03:35And how, how, how treatable is it?
03:41Is so prostate cancer is very prevalent.
03:43It ranges anywhere from one in seven to
03:46one and eight men in their lifetime.
03:49The good news is it ranks among
03:52the highest curable cancers,
03:55especially if it is detected early.
03:58So we're very passionate
04:00about screening for men,
04:02and that includes a blood test called
04:05PSA angusta physical examination
04:07digital rectal examinations.
04:09So it's very easy to be screened and in
04:13studies that have been done worldwide if
04:16you just follow the screening protocol.
04:20Even if you are diagnosed
04:22with prostate cancer,
04:23your chances of dying of prostate
04:25cancer is single digit percentage,
04:28so screening is paramount.
04:31Talk to me a little bit
04:33about the PSA blood test.
04:35When should people get that
04:36and and is that is that given
04:39indefinitely or is there a time when
04:41in fact the PSA is not required?
04:45Sure is, so PSA is a blood
04:48test looking at an enzyme.
04:49We all all men have PSA in their bloodstream.
04:53The test is very sensitive for prostate
04:56cancer, but it's not very specific,
04:58so it's a guide, but it is not an
05:01absolute you know determination,
05:03so we have to use that in conjunction
05:06with other diagnostic tools.
05:08But at age 50 the average
05:10American male should start to
05:12be screened for prostate cancer.
05:14If you're African American or you have
05:16a family history such as a father,
05:19grand Father or brother who
05:21have prostate cancer,
05:22then you should start it.
05:24Age 40 too,
05:25because there could be some genetic
05:28component to it which allows
05:31prostate cancer to develop earlier.
05:33And basically,
05:34if you have an elevated PSA
05:36or an abnormal rectal exam,
05:38then the physician may decide
05:41to either order additional tests
05:43such as the MRI I discussed,
05:45or they may decide biopsy is
05:48warranted and proceed with bias.
05:51Directly and a biopsy is done with an
05:53ultrasound an it's done transrectal.
05:55It takes about 15 minutes and
05:57that will then allow us to gather
06:00tissue from the prostate that the
06:02pathologist can look at under
06:04the microscope and determine if
06:06cancer is present and is there
06:08with the PSA and upper age. Or is
06:12that forever? Usually yes.
06:14So studies have been done and usually
06:18it's recommended that screening is.
06:23That somewhere, but it's.
06:27We lost we
06:27lost. Yeah, it sounds like you're having
06:29some Wi-Fi or Internet problems there.
06:30Could you say that again?
06:33One second. We
06:36heard one second that
06:37we heard OK. Usually
06:39the screening is up to age 70,
06:41sometimes 75, but not much
06:43further than that. Alright.
06:44And why don't we go to break
06:46and we'll be back in just
06:48a couple of minutes.
06:50Alright, this upcoming weather
06:52forecast in Stereo 12 thirty
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07:4012:30 and 103.1 FM weather
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07:42Lots clouds could be a little peekaboo.
07:45Sun rain could arrive by dark
07:47temps in the 50s and 60s.
07:49Rain overnight lows.
07:50About 50 rain tomorrow morning
07:51or gradually dwindle down to
07:53drizzle during the afternoon.
07:54Though in mid 50s Wednesday,
07:56variable clouds 55 to 65.
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10:27Nets.
10:33And good morning and welcome
10:35back to the morning show 7:55
10:37in the morning and Zach
10:38temperature on your device.
10:3961 and we are at 62 here,
10:42and we are talking about prostate
10:44cancer and or prostate cancer
10:47has been been one of them,
10:49with Doctor Joe Renzulli.
10:50He is a urologist.
10:52He see new Regional Medical Director
10:54and chief of Urology at Wesley
10:56Hospital and Lawrence and Memorial.
10:58A couple of quick questions is
11:00are we seeing an increase of
11:02urological issues and also what
11:05are they relative to women,
11:07not just men?
11:09So yes, we're seeing an increase,
11:12and that's really related to the two
11:15things one we're seeing the baby boomer
11:18generation come into a advanced age in
11:21Eurologic malignancies all increase
11:23with advancing age by the decade.
11:26The other thing is.
11:29You know, with bladder cancer,
11:31smoking still is the number
11:34one cause and we know that.
11:37More and more women have begun
11:39smoking over the last 30 or 40 years,
11:42somewhat catching up to the male population.
11:45So we've seen an increase in
11:48bladder cancer amongst women,
11:49which is of concern.
11:51And then when we think of kidney cancer,
11:54it is directly related to
11:57smoking in obesity and certainly.
11:59We do have a obesity epidemic
12:01in this country,
12:03so all of those three cancers
12:05have been on the rise over the
12:07last several decades.
12:09What are the symptoms that
12:10people should be looking for?
12:13Well, that that's the really
12:15important part of this discussion.
12:17There everyone comes in and says, well,
12:19I never had symptoms with prostate cancer,
12:22and even most kidney cancers.
12:24You do not have symptoms.
12:26So if you want to catch these
12:28diseases in their early state,
12:30you're not going to find it with symptoms.
12:33That's why screening becomes so
12:35important for prostate cancer.
12:36With bladder cancer almost 90% or
12:38more patients will present because
12:40they see blood in their urine.
12:42So anyone who sees blood in their urine.
12:45That is a very important sign and should
12:47not be ignored and should be evaluated.
12:50Certainly it doesn't mean
12:51you have bladder cancer.
12:52There are other causes such as
12:54infections and kidney stones that
12:56can cause blood in the urine,
12:57but it is something that should
12:59not be ignored.
13:01Offer prostate cancer knowledge
13:03with his bladder cancer.
13:04Does that does that require surgery
13:06and if not, what are the options?
13:10Yes bladder, so bladder cancer is
13:12detected by performing a scope in the
13:15bladder just very similar to how people
13:17get colonoscopies for colon cancer.
13:19It's done in the office and takes
13:22about 5 minutes to do this procedure.
13:25If there's a bladder cancer identified,
13:27then it is removed,
13:28but it's removed through the urethra,
13:31which is the opening to the bladder,
13:33so it's done with scopes.
13:35So 90% of people would not have to have.
13:40Major surgery to remove bladder cancer.
13:42If you fall into the minority group
13:44where it's a advanced bladder cancer,
13:47which we call muscle invasive bladder cancer,
13:50then those patients have to
13:52have quite extensive surgery to
13:54remove the entire bladder.
13:55But we have the ability to make
13:58new bladders out of intestine
14:00for people an reconnect them,
14:02so this is really advanced surgical
14:04procedures that we do all the time at Yale,
14:08and Fortunately it helps to restore the
14:10quality of life for these patients.
14:13Rather than having to have a
14:15bag to drain urine and such.
14:18Are there non-surgical options?
14:21For bladder cancer,
14:23there's really not non-surgical
14:25options for prostate cancer.
14:27There are men can have radiation
14:29therapy to treat prostate
14:31cancer as opposed to surgery.
14:36Chemotherapy involved with any of that.
14:39So for for these diseases the
14:41primary treatment does not
14:42typically include chemotherapy,
14:44although for advanced
14:45bladder cancer many patients,
14:47the one that I spoke about that
14:50requires the extensive surgery.
14:51Many patients will have chemotherapy
14:53before having that major surgery,
14:55but again, that's the minority of
14:58patients that have bladder cancer,
15:00so most people
15:01will go to their primary care
15:03physician and and don't don't go to
15:06urologist regularly, should they be,
15:09or should they wait for a referral?
15:12And present to their primary care physician.
15:15Getting a referral to urologist.
15:18That's correct, everyone should continue
15:20with their primary care physician.
15:23They should inquire to whether
15:25they are having PSA screening,
15:27because unfortunately there is some.
15:31Controversy and some physicians in the
15:33primary care setting to do not often use
15:37PSA because there's been a controversy,
15:40whether it's as.
15:41As specific as they would like it,
15:44but still right now.
15:46The recommendation is for screening so
15:48the patients should ask for screening
15:50and then it would be carried out,
15:52and then if there's a problem they
15:55will be referred to a urologist.
15:58And once somebody is seeing urologist,
16:00I presume it's as with many of these,
16:03at least a yearly yearly visit.
16:06Typically it's a yearly visit. Yes,
16:08doctor renzulli.
16:09Unfortunately we are at a time.
16:11I want to thank you so much for
16:14being with us this morning.
16:16An important area that
16:17for people to consider,
16:19and I think maybe the biggest
16:20takeaway from this is that people
16:22should make sure that their primary
16:25care physicians are actually
16:26performing the tests that are
16:28necessary to see whether there
16:30is any need to see urologist.
16:32With that. With that Zach.
16:35Tell me what time it is.
16:37Is time for the news?
16:40How?
16:43Thank you very much. Both man Zach.
16:45Appreciate it. It is time for the
16:488:00 o'clock news and stereo.
16:5012:30 and 103.1 FM WBLQ and it's brought
16:52to you by Robbie Task in the crew at
16:56Gerard Nissan located in 184 in Grotten,
16:58Connecticut. W276DF westerly.
17:01This is news from 12:30
17:05WPLQ westerly Stonington.
17:09Let's start off with
17:11Southeastern Connecticut news.
17:1233 Connecticut nursing homes
17:14received notifications on Friday
17:16that their unionized workers are
17:18ready to strike on Friday, May 14th.
17:20If demands are not met for better wages,
17:23benefits and staffing ratios,
17:25more than 3400 workers are
17:27employed at the affected homes,
17:29which are owned by the chains.
17:31Genesis health care I care Health Network,
17:34Regal care and Autumn Lake healthcare.
17:37A total of 51 nursing home contracts have
17:40expired in Connecticut as of March 15th.
17:43And workers at the remaining facilities
17:45could potentially issues strike
17:47notices as well as in the coming days.
17:49A norwhich woman has been arrested
17:51on assault and other charges.
17:53Police say that 27 year old Lens con
17:56of Gifford St had a warrant out for an
17:59incident that happened last 4th of July,
18:02according to police reports.
18:03Khan was involved in a verbal altercation
18:05with the victim that turned physical
18:08and Khan allegedly cut the victims.
18:10Armed with a knife.
18:11Police also learned she had an
18:13outstanding warrant in Meridon,
18:15Connecticut.
18:15For violation of probation,
18:17she's being held on a $50,000 bond for the
18:21assault and a $60,000 bond for the warrant.
18:25There is a Westerly town
18:26council meeting this evening.
18:28Brian Sullivan will be back here
18:30at the studio to run the board.
18:32As we listen to the Westerly
18:34Town Council at 5:30,
18:35you can catch it right here on WBLQA.
18:38Formal inauguration was held for
18:40Lieutenant Governor Sabina mottos.
18:41Yes, it happened on another Sunday.
18:43Same thing was for Dan McKee,
18:45who was inaugurated as
18:46our Rhode Island governor.
18:48Now,
18:48Machos is Rhode Island,
18:5070th Lieutenant
18:50governor. I will work every day.
18:53To make sure everyone
18:55has the same opportunity.
18:57That allowed me to stand
19:00here on the steps today.
19:02And I ask you to join me
19:04in the hard work that
19:06lies ahead now. If you remember,
19:08she was handpicked by Governor Dan McKee and
19:11unanimously confirmed by the state Senate,
19:13and she was officially sworn in at a
19:16private ceremony back on May on April 14th.
19:19Now the town of Westerly already plans
19:21on doing an aerial application of
19:23mosquito larvicide this week on Chapman.
19:26Swamp spraying is scheduled to take place
19:28across 500 acres of the swamp tomorrow,
19:31May 4th between 8:00 in the morning.
19:34And two in the afternoon.
19:35So if it rains they're going to do
19:38the aerial spraying the closest day
19:40after May 4th that it does not rain.
19:43WQ News Time is 804,
19:44four minutes after 8:00 o'clock.
19:46This NEWS UPDATE brought you
19:48by Gerard Nissan Route 184
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