Prostate Cancer Center Named a "Center of Excellence"

Apr 7, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Urology Times, a leading medical magazine, and the most widely circulated publication among urologists nationwide, has named the prostate cancer program at The University of Kansas Cancer Center one of 13 "Clinical Centers of Excellence" in the country. It is the only prostate cancer center in the state of Kansas or the Kansas City metropolitan area to receive the honor.

The magazine says the rankings were based on many factors, including comments from key opinion leaders and a survey of Urology Times readers. Centers were also judged on patient outcomes, quality improvement initiatives, patient satisfaction, research and referrals. The magazine said the ranking "is designed to provide physicians with a valuable tool when considering where to refer challenging cases."

"Our program has outstanding and innovative physicians, nurses and other key staff who are absolutely committed to using every tool possible to provide the best quality of life for men with prostate cancer. We know we have an array of techniques and technologies to find the right approach to each individual patient's situation," said Dr. Brantley Thrasher MD, the William L. Valk Chair of the Department of Urology, who leads the prostate cancer program.

Dr. Thrasher said the program offers the most advanced methods for the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer, including a combined PET/CT scanner, as well as three very active and federally-funded basic-science research labs in the area of advanced prostate cancer.

The prostate cancer program boasts three fellowship-trained urologists in urologic oncology and robotics. Dr. Thrasher is a national expert in prostate cancer and is one of the only urologic oncologists in the United States performing radical retropubic, radical perineal, and robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy for prostate removal. The perineal approach and the robot-assisted approach have been shown to have less pain and less blood loss. Dr. David Duchene is an expert in robotic prostatectomy and advanced laparoscopy, and is one of only two fellowship-trained robotic physicians in the Kansas City metro area. Dr. Jeffrey Holzbeierlein performs radical retropubic prostatectomies and in cases where the nerves responsible for erections must be removed, he is now performing pioneering, "nerve-graft" surgery, which can increase the likelihood of restoring sexual function in those men who require nerve resection. This nerve-graft surgery is available only at a small number of centers of expertise, of which the University of Kansas Cancer Center is one.

Radiation oncologists in the Prostate Cancer Center offer the latest techniques in radiation including intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and brachytherapy (radioactive seed implantation into the prostate) which are aimed at providing cancer control while minimizing the side effects.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center is transforming cancer research and clinical care by linking an innovative approach to drug discovery, delivery, and development to a nationally-accredited patient care program. The partnership includes cancer research and healthcare professionals associated with the University of Kansas Medical Center and The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, the University of Kansas in Lawrence, the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita, and the members of the Midwest Cancer Alliance Partners Advisory Board and Clinical Trials Network. For more information on The University of Kansas Cancer Center's research and outreach programs and award-winning patient care offered at the Richard and Annette Bloch Cancer Care Pavilion and The University of Kansas Hospital, please visit www.kumed.com/cancer or call 1-800-332-6048.