The field of urology has evolved dramatically over the years with the introduction of amazingly effective, minimally invasive modalities driven by modern research and development.
Dr. Jack Cassell, a renowned urologist with Surgery Center of Mount Dora, wants men to know that the prospect of facing prostate cancer today is not at all like it was in the past. “As recent as a decade ago men had every right to be concerned when they received a positive prostate cancer diagnosis. Too often, impotence and incontinence were the result of radiation or radical procedures. But now, there is absolutely no excuse for not getting screened for prostate cancer – or even becoming overly concerned with a positive diagnosis.”
The reason for Dr. Cassell’s confident and encouraging position is found in the acronym HIFU, or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. The treatment flies against all the preconceptions regarding prostate cancer solutions. Where traditional procedures left patients with erectile dysfunction and severe urinary incontinence, HIFU leaves erectile function intact and no effect on incontinence. And where traditional prostate cancer surgeries are complex and leave men with a lengthy recovery process, HIFU is a one-time, minimally invasive outpatient procedure that has men back on track with their lives the next day.
Dr. Cassell moved to Lake County, Florida, in 1988 after finishing a urologic oncology fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He first discovered HIFU in 2008, when a friend told him about this revolutionary new minimally invasive procedure that avoids the two most common, life-altering side effects resulting from radical surgery and radiation, permanent bladder control problems and erectile dysfunction. HIFU, Dr. Cassell soon learned, deploys focused, high-energy, controlled ultrasound waves to heat and destroy the areas of the prostate gland affected by cancer – without damaging surrounding cells. “I observed HIFU surgeries and instantly embraced the breakthrough technology. The prospect of attaining the same cancer-free results without any of the complications inspired me to make HIFU an integral part of my practice.”We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Orlando Weekly. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Orlando Weekly, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.
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