(New York, June 1, 2015) – Despite having higher rates of death and lower life expectancy than women, men are half as likely to visit a doctor for an annual physical as women. Mount Sinai is hoping to change this by arming men and the women who love them with tips to stay healthy and live longer.
“We want to change the way men look at annual doctor visits, and give them better reasons to go more often,” said Ash Tewari, Professor and Chair of the Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. “Men need to be aware of the importance of regular medical care, from their general physical and mental health to issues and conditions specific to men.”
Experts Available for Interview• Ash Tewari, MCh, MBBS, Chairman of the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai• Leslie Schlachter, PA-C, Director of the Mount Sinai Men’s Health Program• Natan Bar-Chama, MD, Director of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital• Nihal Mohamed, PhD, Health Behavioral Psychologist in the Department of Urology, Mount Sinai Health System• Art Rastinehad, DO, Director of Focal Therapy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai• Norman Colburn, MD, Expert Urologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai Roosevelt, Instructor of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Patient Available for InterviewJeffrey Markowitz, an attorney and administrative judge, went for a routine blood test in 2014 and learned that he had an elevated PSA, a sign of prostate cancer. Even at the relatively young age of 43, he had known he was at a high risk of the disease. As an African American, his race, combined with a family history, meant he had to be careful. African Americans are more than two times as likely to die from prostate cancer as Caucasians. His doctor referred him to Dr. Ash Tewari, Chair of the Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System, who confirmed the diagnosis of prostate cancer. After eight months of active surveillance, a second biopsy showed the cancer had progressed. Dr. Tewari used robotic surgery to remove Jeffrey’s prostate on April 7, 2015. Almost two months post-surgery, Jeffrey is feeling great and wants to share his story. “I want to help ease the stress of the unknown, the details, like what happens when the catheter is removed. I was terrified of what I assumed would be painful, but the support of my family and care team helped carry me through. I am eager to share my experience to help others.”
Key Focus of Men’s Health Month: Prostate CancerProstate cancer is the second most common cancer among men, and it can be very treatable when detected early. The stage of prostate cancer at diagnosis is the best indicator of survival, which emphasizes the importance of regular health screenings. By understanding the risks and warning signs, men who develop prostate cancer can improve their outcomes.
New Advances• Active Surveillance and Anxiety: A prostate cancer diagnosis does not necessarily call for immediate intervention. In some cases, actively monitoring and keeping an eye on tumors on the prostate is preferable to surgery. However, in many cases, patients who are prescribed an active surveillance regimen develop anxiety because of the disease and opt for surgery. The Department of Urology at the Mount Sinai Health System is studying the psychological aspects of treatment for these patients. Nihal Mohamed, PhD, a health behavioral psychologist, is leading the research.• Fusion Biopsy and Focal Therapy: Fusion-guided biopsy is an imaging technique which combines MRI and ultrasound imaging to better visualize the prostate during procedures. The ability to utilize fusion-guided biopsy will allow doctors at Mount Sinai to use focal therapy, a method of treating only the cancerous areas of the prostate, leaving the rest of the gland unaffected. This precise treatment technique presents a contrast to traditional approaches, where removing the entire prostate leaves patients safe from cancer, but facing profound sexual and urinary side effects. The newly expanded Focal Therapy program will be led by Art Rastinehad, DO, Director of Focal Therapy and Interventional Urologic Oncology and Associate Professor of Urology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Facts• Women are 100 percent more likely to visit the doctor for annual examinations and preventive services than men.• Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death.• Although 115 males are conceived for every 100 females, women outnumber men eight to one by age 100.• 1 in 7 men will develop prostate cancer• Family history is a significant predictor for prostate cancer. A man with a father or brother who has had prostate cancer is twice as likely to develop it himself.
Know Your NumbersMen should see a doctor at least once a year for a physical exam. Keeping track of changes in one’s health and body is the best way to detect problems early, before they become serious. Here are a few important numbers which are checked during a physical:• PSA level: Prostate-specific antigen is a substance produced by the prostate. High PSA levels may indicate prostate cancer, an enlarged prostate, an infection (prostatitis), or another issue or condition.• Cholesterol: High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, two of the top five leading causes of death for men in the United States.• Weight: Being overweight or obese can cause or contribute to a host of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, joint problems and osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and gallstones.• Liver Enzyme Levels: Checked as part of a routine blood test, the presence of elevated numbers of certain liver enzymes can be an early indicator of liver damage or disease.
About the Mount Sinai Health SystemThe Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services—from community‐based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.
The System includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty care physicians, 12‐minority‐owned free‐standing ambulatory surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report.
For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
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