Firefighter Takes Action to Extinguish His Cancer

Four years ago, when firefighter/paramedic Dwan Starks had a prostate exam, his high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score signaled that something might be wrong. Given his family history of prostate cancer, Starks’ urologist closely monitored his PSA level over the next few years. So last year, when his PSA rose even further, his doctor ordered a biopsy. Starks, 49, was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the prostate. In true firefighter mode, Starks took action.

“When my doctor told me what my options were, I chose to have robotic surgery and I wanted to have it done as soon as possible,” says Starks.

No Cause for Alarm

Last January, Starks went to see Jonathan Mobley, MD, a minimally invasive urologist at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, named a high performer in the specialty of urology in the U.S. News & World Report annual list of hospital rankings. Dr. Mobley performed a robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, which completely removed the cancer.

“Traditionally, 15 years ago, these procedures were done through an open 6-inch incision,” says Dr. Mobley. “By performing the procedure through minimally invasive techniques, the patient has five small incisions, less pain, a shorter hospital course, and at a lower risk for requiring a blood transfusion.”

Dr. Mobley prefers robotic-assisted surgery to open surgery because the advanced system gives him increased visual magnification and the precision he needs to spare nerves that affect urinary and sexual function.

In the Safe Zone

Within two days after surgery, Starks was able to return home. He has looked forward to rejoining the ladder company and swinging back into action.

Unequaled Precision

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in American men. It occurs when malignant cells form in the prostate, a walnut-size gland located in the male reproductive system that produces fluid in semen. Prostate cancer often progresses slowly, but certain types may be more aggressive, requiring treatment.

Today, four out of five surgeries for prostate cancer are performed using robotic surgery. During a robotic prostatectomy, the surgeon removes the prostate gland and some of the surrounding tissue. With its magnified 3-D high-definition visualization and wristed instruments that precisely bend and rotate, the system enhances the surgeon’s precision and control.