The Prostate Center at Lombardi:
Patient-Centered Care and Translational Research
The new Prostate Center at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is the first multidisciplinary prostate cancer treatment and research center in the nation’s capital. Dedicated to improving quality of life for patients while working to advance the state of the art in cancer treatment, the Prostate Center is led by John Lynch, MD.
Dr. Lynch is Chief of Urology at Georgetown University Hospital. “At Lombardi’s Prostate Center, our goal is to pull teams of experts together to cover all of a patient’s options for treatment,” he said.
Bridging the gap between all departments – from Urology, Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology and Clinical Trials Research – the Prostate Center houses radiologists, oncologists, surgeons, and nurse practitioners solely dedicated to prostate health.
The cross-functional team allows unprecedented access to cutting edge treatment options and clinical trials currently housed in different departments. Working in tandem with the Patient Navigators, this team is the patient’s link to both the clinicians and the research scientists who can optimize their cancer care experience.
In fact, Lombardi is home to one of the first medical oncologists to specialize in prostate cancer. Internationally-recognized genito-urinary cancer expert Nancy Dawson, MD, joined the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2007 as director of clinical research and attending oncologist at the Prostate Center. When she began treating prostate cancer patients in the early 1980s, Dr. Dawson was one of the first oncologists—as opposed to urologists—to specialize in the disease. At Georgetown, she has continued to develop novel approaches to the treatment of prostate cancer, as well as those of the bladder and kidney.
“This is the only clinic in the mid-Atlantic region to offer every treatment modality for prostate cancer – from different forms of surgery and radiation therapy to chemotherapy and hormone therapy,” said Anatoly Dritschilo, MD, interim director of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and a member of the Prostate Center.
A Doctor with Experience
Dr. Lynch has personal experience with the benefits of a multidisciplinary clinic. During his annual physical exam several years ago, he discovered that his prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was elevated. PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. PSA levels in the blood are used as an indicator of prostate health, and elevated levels may indicate cause for concern. However, a high PSA level does not mean that a man has prostate cancer; there are other reasons it may be elevated.
Dr. Lynch was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer and received care from the urologists at Georgetown. He chose to undergo surgery and has been cancer-free since that time.
“My experience is not unique, and it is not lucky,” said Dr. Lynch. “We know that annual screening for prostate cancer saves lives.”
Every September, in honor of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center offers free prostate cancer screening. This year, those screenings will take place on two Saturdays, September 15th and 22nd from 9 am to noon.
Caring for Patients Today and Tomorrow
In addition to providing the most advanced clinical care, the Prostate Center brings together the many individuals at Georgetown University Medical Center who are conducting research on this disease. From basic science studies into the molecular basis of prostate cancer to clinical trials that bring the latest treatments to patients in the clinic, the research at the Prostate Center examines the disease from multiple perspectives.
“Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is a beacon for scientists who share a desire and possess the drive to provide relief from the ravages of cancer – to provide hope and to improve the human condition,” said Dr. Lynch.
Lombardi's scientists are working to discover novel targets for drug development, new risk factors for the disease, and dietary and lifestyle recommendations for preventing prostate cancer.
The process of developing new drugs begins in the laboratory where scientists probe the molecular machinery of a disease. At Lombardi, researchers are discovering key molecules that can be targeted to stop progression – or even cure – prostate cancer. They are also developing new treatments that re-sensitize a tumor to radiation or chemotherapeutics, and provide second and third line treatments when needed.
The Prostate Center is also at the forefront of clinical research. In recent years there has been an explosion in the treatment options available to men diagnosed with prostate cancer. However many of them are still under development through clinical trials. Our physicians at the Prostate Center continue to improve upon the best practices in the field by developing new protocols for the treatment of prostate cancer.
“Translational research – bench to bedside – is the way we move ahead in our quest for the cure for cancer,” explained Dr. Dawson who serves as director of clinical research at the Prostate Center.
Finally, Lombardi is truly looking forward to life after cancer. We know that as we become more advanced in treating the disease, the number of survivors will grow. Prostate cancer survivors may continue to experience treatment-related side effects for months or years following treatment. Researchers at Lombardi are studying this population of men to develop better models of care for those who have completed treatment.
To learn more about Prostate Center and the services it provides, visit our new website at http://lombardi.georgetown.edu/prostate.
