October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, but women need to be vigilant about their breast health all year long. Although breast cancer is a significant risk—one in eight women will get it –early detection saves lives. A cornerstone of breast cancer detection is monthly breast self-exams. By checking your own breasts each month for lumps, you can increase your chances of getting diagnosed early if cancer does occur. If you’re not sure how to perform an exam, ask your doctor for advice. Learn more about breast cancer in this Infographic from Urology Associates, P.C . We provide sexual health and cancer treatment in Nashville, as well as care for a range of other conditions, including urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction, and low libido. At your next appointment, ask your doctor about your breast cancer risk and steps you can take to protect your health. Please share this important information with all of the women in your life to help them take control of their own cancer risks.

Exciting advancements have been made in the field of cancer treatment in recent years. Among them is Provenge. You may already be familiar with chemotherapy and radiation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer and other types of cancer. However, Provenge is different. It’s a type of immunotherapy, which works by harnessing the power of your body’s own immune system to fight advanced prostate cancer.

Provenge is clinically proven to help men with metastatic prostate cancer live longer. And unlike chemotherapy and radiation therapy, men using Provenge have a short course of treatment. One course of Provenge requires only six appointments within a month. Another significant benefit of Provenge is that most of the side effects are mild or moderate. They may include fever, chills, fatigue, and headache.

To find out if this type of cancer treatment is right for you, you can contact Urology Associates, P.C. at (888) 329-7700 and schedule a consultation with a urologist in Nashville. Our practice also offers sophisticated treatment options for erectile dysfunction, kidney stones, and incontinence.

Xofigo (radium-223 dichloride) is a type of cancer treatment that may be appropriate for some men with advanced prostate cancer. Xofigo is an injectable medication that works by binding with the minerals in the bones. This allows the drug to precisely target the delivery of radiation to tumors in the bones. If you’ve been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, consider talking to a urologist about whether Xofigo could be right for you.

Evaluating Whether Xofigo is Right for You

Xofigo isn’t right for every patient with prostate cancer. However, you may be a candidate if you have metastatic castration-resistant cancer that has spread to your bones, but has not spread to other tissues. In other words, good candidates for Xofigo have prostate cancer that has demonstrated resistance to treatment with medical or surgical treatments that are intended to lower testosterone.

Receiving Xofigo Treatments

Xofigo is not available in pill form. It is administered as a slow intravenous injection into a vein at a urology clinic or similar facility. If your doctor recommends that you receive Xofigo, you can expect to go to the clinic once per month for a dosage. You may receive a maximum of six dosages. The total dosage and specific schedule your doctor recommends will depend on factors such as your general health and weight.

Caring for Your Wellness

During your cancer treatment, it’s important to follow your urologist’s instructions carefully. You’ll be informed of the side effects that you may experience and you’ll learn which symptoms warrant a call to the clinic. Because Xofigo is an internal form of radiation , it’s crucial that you exercise caution in keeping your body fluids from coming into contact with anyone else. Patients may also be advised to drink plenty of fluids each day, minimize the risk of infection and bleeding, and maintain strict bathroom hygiene.

Urology Associates, P.C. offers surgical and medical cancer treatment in Nashville, including Xofigo and Provenge for men with advanced prostate cancer. Our urology team is dedicated to providing compassionate, respectful care within a comfortable environment. If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, bladder cancer, erectile dysfunction, or similar conditions, you can give us a call at (888) 329-7700.

It’s perfectly normal for women and men to experience occasional declines in sexual desire. Sometimes, this is due to a physical issue, such as a UTI, or it may have psychological roots. However, some women who consistently have little interest in sex may have female hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). If you believe that you may have HSDD, you can consult a urologist regarding ways of improving your sexual health .

Diagnostic Criteria

First, the urologist will ask you about your symptoms. Women with HSDD have little or no interest in sexual activity, including self-stimulation. However, HSDD is only diagnosed when the individual is also distressed by the lack of sexual desire. In other words, a patient could have a very low sex drive, but not have sexual dysfunction as long as she isn’t bothered by her low libido. There is no specific test that can confirm a diagnosis of HSDD. However, the urologist may perform exams and tests to rule out possible physical causes of a low libido. For example, the doctor might recommend a pelvic exam and blood tests.

Possible Causes

Sexual desire is a complex matter that can be influenced by many factors. Some women may develop HSDD because of sexual health problems, such as pain during intercourse or thinning of the vaginal tissues. Certain diseases can interfere with libido, including diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and neurological conditions.

Treatment Options

If the urologist can identify underlying causes of HSDD , then treating those issues may resolve the problem. The urologist might also recommend hormone therapy or Addyi (flibanserin). Addyi is a libido-boosting drug recently approved by the FDA.

If you feel you may have some form of female sexual dysfunction in Nashville, you can find the help you need at the Women’s Institute for Sexual Health (WISH) at Urology Associates, P.C. Our team of sexual health specialists understands that it can be difficult for women to discuss sexual dysfunction, which is why we’ve made it our mission to provide compassionate care within a supportive and nurturing setting. Take control of your sexual health by calling us today at (888) 329-7700.

The term “robotic surgery” is somewhat of a misnomer because the surgeon, rather than the equipment, is in charge throughout the procedure. With robotic surgery, a urologist can perform complex, minimally invasive procedures. Unlike traditional laparoscopic surgery; however, the urologist also has the benefit of superior 3D visualization and a full range of movement of the surgical instruments.

To hear more about this advancement in urologic surgeries, watch this interview with Dr. Matt Hassan of Urology Associates, P.C. He explains how the technology works and describes some of the conditions he can treat with robot-assisted surgery, including prostate cancer and kidney cancer.

If you have kidney or bladder problems, erectile dysfunction, or similar health issues, you can schedule a consultation with a urologist at Urology Associates, P.C. by calling (888) 329-7700. Our center for sexual health in Nashville features state-of-the-art medical technology for urologic conditions .