Karim Touijer, Mike DeBenedictis' surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, specializes in the use of laparoscopic surgical techniques for the treatment of prostate, kidney, bladder, testicular, and adrenal cancers. Last year, he and his fellow surgeons performed approximately 400 laparoscopic prostatectomies at the Center.
Dr. Touijer remembers Mike arriving at Memorial Sloan-Kettering filled with worry but determined to have his disease treated. "Although Mike was very anxious about his outcome, he was determined about his choice of treatment -- he wanted to have his cancer treated surgically," Dr. Touijer says. Fortunately, Mike's cancer was clinically localized, without any evidence of spread, or metastasis, to distant sites in the body, which meant that surgery was an option.
In advance of the procedure, Mike and his family attended all the preoperative teaching sessions and read all the instructional materials that are provided in the clinic to help patients prepare for treatment. "This process eased his anxiety because he knew what to expect every step of the way," Dr. Touijer explains. "Mike was diligent about doing everything that was asked of him to maximize recovery."
The surgery was a success, and Dr. Touijer is happy to note that Mike is currently cancer free and has fully recovered his pre-surgery quality of life.
When asked about Mike's chances for long-term recovery, Dr. Touijer is optimistic, saying, "Mike has been free of cancer for nearly three years after surgery and his chances continue to improve with time."
Dr. Touijer feels privileged to have been an instrument in Mike's recovery and blessed to have been part of Mike's journey in fighting his cancer. "I am just one of the many professionals at Memorial Sloan-Kettering whose mission is to give all of our patients every possible chance to beat their cancer and preserve their quality of life to the greatest extent," he says.
