Kenyan Minister of Medical Services, Peter Anyang Nyong’o’ Travels to the U.S. for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Last Saturday, Kenyan Minister of Medical Services Peter Anyang Nyong’o stepped off a plane and onto Kenyan soil to a hero’s welcome. His return marked the end of a nearly year long struggle with prostate cancer. Having been met with the harsh realities of the state of cancer treatment in his own country after he was diagnosed in June of last year, Nyong’o, like many others, turned his search for a prostate cancer remedy to the United States, a decision that international prostate cancer treatment and robotic prostate surgery expert Dr. David B. Samadi wishes more men would mimic.

“The unfortunate reality is that most countries lack the necessary technology and levels of expertise to properly battle prostate cancer. In many cases, patients are subjecting themselves to dated treatments, often being performed with aging equipment. Traveling internationally to the United States for the latest treatments performed by the most experienced surgeons should be the first option in any case where it is possible,” said Dr. Samadi, who has performed over 3,200 successful Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) procedures on patients from across the world.

In light of his experience, Nyong’o is attacking the health care challenges facing his countrymen with a renewed zeal, stating that, “My experience is a wake-up call for us in Kenya to build comprehensive cancer care centers for our own people and the eastern Africa region. I know we can do it by walking the talk.”

A prostate cancer prognosis is not a death sentence

A long time proponent of developing cancer treatment infrastructure in foreign countries, Dr. Samadi echoes Nyong’o’s fears and convictions stating that, “It is a shame for anyone to die of a curable disease like prostate cancer because the resources for treatment are not available to them. Many studies have shown Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy to be both safer and more cost effective than traditional open or laparoscopic procedures.” He goes on to remind potential prostate cancer sufferers that, “A prostate cancer prognosis is not a death sentence. It is entirely treatable and no one has to die from it. Early detection through regular urological checkups combined with cutting edge robotic surgery performed by an experienced surgeon can give the patient over a 96% chance of beating prostate cancer with the possibility of recovering urinary and sexual functions in 12-months or less.”

According to Nyong’o’s personal account of his battle with prostate cancer, he had begun experiencing difficulty urinating and though initial tests ruled out cancer, he was not satisfied. As his annual checkup approached he decided to take initiative and go in for an examination a month ahead of schedule. A biopsy was performed and a prostate cancer diagnosis was confirmed. The cancer had become very aggressive very quickly according to his doctor and action needed to be taken immediately.

Hormone therapy is a good emergency measure to stop the growth of the cancer

“My urologist decided to put me immediately on hormone therapy…hormone therapy is a good emergency measure to stop the growth of the cancer while a more lasting solution is being sought,” recounted Nyong’o in his chronicling of the event.  “…we decided to have a three-month hormone therapy treatment while I was deciding how and where to treat the cancer.”

In support of Nyong’o’s decision, Dr. Samadi said, “Mr. Nyong’o’s decision to act decisively upon recognizing symptoms is what saved his life.  It is also noteworthy that Mr. Nyong’o understood that hormone therapy is only a temporary stop gap and not a long term solution to prostate cancer due to its many complications. It gives me great pleasure that not only did he go beyond the “Watchful Waiting” approach but he also fought his prostate cancer publicly. Hopefully his courage and initiativein dealing with this potentially deadly disease will inspire men of all ages to undergo frequent prostate cancer screenings and seek out experienced surgeons to have robotic assisted surgery performed should they be diagnosed.”

Dr. David Samadi has an international prostate cancer treatment practice where he performs upwards of 20 successful RALP cases every week. His SMART Surgery (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique) has revolutionized prostate cancer treatment and is being adopted in cutting edge health institutions all over the globe, most recently at the Rambam Medical Center in Israel. More information on Dr. Samadi and his revolutionary robotic surgery techniques can be found on his website, www.RoboticOncology.com, which is translated into French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and soon Hebrew, in order to make his expertise accessible to the international community.