Both of Scott Chantos’ parents died of cancer, and his grandfather died of prostate cancer. So, when Scott was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the 57-year-old wasn’t going to take any chances. He was determined to find the best course of treatment, with the best medical team at the best hospital.
Extensive research led him to Hoag and to Jeffrey C. Bassett, M.D., M.P.H., who specializes in urologic cancers. In Dr. Bassett, Scott found a compassionate expert.
“A lot of doctors just want to give you the facts, and it’s like they’re hitting you over the head with a sledgehammer,” he said. “For me, I knew cancer is serious business. It’s taken the life of both my parents, but to be able to talk to someone who can talk to you like a human being, it makes you feel more relaxed and calmer. You can focus on what is happening and what the options are.”
To Scott, having a clearly defined game plan was important. He had done his research and knew he wanted to undergo a robotic prostatectomy, a high-tech, minimally invasive robotic surgery to remove the prostate.
Dr. Bassett is one of only a handful of surgeons in the United States trained to perform a single port surgery on the da Vinci SP robotic surgical system using a non-traditional approach known as Retzius-sparing prostatectomy, which keeps the support structures holding the bladder and urethra intact.
The single port radical prostatectomy removes the entire prostate through a single incision in the abdomen, leading to a faster recovery time. And the Retzius sparing approach leads to better continence and sexual function outcomes.
In 2020, Hoag became the first hospital in Southern California to utilize single port robotic-assisted surgery. The program, which is generously funded through philanthropy, remains one of the few hospitals in the world to have access to the cutting-edge technology. Hoag recently hit another robotic surgery milestone, having performed its 100th SP robotic-assisted surgery.
“It was clear that he knew what he was doing and was getting positive feedback from his patients,” Scott said. “He was so understanding and caring. Dr. Bassett took this approach to surgery not because it’s cool, but because he got better results.”
Following the surgery, Scott has not had issues with incontinence or sexual dysfunction. He’s back to normal, and – more importantly – tests indicate that he’s cancer-free.
“The stars aligned, and I found the right surgeon for me who was sensitive to what I was about to undertake as a human being, as a man.”
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