Permanent Brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer

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Secretary of the Chief of Department:

Secretariat of the ambulatory service:

The Division of Urology Casa di Cura Ville Turro Milan (San Raffaele Scientific Foundation) was established in 1990 within the Department of Urology of San Raffaele, Milan, as a highly-specialized institute to study, fine-tune and apply advanced and minimally-invasive technologies and procedures of diagnosis and treatment.
In 10 years, the Division, under the Direction of Prof. P. Rigatti and the guide of Responsible Prof. G. Guazzoni, has developed a great degree of competence at national and international level in the study and application of advanced minimally-invasive technologies to treat BPH (laser, hyperthermia, stents), in urinary stones (extracorporeal, endoscopic and percutaneous lithotripsy) for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer (technique of prostatic biopsy and permanent brachytherapy). Great impulse came from laparoscopic surgery after a long training in experimental surgery when our School performed the first European laparoscopic adrenalectomy, the intervention where we have the greatest series in Europe, the first intervention of laparoscopic radical prostactomy and laparoscopic cryoablation of smaller kidney cancer. Base research and the definition of treatment protocols in andrology developed by Prof. F. Montorsi and coworkers also play a central role.
In particular, the treatment aspects of prostate cancer are one of the priorities of this School which is a leading center in the field. Since 1997, interested in the long-term results achieved in some American centers with brachytherapy, Prof. Guazzoni and some members of his team have made several stages abroad (Seattle, Cincinnati, Chicago) and attended many scientific congresses to deepen their knowledge of this method. Under the guide of prestigious tutors (Dr. J. Blasko, Dr. K. Russel, Dr. S. Prestidge, Dr. S. Doggett), the team has introduced this new technique in May 1998 (first European implant with Palladium 103). The wide experience acquired and the recognized quality of the implants has made of our Center a training facility for permanent prostatic brachytherapy (implant techniques, treatment planning, post-planning, result assessment). As of today, 31 national and foreign centers have followed this training. The Center has organized in 1998 the 1st National Workshop on Prostatic Brachytherapy, has codified an original implant technique presented at the XV Congress of the European Association of Urology (EAU) in Brussels in 2000 and has given numerous scientific contributions on the subject during national and international symposia. All this translates into a wide scientific production of our School (publications in magazines and acts of national and international congresses, book chapters, abstracts, scientific videos).
The Division of Ville Turro (Chief of Division Prof. G. Guazzoni) belonging to the Division of Urology of San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Director Prof. P. Rigatti, has one unit with 40 beds (1 bed for sub-intensive therapy) and two operatory rooms where 1497 interventions of major-medium and minor surgery have been performed last year (among them 124 radical retropubic prostatectomies, 14 radical laparoscopic prostatectomies and 42 permament brachytherapies). It also includes a room for extracorporeal urologic lithotripsy (III generation device) where 1580 treatments have been made in the same period. In the ambulatory service of the Division, about 8000 ambulatory visits have been made last year.
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Radiation Oncologists

Born in Milan on 14/1/1961.
Degree in Medicine and Surgery at Universit� degli Studi in Milan with full marks and first-class honors in 1988.
Specialty in Radiation Oncology at Universit� degli Studi in Milan with full marks and first-class honors in 1992.
Since 1988 she is Assistant for the Service of Radiological Chemotherapy of San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan.
She is member of the following scientific associations: Italian Society of Radiation Oncology, European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology ESTRO.
Since 1999 she deals with clinical aspects of prostate brachytherapy at Casa di Cura Ville Turro.

Born in Milan on 26/4/1953.
Degree in Physics in 1976.
Specialized in Physics in Medicine in November 1981.
Since 1982, he is Director of the Service of Physics in Medicine of San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan.
Since 1997 he is member of Physics Committee of European Society for Therapeutic Radiology.
From 1988 to 1993 Contract Professor of Universit� degli Studi in Milan, contract renewed from 1997 to 1999.
Since 2000 Contract Professor of Universit� Vita e Salute San Raffaele.
Author of about 40 articles published in international magazines and of at least as many communications in specialized congresses about Physics of Radiation applied to Radiation Therapy.
He is now Director of an operative unit with 38 coworkers (physicists engineers, experts) covering a wide range of functions: from radioprotection to technological evaluation of appliances, to the implementation of projects and prototypes of accessories to optimize radiotherapy.

Dr.
Barbara Longobardi

Born in Milan on 26/8/1959.
Degree in Physics with Theoretical Specialization in 1984 in Milan.
Specialized in Physics in Medicine in Milan in 1988.
From 1988 to 1995 she is Assistant at the Service of Physics in Medicine of San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan.
From 1995 until now, she is Assistant to the Responsible at the Service of Physics in Medicine of the same institute.
Since 1988 she is member of the professional order of qualified experts 2nd degree.
Since 1998 she deals with the clinical and research aspects of prostate brachytherapy at Casa di Cura Ville Turro San Raffaele attending several congresses and updating courses at national and international level on this issue.

Born in Milan on 8/2/1970.
Degree in Physics with Nuclear Specialization in 1995 in Milan.
Member of the professional order of qualified experts of 2nd Degree since 1997.
Specialized in Physics in Medicine in 1999 in Genoa.
Since 1998 Assistant of the Service of Physics in Medicine at San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan.
Since 1999 Responsible for MRI in the same institute.
She is member of the following scientific associations: Italian Association of Physics in Medicine AIFM, European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology ESTRO.
Since 1998 she deals with the clinical and research aspects of prostate brachytherapy at Casa di Cura Ville Turro San Raffaele, attending several congresses and updating courses at national and international level on this issue.
Since 1999, she acts as a consultant and tutor for several national and international centers for treatment plans and post-planning in the field of permanent prostate brachytherapy.