St. Joseph’s Health Urologists Kick off “No-Shave November” to Raise Awareness of Men’s Health Issues

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— St. Joseph’s Health Urologists, Dr. Angelo DeRosalia, Dr. Elan Salzhauer, Dr. Christopher Pieczonka, Dr. Po Lam, Dr Nedim Ruhotina and Dr. Ilija Aleksic are proudly participating in the annual No-Shave November campaign, a national movement to raise awareness and vital funds for men’s health. This team of AMP Urologists have accepted the challenge to grow facial hair all month long to spark conversations and raise awareness for men’s health.

Several of the surgeons, plus Yuri Pashchuk, Chief Nursing Officer, received clean shaves at the Hall of Fame Barbershop in Syracuse this afternoon, and their progress will be posted weekly on St. Joseph’s Health social media pages.

“In general, women do a much better job than men with regards to preventive health services and cancer screening,” said Angelo R. DeRosalia, Chief of Urology at St. Joseph’s Health. “This is a perfect time of year to speak with your healthcare provider for your routine check-up and cancer screening. Spouses, significant others, daughters, and mothers should take an opportunity to remind their loved ones to go out and see their health care provider.”

No-Shave November is a month-long journey during which participants forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness. Donations to the No-Shave November campaign to raise funds to support men’s health can be made at www.no-shave.org.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed during their lifetime. If it’s detected early and hasn’t spread, prostate cancer has the best chance for successful treatment.

The St. Joseph’s Urologists are sharing their top tips for men’s health, to help in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of prostate and testicular cancers:

Get Checked Out – It sounds simple, but far too few men get screened for these cancers. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men (after skin cancer), and the chance of having prostate cancer increases with age. So, make sure to visit your urologist and talk about what’s best for you.

When should you start getting screened for prostate cancer? The answer depends on multiple factors, including your age and family history. Your doctor will consider many factors before suggesting when to start prostate cancer screening. A Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test will likely be recommended first, around the age of 55. You may need PSA screening between the ages of 40 and 54 if you:

• Have at least one first-degree relative (such as your father or brother) who has had prostate cancer
• Have at least two extended family members who have had prostate cancer
• Are African American, an ethnicity that has a higher risk of developing more aggressive cancers

Most men should be screened between 55 and 69 years old. This is when men are most likely to get cancer and treatment makes the most sense, because treatment benefits outweigh any potential risk of treatment side effects. Most men are screened every two to three years. Depending on the results of your first PSA test, your doctor may recommend you get screened less (or more) frequently.

Gather Family History – Family history affects your level of risk for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, among other illnesses. Talk to your family and take note of illnesses that a direct relative has experienced. Also be sure to learn about relatives that are deceased.

Learn – In addition to talking with your doctor, check out credible information sources like Movember.com to learn more about men’s health, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health.

St. Joseph's Health Hospital has utilized the da Vinci robotic surgical system for many urologic procedures, including prostate cancer, for over 15 years. Our surgeons have worked with a special, robotic-trained surgical team, and have performed hundreds of robotic procedures.

Men (and women) can learn more about these procedures and the services available by visiting www.sjhsyr.org/UrologyServices.

About St. Joseph’s Health

“St. Joseph’s Health is non-profit health care system based in Syracuse, NY. St. Joseph’s has been an innovative leader in health care since our founding in 1869 as the first hospital open to the public in the city of Syracuse. Offering primary, specialty and home care, a Magnet-recognized hospital, and collaboration with community partners, St. Joseph's Health advances the well-being of the communities we serve through an expanding range of services to ensure our patients achieve optimum long-term health. St. Joseph’s is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery and one of America’s 100 Best for Spine Surgery and Coronary Intervention according to Healthgrades. It is ranked by Consumer Reports among the top 15 heart surgery centers in the country, a designated Stroke Center and a U.S. News “Best Regional Hospital.” St. Joseph’s Health is affiliated with St. Joseph’s Physicians, and is a member of Trinity Health.For more information, visit www.sjhsyr.org/legacy.”

About Trinity Health

Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, Catholic health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 115,000 colleagues and nearly 26,000 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 25 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 88 hospitals, 131 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 125 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. Based in Livonia, Michigan, its annual operating revenue is $20.2 billion with $1.2 billion returned to its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs.

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