PITTSBURGH -- A doctor with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Department of Urology has achieved a rare milestone.
According to a news release from the hospital, Dr. Joel Nelson has now performed 2000 prostate cancer surgeries, a claim shared by only a handful of surgeons worldwide.
Nelson, who chairs the department, performed the latest radical prostatectomy at UPMC Shadyside.
Radical prostatectomy, or removal of the entire prostate gland, is the most common treatment for patients with localized prostate cancer.
The hospital said research shows patients who are treated by experienced surgeons have a better chance at recovery from prostate cancer.
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