King, Neckles in fight for Civil Court judge
Types and typical victims of
prostate cancer
Most forms of the disease
progress slowly and are highly
treatable. However, prostate
cancer is deadly, and it kills
quickly. Once a patient’s cancer
reaches its fourth and final stage,
the five-year survival rate is is a
dismal 29 percent.
Two groups of men are
particularly susceptible to prostate
cancer: those over the age of 70,
and African-American men. The
latter are 1.6 times more likely
to develop the disease than white
men, and 2.6 times more likely to
experience prostate cancer than
Asian-American men.
Prostate cancer: Symptoms
and diagnosis
Most alarming is that many
patients with the disease don’t
experience any symptoms.
Experts like Dr. Joshua Halpern
of the Accord Physicians Group
recommends that all men, especially
African Americans, be screened
regularly for prostate cancer by a
doctor once they reach age 40.
Dr. Halpern is a certified radiation
oncologist who received his
oncology training at Roswell Park
Cancer Institute and MD Anderson
Cancer Center, the nation’s leading
cancer treatment center. He has
treated all forms of cancer for more
than 40 years, and has had handson
experience with thousands of
prostate cancer patients. He explains
the processes that urologists use to
diagnose and confirm the disease.
The first step in the rigorous
process of diagnosing prostate
cancer is to draw blood and conduct
a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
test. PSA is a protein naturally
produced in men’s prostate glands,
and abnormally-high PSA levels
may indicate the presence of
prostate cancer, although they
could also be signs of other prostate
issues such as inflammation or
enlargement.
Normal levels of the protein are
usually in the 0.0–4.0 range. But
once the PSA levels are greater than
4.0, Dr. Halpern says, the normal
procedure is to recommend a
biopsy during which a small section
of prostate tissue is removed and
examined for signs of cancer.
Dr. Halpern explains that if
Caribbean L 6 ife, June 14–20, 2019 BQ
the biopsy results are positive for
prostate cancer, the next step is
to consult a radiation oncologist.
At Accord Physicians Group, he
and his fellow physicians work in
close collaboration to decide on a
course of action.
Prostate cancer treatment
Dr. Halpern is one of the first
oncologists to use a form of treatment
called Image Guided Radiation
Therapy (IGRT). It is completely
non-invasive, and involves 45
10-minute sessions during which a
short beam of radiation is targeted
directly at the inside of the prostate.
“Published reports on IMRT/
IGRT radiation, with careful
administration, have shown the best
results and the lowest toxicity,” says
Dr. Halpern. “In our experience,
tumor control is very high and
tolerance to our treatment is nearly
universal.”
Excellent results of the cancer
control as well as the low side effect
profile are due to the fascinating
physics of this radiation therapy.
The plan that’s used to deliver
the radiotherapy is individually
and specifically designed for each
Grenadian court attorney referee, Bernadette Neckles.
Bernadette Neckles
person. It takes into account the
differences that all people have in
relation to their size, muscle to body
fat ratio, and the physical size of the
prostate and the surrounding organs.
It also takes into consideration any
anatomic changes that may have
occurred due to previous pelvic
surgeries, trauma, and anatomic
abnormalities such as inguinal
hernias. After this detailed plan is
complete, the treatment therapy
begins. On a daily basis during
the therapy, the equipment and
the technician who delivers the
radiation performs a daily minute
adjustment to precisely deliver the
radiotherapy despite differences
such as contents of the colon and the
amount of urine in the bladder at the
time of treatment.
Once IGRT therapy has been
completed, the patient usually
exhibits dramatically lower PSA
levels, indicating that the cancer is
either gone or is fully in remission.
In the occasional case when PSA
levels remain extremely high, the
oncologist will meet regularly
with the patient to track progress
and discuss options. All medical
personnel at Accord Physicians
Group have received special training
to ensure the patient’s comfort
during and after treatment, and to
respectfully and compassionately
assist him with the emotional
effects of a cancer diagnosis and
treatment.
Accord Physicians Group and
prostate cancer
Dr. Halpern states, “Over the
last 10 years we treated hundreds
of prostate cancer patients at
Accord Physicians.” He elaborates,
that “Our cure and remission rates
are between 93 and 95 percent
over this 10-year period, and our
side effect profile is well below the
national average.”
Dr. Halpern urges all men —
particularly African-American
men over the age of 40 — to be
screened regularly for prostate
cancer.
Accord Physicians PLLC
2270 Kimball St #101, Brooklyn,
NY 11234
For more information visit
www.accordmd.com
To schedule consultation
with doctor Halpern
call 347-535-4928
BUS I N E S S , B ROOK LYN S T Y LE – A DV E RTI S E M E NT
How to outsmart prostate cancer!
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in America, ranking only behind skin cancer — and it will affect one out of
every nine American men during their lifetime. In fact, research has shown that more than half of all men in the United States
over the age of 70 are now living with some form of prostate cancer.
By Nelson A. King
Even as several candidates
are vying for support for Kings
County Surrogate Court judge
and judge of the 6th Judicial
District, lawyers Edward “Ed”
King and Derafim Bernadette
Neckles are in a two-way “dogfight”
for Civil Court judge in
Kings County (Brooklyn).
In separate interviews with
Caribbean Life on Monday,
June 10, both have expressed
confidence in emerging victorious
in the June 25 Democratic
Primary.
After practicing law for 35
years, Bedford-Stuyvesant
resident King said he is “no
stranger to hard work,” stating
that he has “campaigned tirelessly
in every corner of Brooklyn
to be elected Civil Court
judge for Kings County.”
King — who is married to
Caribbean American, New York
Supreme Court Justice Kathy
King, the daughter of Montserrat
immigrants — said he has
attended over 100 meetings “to
talk with friends, neighborhood
groups and political clubs.”
“Supportive friends have
hosted fundraisers in their living
rooms and offices,” he said,
adding that he has “especially
enjoyed” his recent march in
the Pride Day and Puerto Rican
Day parades in Brooklyn “to
show support for their communities
and sensitivity to their
causes.”
King said one can find his
team of enthusiastic young
workers with him at events or
out on their own to distribute
information, so that the public
will know him and “remember
to vote.”
He said he rises early at least
three or four days a week to
shake hands at subway stations,
before starting his day in
“still vigorously” representing
clients.
During numerous interviews
he has had on radio and with
news publications, King said
he lets voters know he believes
that “it’s time we all had a fair
shake.”
Growing up in New York City
and having represented hundreds
of people from all backgrounds
for 35 years, King said
he is “extremely knowledgeable
of the law and especially sensitive
to what citizens want in
a judge when they come to
court.”
He said he educates citizens
on what the civil court is and
lets them know what he considers
to be the traits of a good
judge, including “having someone
on the bench who will listen
and render a just decision.”
“To win, you have to work
hard,” King said. “You have to
let voters know who you are
and ask for their vote. We have
talked to a large and diverse
group of voters from numerous
neighborhoods, income levels,
gender preferences, ethnicities
and nationalities.
“This won’t stop until 9 pm
on Primary Election day, Tuesday,
June 25, when the polls are
closed,” he affirmed, exuding
confidence that his hard work
will pay off on Election Day.
Above all, he urged, “Get out
there and vote!”
Neckles, on the other hand,
told Caribbean Life that her
campaign is “thriving, and
we’re hoping for a victory.”
“As we approach the count
down to the June 25 Primary,
we are getting the message
out in the community that I
am the best candidate for the
Edward King, Esq. Edward King
Continued on Page 8
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