For patients diagnosed with urologic cancer — like prostate, bladder, or urethral cancer — survival is often the primary focus. But once the cancer is gone, many face another battle: coping with the life-altering side effects of treatment. Issues like urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction can be isolating, embarrassing, and emotionally devastating.
Fortunately, the Fox Chase – Temple Urologic Institute is revolutionizing how patients recover — not just physically, but in every aspect of their lives.
Dr. Jay Simhan, a nationally recognized expert in reconstructive urology, is one of the urologists leading the charge at the Fox Chase – Temple Urologic Institute, where cancer care and restorative surgery go hand-in-hand. Dr. Simhan has helped make advanced, life-enhancing procedures a routine part of urologic cancer recovery.
“Our focus is restoring function — urinary, sexual and emotional,” says Dr. Simhan. “These are not luxuries. These are critical to people’s everyday lives.”
Traditionally, patients suffering from post-treatment complications had few options. Today, Dr. Simhan and his team offer surgical solutions that were once rare or experimental but are now accessible and effective. From artificial urinary sphincters that help patients control bladder leakage to penile implants that restore sexual function with discreet, pump-controlled devices, these innovations are dramatically improving patients’ lives.
Even more impressive: many of these procedures are outpatient, with minimal downtime. “We’ve developed recovery protocols that get people back to their lives faster — with less pain and fewer complications,” Dr. Simhan explains.
Dr. Simhan’s work has had a ripple effect across the country. He trains rising surgeons through the Reconstructive and Prosthetic Urology Fellowship Program at Fox Chase, which has become a national hub for this subspecialty. One of his former fellows, Dr. Daniel Swerdloff, now heads Urotrauma and Reconstruction at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “Dr. Simhan’s techniques are game-changing,” Dr. Swerdloff says. “He helped me see that restoring quality of life is just as important as curing disease.”
These procedures are more than surgical feats — they’re deeply personal. “We’re talking about people who are afraid to leave the house because of incontinence,” Dr. Simhan says. “People who feel disconnected from their partners. The psychological burden is enormous.”
By addressing these issues head-on, Dr. Simhan is also changing how patients approach cancer care. Many who once feared screening or treatment now feel reassured knowing they won’t be left to suffer the aftermath in silence.
The Fox Chase – Temple Urologic Institute model makes this care more accessible than ever, with offices throughout the region and a collaborative team approach. And while much of Dr. Simhan’s work centers on cancer recovery, the same techniques benefit patients dealing with erectile dysfunction caused by diabetes, heart disease or aging — affecting millions of men nationwide.
For Dr. Simhan, the mission is clear: make life after cancer not just possible, but vibrant. “We’ve already trained fellows who are starting their own programs across the country,” he says. “And they’re training others. It’s about building a future where no patient feels stuck or forgotten after treatment.”
In a field often overlooked due to stigma or discomfort, Dr. Simhan is shining a light — and offering real hope — for those whose battles continue long after the cancer is gone.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
