Robotic-assisted Surgery Gets Cancer Patient
Back on the Road

NEWARK, N. J. –– When a routine screening resulted in a diagnosis of prostate cancer, 60-year-old Hillside resident Frank Mason thought his number was up.

“My father died of prostate cancer while in his sixties,” Mason recalled. “When my doctor told me that I also had cancer, it was easy to consider it a death sentence.”

A husband, father, and grandfather, Mason has enjoyed an active, healthy lifestyle and a rewarding though physically demanding job as a warehouse worker in Carteret.

“I have a lot to live for,” said Mason.

Among his greatest pleasures have been the hours he has spent behind the handlebars of his motorcycle. When he learned he had cancer, Mason wondered how many more miles on the open road remained.

Mason knew that it was important to receive prompt and effective medical care, but he was concerned about the side effects of some treatment methods. He also worried about the lengthy hospital stays and recovery times associated with surgery.

Then he met Robert Caruso, M.D., director of Urologic Robotic Surgery at Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark. After reviewing Mason’s case and listening to his concerns, Dr. Caruso recommended a minimally invasive procedure called robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, which he said he would perform using the hospital’s innovative da Vinci S™ robotic surgery system.

“The advantages of robotic urology surgery are numerous,” explained Dr. Caruso. “Surgical incisions are much smaller, and blood loss is minimized. Urinary control and sexual function can be regained more quickly, and pain and recovery times are drastically reduced.”

Mason spent only one night at the hospital with minimal discomfort, and he was discharged before noon the following day. Within a matter of weeks, he was back at his job — and back in the saddle of his beloved motorcycle.

“I would recommend Dr. Caruso to anyone,” said Mason. “He was incredibly helpful in answering my questions, addressing my concerns, and helping me receive the medical treatment that was right for me. Thanks to the robotic surgery program at Saint Michael’s, today I am cancer-free.”

“Frank worked hard to become an informed patient, and he conveyed his concerns about the risks associated with traditional treatment options,” said Dr. Caruso, whose expertise in robotic surgery has been showcased in several peer-reviewed medical journals. “It’s fortunate that we were able to offer a procedure with such a positive outcome for his quality of life.

“An avid motorcycle enthusiast myself, I didn’t want to waste any time in putting this patient on the road to recovery.”


Established by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in 1867, Saint Michael’s Medical Center is a 357-bed regional tertiary-care, teaching and research center in the heart of Newark’s business and educational district. The Saint James Campus in Newark’s East Ward and the Columbus Campus in the North Ward deliver key non-acute services, including 24-hour emergency care. They serve as a “front door” to the inpatient, outpatient, and clinic services available at Saint Michael’s Medical Center. More information is available at www.smmcnj.org. Saint Michael’s is a member of Catholic Health East, a Catholic health system sponsored by 10 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, based in Newtown Square, PA. More information is available at www.che.org.