John
F and Mary live in Texas, USA. He was 67 when he was diagnosed in June 2005. His
initial PSA was 3.8 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 7 and he was staged T1c. His
choice of treatment was Laparoscopic Robotic Prostatectomy - Da Vinci Prostectomy.
Here is his story:
My
physician started me on the PSA screening test the year it became available for
the general public. For some 15 years it has been a standard part of my annual
physical.
This year my score of 3.8 ng/ml was almost three full points
over the readings for the previous years. It had not reached 4.0, which is regarded
as the "window of concern", but because of the level of elevation it
was a red flag leading to an appointment with a urologist. He indicated that we
must do an immediate biopsy, a procedure that is not in itself "non invasive".
After receiving many differing opinions about the need for the advanced screening,
including the "wait and see" approach, I made the decision to "do
the biopsy and find out". This particular test is not pleasant to undergo,
but is by no means the worst thing you can imagine and certainly is no reason
to delay a procedure which may give you and your doctors so much valuable and
potentially life-saving information. Friday afternoon at 2:00 p. m., two days
following the biopsy, the dreaded news came: "John, you have prostate cancer
and it is advanced, with a grade 7 on the Gleason scale."
I didn't
hear much more than "you have cancer". The number score at that moment
meant nothing. The issue instantly became, "what does this mean to me and
my family, how long do I have to live and will that time be worth living".
The next two days were spent on the computer attempting to learn all there is
to know about prostate cancer, life expectancy and the treatment options related
to the disease. Monday brought a series of more sophisticated tests, principally
a bone scan and a CAT scan, to attempt to determine whether metastasis (spreading
of the cancer) had occurred and if so, to what extent.
Fortunately, as
far as these tests could determine, there seemed to be no metastasis.
I
studied every web site I could locate relating to prostate cancer and the alternative
treatment methods. I examined the statistical chances for "cure rates"
at 5 and 10 years and looked at the forecasted effects and secondary risks of
the various treatments. After having consumed those various forms of information
I recorded the parts most relevant to me in a notebook.
I then went on
a search of physcians first on the web then in my home city. Open radical, radiation,
or the newer laproscopic procedures. I finally decided that surgery was my preferred
approach. I really was drawn to the radation because of the ease and lack of invasiviness.
The lack of a second shot, not being able to have surgery or additional radiation
after the treatment was the deciding factor to go with surgery.
The trick
to the robitic procedure is to find a practioner that knows what they are doing
and that simply means practice, practice , practice. I chose a very young man,
Dr. Randy Fagin of Austin, TX who is the fourth in the nation for number of procedures
and his statistics are impressive on all the measures of success. My surgery was
a breeze - only 20 cc of blood loss, 21 hours in the hospital, no pain meds required,
8 days with the catheter, 25 days with pads for incontenence and a 6 month PSA
of <0.015.
I
consider myself a very fortunate man.
Just
completed the 18 month post surgery check and for now all is well with a PSA of
<.015. Erection possible but not fully useful without med support. Continence
not a problem since the 25th day post surgery.
If
surgery is your option of choice, strongly recommend the DaVinci procedure in
the hands of an experienced practioner.
Questions
invited.
John
John's
e-mail address is: fenoglio@earthlink.net
