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Kenneth Wilson lives in Springfield, Oregon, USA. He was 50 when he was diagnosed on April 27, 2007. His initial PSA was 4.8 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 7 and he was staged T2b. His choice of treatment was Radical Prostatectomy. Here is his story.

Hello. I hope my story may help others, much as this site helped me during my initial stages.

I was diagnosed through a rising PSA at age 51 during a regular physical exam. I had no symptoms except a slightly diminished stream of urine compared to how it was in my youth. My annual physical showed a PSA of 3.6, which I was told was the high end of normal, and my Dr. wanted another test in 6 months. I thought, "Why bother, it's normal?", but went back anyway.

After 6 months, my PSA had risen to 4.2, enough to get me a referral to a Urologist. I hoped that the fact that I am an avid bicyclist my have just given me a touch of benign hypertrophy, due to my hours in the saddle. During my initial digital exam with the Urologist, he verbalized a "one in three" chance of having prostate cancer due to his palpation, and that got me a biopsy.

At that point, I joined the fellowship that no one wants to join, hearing the words "you have a significant amount of cancer in your prostate". 7 of 12 biopsies were positive, staged at T2B, with a Gleason score of 7 (3+4).

My initial Urologist wanted to start me on a course of hormone therapy on the way to a prostatectomy, since the cancer was still confined to the capsule, although he was also suggesting I consider the radiation route. At this point I went to another Urologist for a second opinion. At this point my PSA was up to 4.8. This second Dr. was much more to my liking, and really encouraged surgery, soon, as at this point it was still confined to the capsule, and my CT scan had not shown any spread at all. This was just when Robotic surgery was getting going, but he said, "You've gotta have a few dozen surgeries under your belt to do it well. Let the surgeons practice on the 80 year old guys. I'm learning it myself, but for you, since you're young, and the cancer is confined, I'd recommend an open radical prostatectomy". He said "I like to get in there, look around, feel around , and get it all".

I had my wife of 5 years at my side through all of this, and together, we decided to proceed. I think that the fact that we are both working in the medical field in a local ICU made us more comfortable and familiar with a surgical approach.

My surgery was June 29th, 2007. It was a complete success (so far) with my surgeon saying that the cancer had come within one millimetre of my nerve sheath on one side. He did have to remove one of my two nerves. As he said pre-surgery, however, "I'll give it a few months, and if you're incontinent, we can fix that, and if you're impotent, we can fix that, too". I was in the hospital for two nights, and was off work for eight weeks. By about four weeks, my minor incontinent dribbling ended, and after about six weeks, I was able to bring myself to orgasm, much to my surprise. Totally to my surprise, it felt much the same, and just as good.

My surgeon was a strong advocate of penile rehab, and sent me home with a prescription for Cialis, and a prescription for a penile pump (ErecAid) for both therapy and use with intercourse. The pump worked wonders, allowing penetration with orgasm at will. My 3, 6, 12, and 18 month PSA checks have all shown a level of <0.03, or basically unmeasurable. Over the nearly two years since my surgery, I have remained continent, and my spontaneous erections have slowly gotten larger and harder, so that I am nearly back to my pre-surgery size. It will never be the same, but I am able to have a full and active sex life, owing in large part both to an amazing surgeon, and to a very loving and supportive spouse.

I consider myself a very fortunate man, and after nearly two years, feel able to share my story with everyone. Of note, I immediately shared my story with about everyone I know well, badgered many of my friends into getting their PSA checked, and two of them were positive, and both have since had prostatectomies. Interestingly, the one who had it done robotically had more difficulty then either myself, or my other friend who also had an open procedure.

I must also say that I took great strength from Lance Armstrong's book, "It's not about the bike". One great line that gave my strength leading up to and recovering from surgery was his response about his illness, "I wasn't sick. I was fighting death". I am an advocate for rapid and aggressive treatment, and would suggest surgery for any confined cancer. I was told that if radiation or hormones do not kill it off, those treatments basically turn your prostate to jello, which makes a clean surgical approach much more difficult.

If you have prostate cancer, get information, get a second opinion, and ACT! And have all your friends get tested!

 

UPDATED

September 2009

 

 

It's been over two years since my surgery.

My PSA is still undetectable (<0.02). My overall health remains excellent.

I have had no problem with incontinence since about 2 months after my surgery, and I am still having continuing improvement in my erections, being nearly back to my pre-surgery state.

I am very grateful for this web-site, and have mentored two people who have contacted me because of my story on YANA. I still advocate an early and aggressive treatment for anyone whose cancer is confined to the prostate. I feel that I am and shall remain cancer free.

I send my best wishes and full support to all others facing this diagnosis.

Kenneth's e-mail address is: KWilson210@aol.com