  Peter
Marin and Carol live in California. USA. He was 67 when he was diagnosed on July
1, 2007. His initial PSA was 5.29 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 7 and he was staged
T2a. His choice of treatment was Brachytherapy (Seed Implant). Here is his story.
If
there is one lesson to be learned it is to get educated and take charge of your
own destiny.
After initial PSA I went to a urologist who wanted to do
a radical prostatectomy within 7-8 weeks of biopsy. I investigated robotic surgery
but then landed it the office of Dr John Lee at California
Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. This incredible doctor taught me
more in one hour consultation than all the others put together.
Here is
my advice: get a bone scan and MRI/MRSI eight weeks after biopsy to see the extent
of the disease before making any decision at all. Whether or not the cancer is
confined to the prostate gland is a key point is making treatment decisions.
My
cancer appears to be confined and I had three choices following my personal research.
Radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation or seed implant. I talked to many
men who had the RP procedure and decided that my quality of life could be seriously
compromised. Again X-ray beam radiation had a significant lifestyle downside.
I
came to two final choices: proton beam radiation or seed implant. Proton beam
therapy is a far less invasive therapy than X-ray. It is carried out in only a
few centers around the US and involves a considerable investment of time. My understanding
is that insurance does cover it. The outcomes from all I have read are outstanding.
However, I decided on seed therapy because I felt the time & costs required to
accomplish proton beam treatment at five months was not personally acceptable.
I
had the seed therapy on September 17 at CPMC in San Francisco. The one hour procedure
was very straight forward and the side effects as of today are almost non- existent.
Slight burning on urination for two days after treatment. Slightly weaker stream
but improving daily. Last night I slept through entire night.
I will report
further in about one month after follow up.
Peter's e-mail address is:
zihuaman@gmail.com
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