  Ron
D and Judy live in Texas, USA. He was 56 when he was diagnosed on August 20, 2007.
His initial PSA was 4.2 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 3+3=6 and although he says
he was staged T2a, this seems to be his pathological staging. His clinical staging
appears to have been T1c. His choice of treatment was Da Vinci Surgery. Here is
his story.
I missed my PSA test in 2005. My earlier tests had run about
2.5. In July 2006 my PSA came back 4.2. This was followed by a biopsy in August
2006 that came back 5/12 cores positive both lobes involved, Gleason of 3+3. Had
Da Vinci surgery at Herman Memorial Hospital on October 19, 2006.
Recovery
was decent. Continence returned within 3 months: still no luck on the ED. Pathology
came back Gleason 3+4, with a 2 cm positive margin. One month PSA came back at
less than 0.1. Surgeon was not concerned with positive margin, but on searching
medical publications, some studies said that this lowered the chances of being
disease free after 5 yrs to ~60% rather that 90%. I didn't have surgery and the
associated side effects for these kind of numbers.
I referred myself to
MD Anderson and pushed for Adjuvant Radiation Therapy. Started the treatments
in February of 2007. 32 treatments 64 Grey total, very few side effects. worst
part was filling my bladder everyday. Worked the whole time.
My PSA as
of last November was still less than 0.1 which is Non-detectable by the assay
used. Not sure why they don't use the ultra sensitive assay. I will be nervous
every three months until I get to the two year mark. I am going to inquire why
my doctor doesn't use the more sensitive test.
Ron's e-mail address is:
rondunbar@earthlink.
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