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| Each man's Journey is listed under his BASIC treatment. When you click on one of the names to read a particular Journey, you may see one or more different treatments in bold lettering immediately above the Journey text. You will see (Recurrence) if they are due to a recurrence. Otherwise, they will be treatments used in conjunction with the basic treatment, i.e. Lupron with External Beam Radiation or External Beam Radiation with HDRT/Brachytherapy, etc. | |
Active Surveillance Alternative (Natural) Therapy Cryoablation - Freezing Hormone Therapy Radiation - Brachytherapy Radiation - External Beam Radiation - HDRT Surgery - Open Surgery - Robotic |
I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006 following four years of a steadily rising Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). It was 3.9 in December 2002; 4.1 in June 2004; 4.6 in February 2005; and 5.2 and 7.6 (retest) in April 2006. Even as my PSA was constantly rising, I had no symptoms that would point to prostate cancer. Unfortunately, that is how incurable prostate cancer sneaks up on us - rarely causing any symptoms until it has metastasized to other parts of our bodies. As is so often the case, my cancer had probably been growing without symptoms since 2002 or even earlier. Finally in 2006, noting the speed of increase from 2005 to 2006 with the added concern of a questionable DRE, Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff decided it was time for a biopsy of the prostate to see what was going on. A biopsy is the only way to positively diagnosis prostate cancer. Sure enough, prostate cancer was found with a Gleason Score of 7, which put me at the low end of aggressive cancer. Now I started the quest for information. In my case, I wanted to get my own information, digest it and make my own decision. I chose to do this without hearing what the men at Man to Man had to say. I knew about their meetings, but chose to go it alone in my search for information. In retrospect, after finally attending Man to Man meetings, I realize its mission is to help provide the latest information available on all treatments without attempting to influence any decision. Another valuable part of Man to Man is being able to ask the survivors about their personal experiences with their particular treatments including side effects. Again, they share without trying to influence any decision. One can also find out why they chose their particular treatment. As an example, I originally thought I would have radiation and then have surgery if the cancer returned. However, when Dr. Mehlhaff said radiation made surgery nearly impossible, I changed my mind right there on the spot. Had I been attending Man to Man and asked the "why" question, I would have heard over and over, "I chose surgery first to keep all my treatment options available, because if I had radiation first I couldn't come back for surgery later." Does that mean all men choose surgery? Absolutely not! Some can't for medical and physical reasons, some may believe the side effects of other treatments will be fewer, and still others will base their decision on preferences known only to them. That's the way it should be. I started going to Man to Man (accompanied by my wife Pat; she was so important) during my recovery from surgery and was astounded to see three of my neighbors attending. I wish I had started attending much sooner. Listening to the experiences of the survivors helped me keep my spirits high. Each meeting confirms that I made the right decision for ME. That's another thing I want to get across. After all the reading and listening to doctors and survivors are done, each man must make the treatment decision that is right for him. No one else can make that decision. There will be men who choose surgery, radiation of one kind or another, cryotherapy, hormone therapy and even active surveillance. They each have to get all the facts and information they can, consider their own medical and physical condition and finally say, "This is the right one for me." My PSA is now undetectable, which is right where I want it to stay. But, if it doesn't, I know that radiation therapy is available and I've heard amazing personal experiences of its effectiveness. Where? At the Man to Man meetings, of course. Now I have not one, but two reasons for attending Man to Man. First, my own personal experience may help a newly diagnosed man, and second, I am absorbing information from those survivors who are dealing with or have dealt with recurrent prostate cancer ... just in case. |
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