Re: Introduction from the s

[Guest guest]

,

Your husband's scores are almost identical to mine (PSA 4.95, Gleason 7 (3+4), 7 of 12 biopsy cores cancerous), minimal symptoms. (However, I was 67 years old).

First, don't be rushed into a decision, and be skeptical of anyone who says his treatment method is the only one or the best one.

Learn all you can before you and your husband make a decision. Check out the Prostate Cancer Reseach Institute website. It has a wealth of easily digested information, including a three-part article for newly diagnosed patients that leads up to a guide for decision making. It also has information on side effects. Also check out the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website. On the MSK website click prostate cancer in the index and it will bring up a lot of research. Further, it has a calculator (on the right hand side). Click on it and it will ask you to fill in your husband's information and will then give you the probabilities of his being cancer free five and 10 years after treatment for the various treatment methods. This calculator is constantly updated with the latest results. There ae several excellent books, including The Decision by

Dr. McHugh, a urologist who had prostate cancer himself and who also developed a decision process. Also check out the Yananow.net website, which also has a tremendous amount of information, and has the personal experiences of almost 1,000 men who have had the various treatments. These experiences will give you and your husband a feel for the possible range of outcomes and side effects.

Just remember, there is no guarantee, whatever treatment method you choose, and the outcome will depend on the skill of the doctor, you husband's particular cancer and even his physiology. Pick a treatment method that makes sense to you, with a doctor you have confidence in, and don't look back. Don't second guess yourself. (I know from experience that's easier said than done, but now I am comfortable with my decision. My treatment was Jan. 2010).

Mike

PS, I deliberately didn't mention my choice of treatment because it should have no bearing on the choice you and your husband make, but if you would like to know what it was, and why, email me and I'll tell you.

Subject: Introduction from the sTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 2:08 PM

My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed with prostate cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His gleason score is 7, his PSA 4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no symptoms or any other health issues. The initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT radiologist also said that advancements in his type of radiation have made it superior in directing the radiation to the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting with various treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr. Zimmerman in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma - we live 2 hours from there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr. Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew! Two weeks ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an emerging expert. But the

more welearn, the more we are confused about the best course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and prayers. - ------------------------------------There are just two rules for this group 1 No Spam 2 Be kind to othersPlease recognise that Prostate Cancerhas different guises and needs different levels of treatment and in some cases no treatment at all. Some men even with all options offered chose radical options that you would not choose. We only ask that people be informed before choice is made, we cannot and should not tell other members what to do, other than look at other options. Try to delete old material that is no longer applying when clicking replyTry to change the title if the content requires it

[Guest guest]

On 5/18/11, wrote of husband Randy's PCa diagnosis.

Welcome to the club no one wants to join.

I have some suggestions that will help to make well-informed

decisions.

Anecdotes contributed by other patients can be interesting, but

should never, ever, be relied upon as authority for one's own

decisions. In other words, what helps me might harm you and vice

versa.

" Find people who are more interested in helping you to learn than

teaching you what *they* think you need to know. "

-- Young, PCa Mentor

Phoenix 5

There is a lot to do.

(1) If applicable, I recommend having the biopsy specimens

examined by

a pathology lab that specializes in prostate cancer (PCa). Everything

that is done from here on depends upon the accuracy of the Gleason

scoring. Here is a list of such labs:

Bostwick Laboratories [800] 214-6628

Dianon Laboratories [800] 328-2666 (select 5 for client services)

Jon Epstein (s Hopkins) [410] 955-5043 or [410] 955-2162

Jon Oppenheimer (Tennessee) [800] 881-0470

Lucia (303)724-3470

This is a " second opinion " and should be covered by

insurance/Medicare. The cost, last I heard, was about $500. More

if further tests, which might be prudent, are ordered.

The chosen lab can give instructions on shipment arrangements.

In civilized jurisdictions, those specimens are the property of the

patient and not the medic nor the lab. Sometimes it is necessary to

educate them on that point.

(2) The authoritative website of the Prostate Cancer Research

Institute (PCRI) at http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/

is an excellent beginning.

See also http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/126 if newly

diagnosed.

Some access to medics who specialize in treatment (tx) of PCa are

listed via

this portal: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/38

If a particular medic is not suitable due to distance (but there

are men who travel thousands of miles for treatment) or

otherwise, there is no harm and much possible gain in simply

asking for a referral.

There are also men whose primary medic is some distance away, but

who receive their routine treatment (tx) near home.

(3) I heartily recommend this comprehensive text on PCa: _A

Primer on Prostate Cancer_ 2nd ed., subtitled " The Empowered

Patient's Guide " by medical oncologist and PCa specialist

B. Strum, MD and PCa warrior

Donna Pogliano. It is available from the PCRI website and the

like, as

well as Amazon (30+ five-star reviews), & Noble, and

bookstores. A lifesaver, as I very well know.

(4) Personal contact with other patients can be very helpful. Local

chapters of the international support group Us Too can be found via

their website at http://www.ustoo.com/chapter_nearyou.asp

Regards,

Steve J

" Empowerment: taking responsibility for and authority over one's own

outcomes based on education and knowledge of the consequences and

contingencies involved in one's own decisions. This focus

provides the

uplifting energy that can sustain in the face of crisis. "

--Donna Pogliano, co-author of _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_,

subtitled

" The Empowered Patient's Guide. "

[Guest guest]

On 5/18/11, wrote of husband Randy's PCa diagnosis.

Welcome to the club no one wants to join.

I have some suggestions that will help to make well-informed

decisions.

Anecdotes contributed by other patients can be interesting, but

should never, ever, be relied upon as authority for one's own

decisions. In other words, what helps me might harm you and vice

versa.

" Find people who are more interested in helping you to learn than

teaching you what *they* think you need to know. "

-- Young, PCa Mentor

Phoenix 5

There is a lot to do.

(1) If applicable, I recommend having the biopsy specimens

examined by

a pathology lab that specializes in prostate cancer (PCa). Everything

that is done from here on depends upon the accuracy of the Gleason

scoring. Here is a list of such labs:

Bostwick Laboratories [800] 214-6628

Dianon Laboratories [800] 328-2666 (select 5 for client services)

Jon Epstein (s Hopkins) [410] 955-5043 or [410] 955-2162

Jon Oppenheimer (Tennessee) [800] 881-0470

Lucia (303)724-3470

This is a " second opinion " and should be covered by

insurance/Medicare. The cost, last I heard, was about $500. More

if further tests, which might be prudent, are ordered.

The chosen lab can give instructions on shipment arrangements.

In civilized jurisdictions, those specimens are the property of the

patient and not the medic nor the lab. Sometimes it is necessary to

educate them on that point.

(2) The authoritative website of the Prostate Cancer Research

Institute (PCRI) at http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/

is an excellent beginning.

See also http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/126 if newly

diagnosed.

Some access to medics who specialize in treatment (tx) of PCa are

listed via

this portal: http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/node/38

If a particular medic is not suitable due to distance (but there

are men who travel thousands of miles for treatment) or

otherwise, there is no harm and much possible gain in simply

asking for a referral.

There are also men whose primary medic is some distance away, but

who receive their routine treatment (tx) near home.

(3) I heartily recommend this comprehensive text on PCa: _A

Primer on Prostate Cancer_ 2nd ed., subtitled " The Empowered

Patient's Guide " by medical oncologist and PCa specialist

B. Strum, MD and PCa warrior

Donna Pogliano. It is available from the PCRI website and the

like, as

well as Amazon (30+ five-star reviews), & Noble, and

bookstores. A lifesaver, as I very well know.

(4) Personal contact with other patients can be very helpful. Local

chapters of the international support group Us Too can be found via

their website at http://www.ustoo.com/chapter_nearyou.asp

Regards,

Steve J

" Empowerment: taking responsibility for and authority over one's own

outcomes based on education and knowledge of the consequences and

contingencies involved in one's own decisions. This focus

provides the

uplifting energy that can sustain in the face of crisis. "

--Donna Pogliano, co-author of _A Primer on Prostate Cancer_,

subtitled

" The Empowered Patient's Guide. "

[Guest guest]

,

I had a good experience with traditional radiation (x-rays) in April of 2004, if that becomes your choice, I was diagnosed then with Gleason 9, PSA 5.1, prostate cancer, at age 74+, which fortunately appeared to be confined to the gland. I had 38 sessions of IMRT plus hormonal therapy, since it was so aggressive. For me, the radiation side effects were tolerable: mostly fatigue, frequent urination and a couple of episodes of rectal bleeding in the final week. All those cleared up after the treatments ended and have not come back. After all the treatments, my PSA was under 0.20 and has stayed there since.

Will keep healing thoughts in my heart for you and Randy,

Manny

Subject: Introduction from the sTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 2:08 PM

My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed with prostate cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His gleason score is 7, his PSA 4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no symptoms or any other health issues. The initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT radiologist also said that advancements in his type of radiation have made it superior in directing the radiation to the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting with various treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr. Zimmerman in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma - we live 2 hours from there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr. Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew! Two weeks ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an emerging expert. But the more welearn,

the more we are confused about the best course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and prayers. -

[Guest guest]

,

I had a good experience with traditional radiation (x-rays) in April of 2004, if that becomes your choice, I was diagnosed then with Gleason 9, PSA 5.1, prostate cancer, at age 74+, which fortunately appeared to be confined to the gland. I had 38 sessions of IMRT plus hormonal therapy, since it was so aggressive. For me, the radiation side effects were tolerable: mostly fatigue, frequent urination and a couple of episodes of rectal bleeding in the final week. All those cleared up after the treatments ended and have not come back. After all the treatments, my PSA was under 0.20 and has stayed there since.

Will keep healing thoughts in my heart for you and Randy,

Manny

Subject: Introduction from the sTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 2:08 PM

My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed with prostate cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His gleason score is 7, his PSA 4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no symptoms or any other health issues. The initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT radiologist also said that advancements in his type of radiation have made it superior in directing the radiation to the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting with various treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr. Zimmerman in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma - we live 2 hours from there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr. Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew! Two weeks ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an emerging expert. But the more welearn,

the more we are confused about the best course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and prayers. -

[Guest guest]

Prayers, most certainly. We are blessed to have been born into a time and place

where modern medicine has advanced to the point that the number of modalities to

employ in eradicating this dreaded disease are many.

and Steve have been eloquent in their responses and their advise is

straight up and as solid as a rock.

This is a superb group of men and women who have commonality and the desire to

reach out and help complete strangers deal with, as often is, a complete blind

siding of a PCa diagnosis. I lurk here after taking a year and a half to make

my decision as to what to do for my particular situation. I was 51 years old at

diagnosis, also confirmed by biopsy (2 of 10 cores positive), and had Gleason 7,

PSA increasing ever so slowly over that period of time. I had tried diet,

exercise, vitamins, life-style changes, Eastern Medicine and finally Western

Medicine as I was unable to get the PSA to definitevly respond to any treatment

I had employed. I have a family history and that was the trump card that

finally put me over the edge of waffling in my decision making after my PSA

elevated into double digits. It has been almost a year since my conventional

western medical treatment and I have been blessed by subsequent PSA value of

zero. But this isn't about me. You and your husband must make whatever

decision it is that you determine is best for you. My age at diagnosis was a

factor in my decision. Yours may be too, BUT, let me echo one of the previous

posters and say that NO ONE should pressure you into making any decisions faster

than YOU are comfortable with or, I-at least, would be running from THEIR office

and not looking back there again.

This is a wonderful resource and I commend you for your journey thus far and

your apparent willingness to learn as much as you can before making any

decisions. I believe many of us have time to be deliberate...true, some do not

have that luxury, only you know what it is for you.

(I, too, have intentionally not named the modality of treatment my wife and I

chose to employ as it really has no bearing on YOUR decision. We are as close

as your computer...)

Rich in Missoula, MT

[Guest guest]

Prayers, most certainly. We are blessed to have been born into a time and place

where modern medicine has advanced to the point that the number of modalities to

employ in eradicating this dreaded disease are many.

and Steve have been eloquent in their responses and their advise is

straight up and as solid as a rock.

This is a superb group of men and women who have commonality and the desire to

reach out and help complete strangers deal with, as often is, a complete blind

siding of a PCa diagnosis. I lurk here after taking a year and a half to make

my decision as to what to do for my particular situation. I was 51 years old at

diagnosis, also confirmed by biopsy (2 of 10 cores positive), and had Gleason 7,

PSA increasing ever so slowly over that period of time. I had tried diet,

exercise, vitamins, life-style changes, Eastern Medicine and finally Western

Medicine as I was unable to get the PSA to definitevly respond to any treatment

I had employed. I have a family history and that was the trump card that

finally put me over the edge of waffling in my decision making after my PSA

elevated into double digits. It has been almost a year since my conventional

western medical treatment and I have been blessed by subsequent PSA value of

zero. But this isn't about me. You and your husband must make whatever

decision it is that you determine is best for you. My age at diagnosis was a

factor in my decision. Yours may be too, BUT, let me echo one of the previous

posters and say that NO ONE should pressure you into making any decisions faster

than YOU are comfortable with or, I-at least, would be running from THEIR office

and not looking back there again.

This is a wonderful resource and I commend you for your journey thus far and

your apparent willingness to learn as much as you can before making any

decisions. I believe many of us have time to be deliberate...true, some do not

have that luxury, only you know what it is for you.

(I, too, have intentionally not named the modality of treatment my wife and I

chose to employ as it really has no bearing on YOUR decision. We are as close

as your computer...)

Rich in Missoula, MT

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed

> with prostate cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His

> gleason score is 7, his PSA 4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no

> symptoms or any other health issues. The initial urologist says

> that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the

> radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT

> radiologist also said that advancements in his type of

> radiation have made it superior in directing the radiation to

> the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting with various

> treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr.

> Zimmerman in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma -

> we live 2 hours from there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman

> Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr.

> Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew! Two weeks

> ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an

> emerging expert. But the more welearn, the more we are confused

> about the best course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and

> prayers. -

,

I'm sorry to hear of Randy's diagnosis. It is a very young age

to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

My personal view of the treatment options is that the doctor is

often more important than the treatment modality. I think I'd

rather have a really good surgeon treat me than a mediocre

radiation oncologist and a really good radiation oncologist than

a mediocre surgeon. I'd be looking for someone who takes an

interest, takes time to answer questions, answers without

aggrandizing himself and claiming that his treatment is better

than all the others, and thinks before he speaks. I'd be looking

for someone who is honest, caring and careful.

Now as between radiation and surgery, I chose radiation at age

57. It's easier to take than surgery and I didn't like the

surgeon that my insurer sent me to. However it is sometimes said

that radiation has a small chance of causing secondary cancers

years later, and that for a very young man who might live many

years later, surgery might be a safer choice. I don't know what

the difference in odds is. I think I can truthfully say that

even at age 43 I'd prefer a really good rad onc to a surgeon that

I didn't trust 100%. If a guy puts me to sleep and go to work on

me with a scalpel, I'd want him to be someone I really trust.

And that's true for a guy zapping me with xrays or protons too.

Here's hoping that whatever you do works out for the best. At

least you've caught it early - which is very important.

Best of luck.

Alan

[Guest guest]

Hi, -- you're getting some good advice here, and it sounds like you and Randy are doing all the right things. I would just echo what Alan suggested -- that whichever treatment you choose, go with a doctor who is a highly experienced expert in that particular procedure. Don't settle for anything less. I was with City of Hope, and they have many incredible physicians there -- mine was Dr. Clayton Lau. Most of all, don't worry -- forge ahead with what needs to be done, but be sure to enjoy life together along the way. Create some fond memories to accompany this otherwise unwanted circumstance . . .Best,/stephen> To: ProstateCancerSupport > Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 18:08:12 +0000> Subject: Introduction from the s> > My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed with prostate cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His gleason score is 7, his PSA 4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no symptoms or any other health issues. The initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT radiologist also said that advancements in his type of radiation have made it superior in directing the radiation to the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting with various treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr. Zimmerman in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma - we live 2 hours from there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr. Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew! Two weeks ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an emerging expert. But the more welearn, the more we are confused about the best course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and prayers. - > > > > ------------------------------------> > There are just two rules for this group > 1 No Spam > 2 Be kind to others> > Please recognise that Prostate Cancerhas different guises and needs different levels of treatment and in some cases no treatment at all. Some men even with all options offered chose radical options that you would not choose. We only ask that people be informed before choice is made, we cannot and should not tell other members what to do, other than look at other options. > > Try to delete old material that is no longer applying when clicking reply> Try to change the title if the content requires it

[Guest guest]

>

<snips>

Also check out the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website. On the MSK

website click prostate cancer in the index and it will bring up a lot of

research. Further, it has a calculator (on the right hand side). Click on it and

it will ask you to fill in your husband's information and will then give you the

probabilities of his being cancer free five and 10 years after treatment for the

various treatment methods. This calculator is constantly updated with the latest

results.

-----------------------------

This appears not to be working - I get a runtime error. Does it work for others?

I tried a couple of different browser, but no luck .

[Guest guest]

I just typed Memorial Sloan Kettering into my search bar and the website came right up. However they have changed it a little since I was last on and the prediction tool is harder to find. Where it says: "Select a type of cancer" use the drop down menu and select "prostate cancer" and click go, and it will take you to the prostate cancer section of the site. On the prostate cancer opening page, drop down to "Prostate cancer treatment and investigational approaches" and click on it. On the resulting page, you will find the prediction tool on the upper right hand side.

I hope this helps.

Mike

Subject: Re: Introduction from the sTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 11:24 AM

><snips> Also check out the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website. On the MSK website click prostate cancer in the index and it will bring up a lot of research. Further, it has a calculator (on the right hand side). Click on it and it will ask you to fill in your husband's information and will then give you the probabilities of his being cancer free five and 10 years after treatment for the various treatment methods. This calculator is constantly updated with the latest results. -----------------------------This appears not to be working - I get a runtime error. Does it work for others? I tried a couple of different browser, but no luck

..------------------------------------There are just two rules for this group 1 No Spam 2 Be kind to othersPlease recognise that Prostate Cancerhas different guises and needs different levels of treatment and in some cases no treatment at all. Some men even with all options offered chose radical options that you would not choose. We only ask that people be informed before choice is made, we cannot and should not tell other members what to do, other than look at other options. Try to delete old material that is no longer applying when clicking replyTry to change the title if the content requires it

[Guest guest]

I just typed Memorial Sloan Kettering into my search bar and the website came right up. However they have changed it a little since I was last on and the prediction tool is harder to find. Where it says: "Select a type of cancer" use the drop down menu and select "prostate cancer" and click go, and it will take you to the prostate cancer section of the site. On the prostate cancer opening page, drop down to "Prostate cancer treatment and investigational approaches" and click on it. On the resulting page, you will find the prediction tool on the upper right hand side.

I hope this helps.

Mike

Subject: Re: Introduction from the sTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 11:24 AM

><snips> Also check out the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center website. On the MSK website click prostate cancer in the index and it will bring up a lot of research. Further, it has a calculator (on the right hand side). Click on it and it will ask you to fill in your husband's information and will then give you the probabilities of his being cancer free five and 10 years after treatment for the various treatment methods. This calculator is constantly updated with the latest results. -----------------------------This appears not to be working - I get a runtime error. Does it work for others? I tried a couple of different browser, but no luck

..------------------------------------There are just two rules for this group 1 No Spam 2 Be kind to othersPlease recognise that Prostate Cancerhas different guises and needs different levels of treatment and in some cases no treatment at all. Some men even with all options offered chose radical options that you would not choose. We only ask that people be informed before choice is made, we cannot and should not tell other members what to do, other than look at other options. Try to delete old material that is no longer applying when clicking replyTry to change the title if the content requires it

[Guest guest]

What a nasty surprise!

Someone wrote:

-------------

First, don't be rushed into a decision, and be skeptical of anyone who says his

treatment method is the only one or the best one.

-------------

That should be your first rule!

>>> The initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option.

<<<

If he really said that, he's misinformed (or lying, or blinded by bias) on two

fronts:

.. . . The long-term effectiveness of radiation treatment (brachytherapy, in

particular) is comparable to, or better than, the effectiveness of surgery;

.. . . Da Vinci surgery has shorter recovery times that " open " surgery, but it

hasn't been shown to be more effective, or to have fewer long-term side-effects.

[i don't want to start a flame war. I'm not saying that da Vinci surgery isn't

the _best_ option; I'm saying it isn't the _only_ option. FWIW, I had open

surgery myself.]

I'd recommend a visit to the USTOO website:

www.ustoo.org

and then a visit to one of the USTOO prostate-cancer support groups -- they're

all over the US.

You're walking into a den of confusion. Be prepared for conflicting opinions,

" first-person " narratives that don't agree with each other, and a general lack

of good-quality research on outcomes and side-effects.

At 43, your husband is an " outlier " . I don't know how that will affect his

disease, or his reaction to treatment.

A book you should read:

" Saving Your Sex Life: A Guide to Men with Prostate Cancer " --

. . . Dr. Mulhall

Keep in touch here -- we're an experienced, sensible group, and (collectively)

we don't have any axes to grind.

>

> My name is . My husband, Randy, was diagnosed with prostate

cancer via biopsy. We found out 2 weeks ago. His gleason score is 7, his PSA

4.62. HE IS 43 YEARS OLD. He has no symptoms or any other health issues. The

initial urologist says that surgery (DaVinci) is our only option. But then the

radiologist said that radiology is the best option. This ERBT radiologist also

said that advancements in his type of radiation have made it superior in

directing the radiation to the prostate than proton treatment. We are meeting

with various treatment providers including traditional radiation (Dr. Zimmerman

in Santa Clarita, CA), proton radiation (Loma - we live 2 hours from

there), seeds (Dr. Botnick of Sherman Oaks,, CA), and 2 different robotic

Laperoscopic surgeons (Dr. Ramin in L.A. and Dr. Kawachi at City of Hope). Whew!

Two weeks ago I never gave a thought to the prostate! Now I feel like an

emerging expert. But the more welearn, the more we are confused about the best

course of treatment. Thanks for any advice and prayers. -

>