Which doctor to choose

 I live in the Los Angeles area an I'm currently talking to two Robotic surgeons.

 One is Dr. Kia Michel at Cedars Sinai,  the other Is Dr. Mark Kawachi at City of Hope.

  Both seem very qualified.  Does any one have any input on either of these surgeons?

  I have a Gleason 6, psa 4.1, T1c,

                                                                    Thanks, David T

Post Edited (David Fay) : 10/25/2008 6:03:12 PM (GMT-6)

Thanks for the input on the surgeons. It's only been about six weeks since the biopsy.  I'm 64

Post Edited (David T) : 10/26/2008 9:00:31 AM (GMT-6)

 Mavica, I agree with everything you say. I just feel better when someone offers up personal experiences voluntarily as compared to calling people on a list the doctor gives me.

                                                                       Thanks for your response,  David T

Thanks for reading between the lines.

Mavica -

I've noticed in several of your posts that you seem to emphasize talking to your doctor and relying on their advice.  Do you think that the people on this site are not doing that?  I find the tone of some of your posts condecending and annoying.

In case you do not realize it the purpose of this forum is to offer information and support to people dealing with prostate cancer.  For you to insinuate that Tony is practicing medicine is absurd. Tony is one of the most informed people concerning prostate cancer you will ever come in contact with and he is only offering his opinion.  In fact, I would value his opinion regarding prostate cancer issues over 90% of the doctors.  This forum is lucky to have Tony posting his supportive and knowledgable opinions.

- John

Navy corpsman -  Learning of the personal experiences of those of us who are dealing with prostate cancer is an important part of the process a "newbie" goes through - very important.  However, when it comes to the diagnosis of someone's condition and dispensing of medical advice those tasks are best performed by trained professionals who know us individually, who have examined us, know our medical histories and who have analyzed our test results - not from well-meaning Monday morning quarterbacks - whomever they may be.  People seeking support and advice should be encouraged to find professionals whom they trust - not to distrust the medical profession.  Yes, everyone has opinions and should express them; these are mine.  Thank you for your comments.

Navy corpsman.  I think you are a little off-base with your post, but that's just my opinion.  If you find me condescending and annoying, I apologize.

When I used the term, armchair doctors, I was referring to all the post, not just Tony.  I know these boards are here for all persons to find information.  Unless a person has a Dr.  in front of his name, I'm sorry, but I will consider them a ________  doctor.  (no offense)

David,
I don't think it's possible to have chosen a better surgeon as he is among the very best. I do have personal experience with that facility. It seemed to me, to be a great one. You will likely have a good experience there, too, as everyone I have met that went there have had nothing but good things to say. My comment to you about your 'low' PSA was because there is a lot of discussion about over treating iprostate cancer flying about the advocacy groups I have joined. I don't think suggesting that you know all of your options is bad advice. Merely pointing out that there is always time to review the different modalities and their side effects.

Mavica, et al,
I do not and have not given medical advice to anyone. And certainly a popularity contest is not what I am suggesting. But David's question is a good question, and the right question to ask a board like this one. It is good that a site like this exists so that we patients can share and compare our notes and stories and we can use them in whatever way we like. If my advocating that we all need to learn as much as we can understand about our disease, look into the history of the doctors who will treat it, know what the options are is considered giving medical advice...I say wake up and smell the coffee ~ this is merely common sense. One doctor recently told me that if I ask a hundred doctors a specific medical question, I may get a hundred different answers. Some good, some not as good. So if you always take the advice of one doctor, you just might end up with the not as good. In any case, it is not practicing medicine to advocate that we all should look into all of our treatment modalities and physicians who would perform it prior to making a decision to go with them, thus David's question is a good one.

I don't think I will ask my family doctor about prostate cancer surgeons, however. We did have a conversation or two (more) since my surgery. He has never heard of the surgeon I did select, but did say CoH had a good reputation with prostate cancer. But then I knew that already because I did my own research and I knew that the guy I selected ran the prostate cancer program. And I can probably name 5 of the best surgeons in the country, and many here at this site will have heard of them. But my GP doesn't know any of them, he has no need to. As he said to me, he would use word of mouth if he had the disease as that is the best recomendation anyone can give.

But that's not a popularity contest. It's just not a bad idea to ask other patients about who you are considering to perform a major surgery.

Tony

David T,
I think you are a little off base in your reply to Navy Corpsman. His comments were directed at Mavica whose answer to all queries by most posters is to see what their doctor thinks. (this is in no way a criticism of Mavica.....we are all entitled to our opinion). But as I earlier pointed out this is a forum of prostate cancer patients at all stages of the disease and who have undergone many types of treatment over many years and by a great variety of doctors............. so who better to provide, as Tony has correctly pointed out, feedback on their experiences. As has been stated the advice to follow unquestioningly what a particular doctor has to say is very foolish indeed as opinions can be as varied as the number of doctors. At the end of the day this is one disease where the patient needs to make his decision based on all the information he can gather. I personally in the year or so that I have been a member of this forum, never seen direct medical advice dispensed here, but I have found the posters experiences with treatments, successes, not so successful and varied outcomes to be a resource without comparison and that includes all the various doctors I have seen in my journey. You are on the right track in learning all you can from as many sources as you can before making your ultimate decision. Never base that decision on what one doctor may think.
Bill

As a previous poster use to always say. MD does not stand for medical deity.

As I always say. Knowledge is empowerment. Take your time in choosing a treatment, for there are no do overs afterward.