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Dr Walsh Dr. Katz and Dr. McHugh Like I don't Have Enough Reading on My Plate

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Posted 4/3/2014 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am ordering those three books. Anyone care to comment on their experiences with the books or add something to my list. I don't really need to sleep if I can read tongue

Semper Fi
Walt
Posted 4/3/2014 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
Walt -- these are excellent. well.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/jennings/

ed
Posted 4/3/2014 11:44 PM (GMT 0)

F8 said...
Walt -- these are excellent. well.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/jennings/

ed

Dana Jennings is a gifted writer. Thanks for the link an excellent read
Posted 4/4/2014 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
The Walsh book, by most standard, is considered the best one-volume "bible" on all things PC. Some here don't agree with Walsh's views on not encouraging early HT use, but other than that, he covers all the other subjects in great detail. I read the entire book the year before I was even diagnosed.

Make sure you are getting the latest revision. There have been 3 of them. But even the earlier versions still cover all the basics. The newer versions deal more with updated info on advanced treatments.

It's a great primer, by one of the world's leading experts on the subject. Some think he has a surgery bias, because, of course, he is a surgeon. But when I first read the book, I never picked up on that. He fairly presented all the other primary treatment choices aside from surgery, about as neutral as he could be.

D.
Posted 4/4/2014 12:22 AM (GMT 0)

Purgatory said...
The Walsh book, by most standard, is considered the best one-volume "bible" on all things PC. Some here don't agree with Walsh's views on not encouraging early HT use, but other than that, he covers all the other subjects in great detail. I read the entire book the year before I was even diagnosed.

Make sure you are getting the latest revision. There have been 3 of them. But even the earlier versions still cover all the basics. The newer versions deal more with updated info on advanced treatments.

It's a great primer, by one of the world's leading experts on the subject. Some think he has a surgery bias, because, of course, he is a surgeon. But when I first read the book, I never picked up on that. He fairly presented all the other primary treatment choices aside from surgery, about as neutral as he could be.

D.

Thanks I did order the 3rd Edition. Walsh is mentioned all over this forum and I knew it was a must read. I am anticipating that Katz's book ("Definitive Guide") and McHughs book will be good reads too.
Posted 4/4/2014 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
The best book I have read is by Dr Snuffy Myers.   Get on his website as he has several.   The one that had the most relevance to me, a high risk guy, was Beating Cancer with Diet and Hormone Therapy.   He walks through several case studies.   Very practical.
Posted 4/4/2014 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
Dr McHugh's book, I have met him as he lives close by, is a good book but limited to the surgeon's perspective, which is what he is. In my opinion it doesn't appear he honestly researched other alternatives due to his career surgical bias.
Posted 4/4/2014 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Dr. McHugh is my Urologist and he gave me a copy of his manuscript prior to it being published. He has also a survivor of PCa, so I think the book is well thought out and is meant to help you make your own decision. He did not do my surgery, but I continue to see him for follow up.
Michael
Posted 4/4/2014 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Marine,
If you are bored waiting for your books to arrive, follow my lead. Dress with a white shirt and tie and walk or drive to a large hospital and utilize the physician's library. I read everything I could for a week and was never questioned. Where else to find the latest pertinent information? The coffee should be free.
Walsh's book is an excellent "primer", but even with his 3rd edition times have changed and he hasn't kept up with developments since he's too busy doing surgery's; yes, he has a bias.
Dana Jennings is an excellent writer but like many of us he seems to have moved on. I addressed an article to him that I wanted published in the NY Times but never received a response from him; it was probably contrary to that publication's stance; then again, maybe my article was poorly written. It's been 50 years since I received a degree in English and the language has probably changed!
I was serious about the library. Army out!
Bill idea
P.S. Remember, I live in the "sticks" and have wide latitude.

Post Edited (gunfighter) : 4/3/2014 7:11:30 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/4/2014 1:10 AM (GMT 0)

gunfighter said...
Marine,
If you are bored waiting for your books to arrive, follow my lead. Dress with a white shirt and tie and walk or drive to a large hospital and utilize the physician's library. I read everything I could for a week and was never questioned. Where else to find the latest pertinent information? The coffee should be free.
Walsh's book is an excellent "primer", but even with his 3rd edition times have changed and he hasn't kept up with developments since he's too busy doing surgery's; yes, he has a bias.
Dana Jennings is an excellent writer but like many of us he seems to have moved on. I addressed an article to him that I wanted published in the NY Times but never received a response from him; it was probably contrary to that publication's stance; then again, maybe my article was poorly written. It's been 50 years since I received a degree in English and the language has probably changed!
I was serious about the library. Army out!
Bill idea

Thanks Bill, my wife is a very high level medical professional at a large progressive hospital group (over 25 hospitals and non-profit) I can go into the library in jeans tongue She is not sure Marines can read tongue
Posted 4/4/2014 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
My concern about the Walsh book is that he presents topics at great length, only to conclude that they did not work or were superseded. There are too many pages of historical info and references to his many co-workers at Johns Hopkins. Still a good book.
I think Peter Scardino wrote a prostate book that is good. And Sheldon Marks wrote a good short book.
Posted 4/4/2014 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
Stephen Strum's Primer on Prostate Cancer is one of the best.
Posted 4/4/2014 2:44 AM (GMT 0)

John T said...
Stephen Strum's Primer on Prostate Cancer is one of the best.

I will be adding it to my list. Thanks
Posted 4/4/2014 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
I use Walsh's book as reference, and Scardino's. I've worked with Partin, and he is a premier surgeon, but makes no other claims.

McHugh's book is entertaining, but I won't say it helps decisions, other than telling his surgery story. Some of it is equal to my "worst" stories, so I give him credit for fessing up.
Posted 4/4/2014 10:52 AM (GMT 0)
Dow, I pointed you to Myers' book due to your risk factor. G8 and 10 of 12 cores with 95% involvement is high risk. Thus, I suggest it is good to start with an oncologist's perspective.
Posted 4/4/2014 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
I just finished Dr. Katz book and found it to be more up to date than the copy I had from Walsh. Dr. Katz really becomes absorbed in the diet healing aspect of PCa. He also is a proponent of freezing the cancer and is somewhat of a self proclaimed expert noting excellent results in Cryotherapy.

My question: Has anybody seen their post RP PSA numbers drop due to changes in diet/supplements? I have never seen any evidence this works. I for one am following many of the diet guidelines only to see my PSA begin rising after RP (I'm 3 years out).

I recently read where John Hopkins (newsletter) does not recommend fish oil supplements anymore, however they suggest deep water consumption the old fashion way (salmon/sardines etc.). Also Hopkins is emphasizing low fat diet with flax seed. (not the oil type)

quote directly from Hopkins news letter:

• Why experts now estimate that up to 90 percent of cancers of the prostate may have a dietary link.
• New evidence that the progression of prostate cancer may actually be slowed by dietary changes. One study published in the Journal of Urology found that tumor cells from men taking flaxseed in combination with a lowfat diet appeared to be growing more slowly and dying more quickly than those of the control group.
Posted 4/4/2014 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
Viperguy,

There was a small study at University of California at San Francisco, showing that pre treatment patients had little PSA doubling while eating a vegan diet plus egg white. They also did meditation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16094059

http://www.ornishspectrum.com/wp-content/uploads/Intensive_Lifestyle_Changes_and_Prostate_Cancer.pdf

Another small Ornish study showed beneficial changes in gene expression for a small group of men with early prostate cancer.

http://www.ornishspectrum.com/wp-content/uploads/8369.full_.pdf

 Am not familiar with any big studies after surgery.

I'm trying for a vegan diet after cryoablation.

Posted 4/4/2014 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
I second the Ornish spectrum recommendation. I would also add the book, "Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers" by Ralph Blum and Dr. Mark Scholz. It was one of the first books I read after my Dx and may have saved my life.

My docs at Kaiser were pushing surgery or seeds because of my age and GL 3+4, but after reading about the use of advanced Color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) in this book, I was able to see an expert with it who discovered extra-capsular extension which ruled out surgery and seed monotherapy.

Consequently, Dr. Scholz now heads my team along with Drs. Demanes and King at UCLA who will perform HDR Brachytherapy followed by Whole Pelvic IMRT in addition to the HT I am on now.
I also credit this forum because after reading about so many GL 3+4 guys who had RP with a path report of ECE and positive margins go on to have SRT and HT.
Dr. Scholz is at the cutting edge of treatment for PCa and emphasizes the best chance of cure with the least side effects to the patient.

Considering your numbers, I think the recommended reads by Ornish, Myers, and Scholz should be on your nightstand (or Kindle). Good luck and good reading!
Posted 4/4/2014 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Marine,
When reading all those books it is helpful to know the perspective of the writers. Surgeons like Walsh and Scardino and radiologists like Dattolli and Grimm approach cancer as a mechanical process because that's how they are trained. Oncologists and Pathologists like Strum, Scholz and Myers approach it from the biological perspective. The biological persecutive emphasizes the differences in various Prostate cancers that are identified by their biological markers and treatment is customized to track various biological markers to determine effectiveness. Surgeons and radiologists concentrate on the mechanics of getting rid of the cancer.
In military terms the oncologists are like staff officers creating a strategic plan, analyzing the enemies strengths and weakness and logistics, and the surgeons and radiologists are the trigger pullers. For a successful outcome you need both.
Posted 4/4/2014 9:17 PM (GMT 0)

JNF said...
Dow, I pointed you to Myers' book due to your risk factor. G8 and 10 of 12 cores with 95% involvement is high risk. Thus, I suggest it is good to start with an oncologist's perspective.

Thanks JNF, his book is on my list and already purchased and I think I have about reached my reading ability choke point. Of all the authors, he interests me intellectually the most but I gotta say he seems to be a relentless self promoter and his span of marketing and charging for EVERYTHING, even his blog is a turn off. I can stay intellectually neutral if I can learn something

Semper Fi
Posted 4/4/2014 9:19 PM (GMT 0)
LOL, my relatively short reading list grew. No wonder they call this "The Twilight Zone Disease"

Walt
Posted 4/5/2014 1:57 AM (GMT 0)
Walt, I hear you. I am a researcher by nature and a voracious reader. In the first 30 days after my PCP told me my PSA was alarmingly high I must have read 4-6 hours a day about PCa. My wife finally said enough and got me back on the important stuff.....Clancy, Balduci, Flynn and the like.

I don't disagree about the feeling of self promotion by Myers, but you have to like his action oriented style. And other than Fred Lee how many PCa treatment providers have actually survived high risk metastatic PCa? He certainly walks the walk from personal experience.

Best wishes on your reading and decision process,

Jack
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