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Newly diagnosed in Dallas, need advice on surgeon

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 3/21/2014 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hands down. USMD Arlington. Just rated top cancer center in north texas. Their Urology group there has more davincis in place there than any other ..and they use them. All have done in the thousands. In and out in a day and a half and no uretheral catheter utilized.

All the robotic guys are good, Dr. Sheperd is the one who fed me to the robot. haha. Yeah, I work in O.R.s and have seen a few hundred myself, so I knew where I wanted to get RALP'ed.
All good and with exception of a few fading scars..muy bueno.

Close up and free parking also...easy in and easy out. No Dallas traffic. Every little bit helps. haha

tongue tongue
Posted 3/21/2014 10:21 AM (GMT 0)
I had my surgery with Dr David Shepherd at USMD Arlington and have no regrets on my treatment. James
Posted 3/21/2014 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
........more specifically USMD Prostate Cancer Center Arlington

http://www.usmdpcc.com/
Posted 3/21/2014 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
JRK,
None of the Dr. ever gave any percentage of anything. However, all said, 1) save your life 2) make it so you do not pee on yourself and 3) Have sex now and then and that depends on how it was before and if it does not come back there are ways to dealy with that. I was fully continent at about 4 months. Still working on ED, getting twinges and chubbys but no Woodrow yet, but hopefull.
Roy
Posted 3/27/2014 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
Jason:

In 2010 the biopsy I had was determined to be as a Gleason 4+4=8 by a local urology lab in Connecticut used by my uroligist.  When I had it retested at Sloan Kettering it was determined to be a 3=4+7, which was confirmed after my RP. I used a surgeon from Sloan Kettering named Dr. Karim Touijer, who had been there for over 10 years and does about 200 surgeries a year. He also got the highest rating from Health Grades the patient ratings site. 

After almost 4 years since my RP my PSA is still undetectable.  Additionally after reading the horror stories from others on Healingwell about severe pain, leaks and the need for repeated surgeries I highly suggest you go to a renowned hospital like MD Anderson or Sloan Kettering, rated 1 and 2 by the U.S. News for urology.

Igor

 

Posted 4/5/2014 6:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the input everyone. I am going to get evaluated for TFT at Univ of Colorado (If I can get anyone up there to call me back, no luck with that so far! ). If I don't qualify I'll probably do surgery with Dr. Roehborn. Btw, for anyone else interested in TFT Sloan Kettering now does it too.
Posted 4/5/2014 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
JRK, the TFT eval seems like a logical and reasonable choice. I trust you have been in touch with Ziggy9 who had the procedure there and can provide you with loads of info...

Jim
Posted 6/3/2014 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
JRK/Jason,
Reaching out to you as a first time poster here. Hoping to gain insight into your decision process as it appears I am following a similar path as you. Had my MRI guided 3d ultrasound biopsy earlier today with Dr. Roehrbourn. I'm 48, have had a high PSA for 8 years, originally 2.9 at first test. Had a 12 core biopsy in 2006. All 12 came back negative. PSA bounced between 2.9 & 3.4 for 6 years, went to 3.85 last year and now is 4.99. Found 3 suspicious growths in Endorectal MRI all contained within my prostate. Took 9 guided samples today (3 from each suspicious growth). By far majority of prostate appears normal on MRI. But, we suspect an anterior suspicious growth was likely missed in biopsy back in 2006 by Dr. Moskowitz, my original urologist at Med City. DR. R believes it likely to be be PC, but obviously need to wait for pathology report. His gut instinct is that likely Gleason 7 (no discussion of 3+4 or 4+3). Obviously hoping for the best (6 or lower Gleason).

Also, my father, now 79, is now terminal with PC, diagnosed 21 years ago with original PSA well in excess of 100 (don't know real actual initial score). He is in a Zytiga drug study presently at Baylor. His PC returned after 8 years. Then went through radiation, clean for another 8 years, then 4 years of lupron therapy which quit working 6 months ago. His cancer is now metastic in spine and pelvis, but not physically symptomatic if he had not been told by oncologist. Don't really want to worry him right now while he undergoes treatment, so trying to wait until my official PC diagnosis before telling him.

Curious if you have found a more enticing options for treatment than DR. R and UTSW?

Also....to all anyone else with feedback feel free to respond. Reached out to JRK due to same doctor and close proximity and age (hopefully same low grade of cancer as well).

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Signed,
PC Legacy
Posted 6/3/2014 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
PC Legacy,

I am happy to discuss my experience with you. Just send me an email to [email protected]. We can talk by email or phone. However, you really need to get the biopsy results before you can really do much of anything. First, you might not have cancer. Second, if you are a Gleason 6, that is a far different scenario than a Gleason 7 or higher. While a Gleason 7 that is contained within the prostate is usually still curable, your treatment options can vary widely from someone with a Gleason 6. A lot of folks think Gleason 6 shouldn't even be called cancer.

If I decide on surgery, Dr. R. is the man. But because I have a Gleason 6, I am in no rush. I was diagnosed in December but have not decided what to do about it. I have met with Dr. R. numerous times, I've done a lot of research, and I've been up to see Dr. Crawford in Denver to get information on the TFT procedure. I am going to do one final thing before making a decision. I am going to go down to MD Anderson soon to have a visit with their multi-disciplinary prostate clinic.

You'll have your pathology report within a matter of days, so my advice is to hang tight until you see what the results are. I am happy to talk to talk to whenever.

-Jason
Posted 6/3/2014 3:03 PM (GMT 0)
Also, if you want information from someone other than me, you probably should start a new thread so you can get the attention your post needs.

-Jason
Posted 6/3/2014 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Jason! Like you said.....hard to really know anything while I am still waiting for pathology report from biopsy. Dr. R is however reasonably confident it's confined to prostate although the anterior growth is abutting the fibromuscular stroma in it's most anterior aspect. There were two other suspicious growths in the peripheral zone also, but my prostate was normal on DRE and is only 17 grams, per the MRI and ultrasound. So PSA score for such a small prostate is a concern. Dr. R has already told me that he fully expects he can do a dual nerve sparing procedure with no likely incontinence issues due to the location of the "suspicious growths" should I choose a surgical option. I am leaning toward surgery already (I know it's premature to make this judgement right now) because of my father's continual boxing match with this disease. Although my father's PC appears to have been diagnosed much later than mine the I can't help but think I am better off with surgery, so I don not incur the same fate. Appreciate your offer to converse via phone or email. Obviously, I will wait till I have more info to make a more informed judgement.

Thanks,
PC Legacy
Posted 6/3/2014 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
I have been to MD Anderson for a 2nd opinion with Dr Pugh at the Proton Center. I am trying to go the SBRT route vs surgery. I hadnt heard of the multi disciplinary clinic. Dr Pugh thought I was a good candidate for proton but wants to do ADT before hand and I would prefer to not do that if possible. I am looking hard at Cyberknife.
Posted 6/3/2014 8:50 PM (GMT 0)

My husband had open RP surgery at MD Anderson in July of 2011 by Dr. John Ward.  He is a great surgeon and we were very pleased with him.  The incontinence was resolved in 3 months; however, he continues with ED problems as he had both nerves removed.  His PSA has been undetectable since his surgery.  We highly recommend MD Anderson.

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