Posted 3/15/2023 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
TJ123,
I was told by my urologist, after the biopsy results were known, that I had time to go slow and research all options and make a decision. I did exactly that. I considered all options from active surveillance to radiation (external or seeds) to surgery. After a visit to a radiation oncologist who told me that he had no doubt radiation could take care of this BUT at my relatively young age (55 at that time) he could not tell me that I would not have recurrence in the out years when I would be much older and difficult choices to make. The radiation guy recommended that I look hard at surgery. Of course, I was already looking at ALL the options.
I decided on surgery. I also decided to go to a top 10 surgeon. I found Dr. Joseph Smith at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. A 3-hour drive from my home, at that time, in Huntsville AL. In hindsight, I am very pleased with my decision.
As an engineer and one who is often a Risk Manager on projects, I looked at surgery followed by radiation, if needed, as the superior Risk Mitigation strategy. Fortunately, no follow up radiation was ever needed (to date).