Dr Kwon and Treatment

I started seeing Dr. Kwon in 2015, after being diagnosed in 2013.

For me, Mayo Clinic offered some scans not offered locally. Dr. Kwon brought the choline scan to the forefront at Mayo Clinic, which has helped, in my case.

I see my local oncologist monthly. Dr. Kwon combed through my initial treatment files with a fine-toothed comb.

At my first consultation, he took extra time & telephoned my main local oncologist back in Iowa ~ and formed a TEAM right in front of my eyes.

He is a bit of a visionary ~ and is my second set of expert eyes. At Mayo Clinic, he is legendary. He has patients who fly in to consult with him, from all over the globe.

Those of us who had metastatic spread at diagnosis have to take an aggressive approach.

That's where Dr. Kwon has been a GODSEND for my case ~ pushing the boundaries of my treatments forward. He helped plan a nine-week course of radiation treatments for me ~ before anyone else saw the need.

I'm still reaping the benefits today!

On all of my local oncologist's visit summaries, it is clearly stated that my case is co-managed with Dr. Eugene Kwon of Mayo Clinic.

Other compadres of mine have also traveled to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to consult with Dr. Kwon.

It's never a mistake to get a second opinion or add onto one's medical team, for cases with complexities.

With my best,
CYCLONE ~ # Iowa State University

I can't tell you what to do... That depends on your personal situation. I am a strong believer in having a great team in your corner when you're fighting this battle. There are different approaches and few doctors can see the whole picture.

It's been my observation that there are doctors that follow an older model of playing defense, trying to play out the clock. This may work well for elderly or certain other patients. I was healthy and 49 at diagnosis, so I didn't fit their stereotype.

And there are doctors like Kwon, Schultz, and others who are willing to go on the offense and get a few hits in. I tell my relatives that my plan is to "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee". Hit it hard when I get a chance and then play defense while I look for the next opening.

Like Cyclone, this has worked for me. I was able to get early chemo, immunotherapy, and additional radiation before the standards of care were updated. And before my PSA was misbehaving. That has bought me years. I'm glad I got that advantage before the abiraterone quit working... Because the choices at that point are much tougher (which is where I am now).

I'm in the "queue" for Lu-177 and looking forward to the next breakthrough after that. Knowing the DNA defect I'm dealing with means that I am going to be on top of any trials that I can qualify for.

Fight the good fight.