Prostate Cancer

  

        Thank you for all of your support.  Someone ask for

   additional information.  I am 60 years old and went for

   my yearly physical and found out I had a PSA of 4.5.

   I was given antibotics for two weeks and my PSA went

   up more.  I believe he said it was 8.5.  My gleason score

   is 3 + 3.  He recomended surgery.  I will see him today

   for my results on the CT Scan and the bone scan. I would

   like to stay in Florida and he recommened a doctor at the

   University of Miami, but being a  Penn State Alumni I just dont

   know if I trust a Hurricane.  Only Kidding. 

Robotic was my preference and not because it is trendy. But rather, it is less invasive and has a much faster recovery time. My surgeon told me I only lost about three tablespoons of blood. In addition I was walking 2-5 miles with the catheter still in just a few days after surgery. What's more, robotic is fast becoming the gold standard for many types of surgery. Not just prostate cancer. I am a technology person as well. I believe that a surgeon that can magnify the organ he is working on up to a hundred times the actual size, can be more precise and has a better outcome. Some here have the open surgery and fair quite well. But from what I analyze the open recipients have longer recovery times. Mvser is absolutely correct when stating that the quality of the surgeon is important. When I was told by my urologist that he can perform the surgery using the open procedure and that he does alot of them, i felt he was going to do the work. Then I did my research. This urologist did not also carry the "oncologist" title, did two RRP's a month and was in business for about three years (he was an ivy leaguer but was in his thirties). I search high and low for west coast surgeons and went to the City of Hope where I found my man. Dr. W. was the Director of Urology Oncology there and headed the entire program. He averaged 2 LRP's a day and did prostatectomies for over 15 years. He said he stopped doing open RRP in 2001 when CoH obtained their first DaVinci system. He said having been an expert on both procedures that his patients had a much better post-op results. I asked him about the fact that some surgeons felt that they could feel the tissue and actually cut more cancer out with RRP versus LRP. He strongly disagreed. While there is some thruth to that, it is outweighed by the improved visual affect and seeing suspicious tissue. But don't worry too much, both procedures are effective.

Good Luck and all the best.

Tony

Surfside:

Since you are in FL, unless you are completely set on surgery, you might check Shands at Jacksonville for the proton therapy they do there.  Your side effect would be very minimal if any.

Good luck on whatever treatment you find is best for YOU.

Dutch