His Doctor's Dilemma

His story is not unique. In December, 2004, after years of BPH, and medication, a second biopsy revealed cancer of the prostate. The first biopsy was done about 2000, in Little Rock, AR, and was negative, although the PSA was up to ten. Watchful waiting was the name of the game, and after relocating to Mississippi, his problems with urgent nighttime pee trips, plus a two point jump in the PSA, dictated a second biopsy.
The Gleason score was 3+4 and his prostate was the size of a baseball, about 150 grams. A normal prostate is about 20 grams, about like a walnut. His chosen urologist in Tupelo wanted him to be treated locally with the standard procedure of months of hormone ablation shots to remove all traces of testosterone, and to shrink the gland, and then take photon-beam radiation treatments to kill the cancer.
He was 72 years old and already an avid proponent of and ED medication, and in his perception, the doctor wanted him to give up not only his prostate, but his "balls" also. That started the internet research that lead to discovering the Doctor's Dilemma.
The Doctor
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Because the internet was thoroughly researched for treatment options for prostate cancer, and because he declined to heed the advice of his urologist, who advised him to follow the 'tried and true' method of taking hormone ablation treatments and photon radiation, thus rendering him impotent, and instead he took NO hormone ablation treatments and took PROton radiation treatments, rather than the photon beam radiation method, thus leaving his testicles functioning and his love-life near normal, the doctor was less than cordial on follow-up visits. The doctor's territory had been breached.
At the patient's last visit, the doctor sent a female nurse, in lieu of his own expertise, to examine the sex organs and give a digital exam of his remaining prostate, which apparently shrunk because of the radiation. This reduced the pressure on the urethra allowing him to enjoy a respectable stream without the need to get out of bed 2 or 3 times at night. In short, his recovery was, and is, doing wonderful, despite the ailments, and the doctor.
It is imperative that cancer patients get involved in their OWN research, because most urologist are reluctant to discuss anything beyond the scope of their local colleagues. This is a FACT that can be documentated by the majority of patients at Loma Linda. If ignorance of the law is not a valid legal excuse, then ignorance of treatment options is certainly not a valid excuse for our medical professionals.
Do Your Homework
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Prostate cancer is usually a slow growing problem, and most people this age pass on before cancer gets them. Gleason 7 is the middle-of-the-line aggressiveness, and his fortunate good health indicated he would be wise to get treatment. After months of studying options, the only place in the US that agreed to treat an oversized prostate, without the hormone ablation shots, was Loma Linda Hospital in Loma Linda, CA., subject to a physical consultation. They said the preliminary data indicated it might be possible to treat the cancer with proton-beam, not photon-beam, radiation, which delivers a more precise treatment field, while sparing the rectum, bladder, etc. A condom is inserted in the rectum and partially inflated to keep the organs in the appropriate places, thus blossoming the advent of the Brotherhood of the Balloon.
Loma Linda is currently one of three or four centers in the US using proton-beam treatment, and had been treating prostate cancer since 1991. The major problem was the time required to complete 44 daily treatments, excluding weekends.
The round-trip flight was arranged through a Patients Assistance Program, with no cost to the patient, and MediPak covered the medical costs. The consultation was productive, and the attending physician affirmed that the treatment would consist of proton beam radiation only, with NO hormone ablation treatments affecting the testicles.

Prostate Cancer Information

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, apart from skin cancer. After lung cancer, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men.
In this year, around 234,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the US. In 2006, approximately 27,300 men will die from prostate cancer in the US alone. One in every 8 Canadian men will develop the disease, and one in 3 will die from it.
Every man is at risk for prostate cancer. Black men have about a 60% higher incidence rate of prostate cancer than white men, and almost a two-fold higher mortality rate than white men.
Men most at risk include:
- Men over age 40- North American and European origin- Diets with a high fat intake- History of the disease in the family.
The disease takes a long time to develop, and can be easily treated, if detected in its early stages. Prostate cancer can take up to eight to ten years to spread and become life threatening.
There are no specific prostate cancer symptoms, but some potential signs include:
- Frequent, difficult and painful urination- Blood or pus in the urine- Pain the in the lower back, pelvic area, or upper thighs- Painful ejaculation
When speaking about medical options, doctors typically offer patients two choices: radiation therapy or surgery to remove prostate gland.
Studies show that that adding the following to your diet can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer:
- Vitamin E- Vitamin C- Tomato juice- Selenium- Garlic
Here are 5 foods that can help prevent prostate cancer:
1. Black, pinto, small red and kidney beans.2. Tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit.3. Sweet potatoes, carrots and cantaloupe.4. Broccoli, kale and cauliflower.5. Soy milk.