The Prostate Papers—Chapter 6: The Wrap

The wrap and final episode of The Prostate Papers. It's time to draw this story to a close.

Gary Ebersole here, back with the closing chapter of The Prostate Papers. You might have noticed the recent “dead air” from the Camp Codger podcast. I haven’t abandoned Camp Codger, but I couldn’t bring myself to deliver another long episode about prostate cancer. Sometimes, you can get too close to a topic, and this was one of those topics for me. Anyway, my personal experience with the scourge of prostate cancer has reached a significant juncture, and I feel a need for closure, hence this final episode of The Prostate Papers.

My Biopsy

I went to Denver in early July for my biopsy, and the results came back a week later. To understand how I ended up 400 miles from Santa Fe, where I live, for this critical procedure, read my blog post on the biopsy dilemma. As you might expect, I hoped the pathology report would let me move into “watchful waiting” or even “active surveillance” mode. Unfortunately, the Denver urologist who performed the biopsy and did the cancer staging said that I needed treatment—surgery, radiation, or even focal therapy. He said it wasn’t urgent, but I did need to do something sooner (measured in a few months) rather than later (a year or two).

My Treatment Decision

For the curious, I have chosen to undergo external beam radiation therapy using the SBRT protocol rather than have a radical prostatectomy via robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery. What a mouthful! Anyway, the treatment will occur during the last two weeks of October in San Francisco. Yes, I’m also traveling out of state for my treatment. I explain my rationale for this decision in a blog post on CampCodger.com.

A Few Comments

Let me leave you with a couple of closing comments. First, an important point to leave listeners with is that your level of involvement in your diagnosis and treatment is your choice. You can follow my over-the-top path and go into a research frenzy. It was perfect for a geek like me since understanding how things work matters. My immersion in the world of prostate cancer has led to the diagnostic choices I made. It also determined my treatment choice. That said, what works for me may not work for other guys. If you have an excellent urologist that you trust and a support system to give you wise counsel, the low-research approach can be the right path for you.

The Definitive Book on Prostate Cancer

Second, for the guy or his family who must know as much as possible about the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, do your online research, as I suggested in an earlier episode. Then check out Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer. This comprehensive book loads you up with detail, often more than you want. I was well-informed when I finished reading the book.

It's a Wrap

So, it’s a wrap for The Prostate Papers. Developing these episodes has been cathartic for me, but the interaction with my new “prostate buddies” in our special club has been even more amazing. Thanks, guys. It really made a difference.

The Prognosis

Before we go, let me reassure our listeners that I am convinced everything will turn out well. My doctors and all the data I have read tell me that I have over a 99% chance of disease-free survival in the next five years. We caught my cancer at an early stage, and thanks to remarkable advances in treatment technology and practices over the last 20 years, it’s easily treatable. As an added benefit, my radiation oncologist ordered a genomic test of the biopsy tissue. My 15-year risk of dying from prostate cancer is 1.1%. I’m a very lucky 75-year-old guy: early detection, excellent treatment, and good genes. I might make it to 90!

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