Retired 2002. Final company physical revealed PSA of 3.5 ng/ml. Doctor recommended watching. PSA raised .50 to .75 points every 6 months after that. Had five biopsies before they found it. Suspect they missed it on first four performed at South Bend, Indiana.
We winter at Fort Myers Beach and they found it there on 5th try. Had Da Vinci consults at Cleveland Clinic and Indiana University Med. Found Dattoli Cancer Clinic on Internet.
Talked to several men who went there. Also joined Man to Man and met many fellows with PC. Most agonizing aspect for me was the decision on course of treatment and selecting a doctor. Was very close (within days) to having Da Vinci surgery at Cleveland Clinic at Weston Florida. What swayed me to go with radiation therapy, using IMRT (Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy) and Seeding - Seed Implant Brachytherapy - was meeting and talking to so many fellows who had surgery and now a year or so later they were undergoing some type of salvage therapy. In short, surgery didn't get all the cancer. So in addition to undergoing the rigors of the surgery and dealing with the quality of life issues they now were faced with cancer spreading.
Time will tell if I made the right decision, but I have decided that when I made my choice I wouldn't look back with any regrets. I would love to share the Dattoli experience with anyone who is interested. It is unlike any medical experience I have had. I met fellows there who were back for their nine year check up and still completely clean. Dr. Dattoli just published 14 year data with 90% cure rate. He has a great text book available on his website.
Email me and I will respond and provide my phone number.
God Bless
On October 23, 2007 it was two month since 81 Palladium-103 seeds were implanted. The procedure itself was essentially a "non-event" with amazingly little discomfort immediately afterwards. I took no pain pills.
About 12-15 days post seeding I began experiencing some rectal discomfort. Sitting on hard chairs or lawn tractor aggravated it. Also, had very frequent urination and weak stream. Taking Flomax 2x daily. Will go off the Casodex and Avodart in one more month. Have swollen and tender breast. Each day it gets better.
About the only symptom now is frequent urination. Most nights I sleep thru. I admit I am not really watching my diet and eat/drink essentially whatever I want. I return to Dattoli Clinic on November 28, 2007 for 8 more IMRT (post-seeding boost). This will complete my treatment.
I believe I will then go back in three months for my first post-treatment PSA check and color doppler ultrasound.
Be glad to answer any questions or provide more detailed info.
On December 13, 2007 I completed my final eight IMRT treatments at the Dattoli Cancer Center in Sarasota. These 8 treatments are called a "post seeding boost".
My first PSA test results after seeding is 0.08 (Down from 8.75). I am very pleased with the results, but Dr. Dattoli cautions that at my age I could experience a "PSA bounce". As a reminder I had 81 Palladium 103 seeds implanted on August 23, 2007.
I have very little remaining side effects from the procedure other than frequent urination. I would say my urination is about back to normal now. I sleep through most nites. I have reduced from 2 Flomax tablets/day to one tablet/day and plan to wean myself off all the Flomax by March or sooner. I am doing so well that Dr Dattoli doesn't need to see me until next December.
I have my fingers crossed that I made the right choice. I can truly say whatever the future brings I have no regrets for choosing the Dattoli Cancer Center. Be glad to share the Dattoli experience with anyone. You owe it to yourself to evaluate it before you chose your course of treatment and who will perform it.
God Bless and Happy New Year.
At 6 months post seeding my PSA had risen from 0.08 to 0.15. I was concerned and called the Dattoli clinic. I was told too soon to worry. My first annual exam is scheduled for December 19, '08. At that visit will get complete blood work up and color doppler ultrasound exam.
On August 23, '08 it was one year since my seeding. I am off all meds. Urination is normal. I sleep through the nite. However, recently began bleeding with stool. This occurs one or two times a week. Started with spotting and will occasionally flow. Saw Gastroenterologist and he diagnosed it as "chronic radiation proctitis". He says common with radiation patients. He can treat with Formalin swab. I am researching and deciding on course of action. I am disappointed, but went into this knowing that no one could tell me the longer term effects of radiation on the body.
I have no pain and no other symptoms.
I am scheduled to return to the Dattoli Clinic in January 2010 for my second annual post treatment check-up.
I still experience some urination urgency and frequency. Get up 2 to 3 times a night. Also, have rectal bleeding. I have seen two GI's and they say it is due to radiation proctitis and will not improve with time. One suggested Formalin treatment which is a chemical cautery and the other suggested Radiofrequency Ablation. I am still deciding what to do. I am disappointed with the rectal bleeding.
I have no prostate pain. I am still able to get an erection, but not as good as before treatment.
In January they will perform blood work including PSA, CT scan, and rectal ultrasound. I will update after I get my results.
Be glad to discuss my Dattoli experience with anyone.
God Bless and Thanks --Terry Wagoner
Went to Dattoli Clinic on January 22, 2010 for second annual check-up. Had lab work and ultrasound. Passed on recommended CT scan as insurance won't pay. PSA 0.40 and PAP 0.90. Told everything looks good and too soon to worry.
Had lab work at South Bend Indiana on June 17, 2010. PSA 0.17 and PAP 0.90.
Still experiencing some rectal bleeding but not as severe or as frequent. No other long term post radiation symptoms. I am considering starting Progesterone (hormone replacement) to counter the effects of Estradiol. If anyone has experience with this I would appreciate hearing from you.
As always will be glad to speak to anyone.
God Bless Terry Wagoner
It will be 5 years in 4 days. I made my goal! Still here and doing well! Amazing to see where treatment is going. Today with a Gleason 6, PSA under 10, and cancer in 2 of 12 cores I suspect Active Surveillance would now be the recommended course by an informed practice. Still no one and I mean no one can tell you with 100% certainty that the cancer had not breached the capsule and your Gleason 6 is not aggressive. It is still a crap shoot and based solely on your risk tolerance. There is promise with new imaging techniques but we are not there yet. If I was diagnosed today would put my trust in Dr. Snuffy Myers. You owe it to yourself to see him before you decide on course of treatment.
I was treated at Dattoli Cancer Center and have no regrets. I have stopped my annual check ups with them as now on Medicare and they will not pay for any of the follow-up testing they recommend. I will continue to get annual PSA through my family physician. It was rising PSA that got me here and it will ultimately be the thing that will tell me if treatment failed.
Whatever you decide realize that surgery or radiation will change you for the remainder of your life. Don't let anyone tell you it will not. I am glad I did not opt for surgery. I was weeks away from Da Vinci when I found Dattoli. On the whole I would rather have weak stream rather than incontinence and impotence. Lesser of two evils for me. Your choice.
Thankfully we have dedicated men who made this site possible. It will help you make an informed decision that only you can ultimately make. Just don't be too quick to jump on the table. Do your homework. I will be glad to talk to anyone at anytime.
God Bless Terry Wagoner
I have been going to the Datolli Clinic in Sarasota Florida for annual check ups since my IMRT and Seeding in summer of 2007. I turned 65 in 2011 and received a letter from Dattoli informing me that Medicare would not pay for any of the recommended followup testing (color Doppler ultra sound, Cat scan etc). Dattoli advised that they recommended that I continue my annual follow up visits to their clinic and would bill me at the self payer rate. I completed one more follow up visit and then decided that I would just continue having PSA diagnostic testing ordered by my family physician in Indiana. So every 6 months I have had PSA test performed and to date it remains constant at 0.04. If it should begin to rise I will most likely go to Dr. "Snuffy" Myers AIDP Clinic in Virginia for recurrent treatment. I believe he is probably among if not the best at treating recurrent disease.
Otherwise I have no real symptoms. Long bike rides do cause some discomfort and I have some slight rectal bleeding from time to time.
I have no regrets and would highly recommend the Dattoli experience to anyone. At least evaluate it before making your decision.
Hopefully we are not too far away from the practitioners being able to tell you with 100% certainty whether your Gleason 6 is aggressive or not. Until that day you have to make a decision based on your level of risk aversion. To this day I do not know if watchful waiting (now active surveillance) would have been the right course for me. Don't let anyone tell you that surgery or radiation have no side effects. With either treatment you will not be the same man you were.
Be glad to speak to anyone about the Dattoli experience.
Take Care
Terry Wagoner
In April of 2014 I celebrated a 7 year milestone from when I heard those terrible words you have prostate cancer. Of course happy that I made 7 years but in the back of my mind I always wonder if you are ever really cancer free and it just lying dormant and may re-appear at any time. I still have a diagnostic PSA test every 6 months and my level has been trending right at 0.040 for some time now.
As far as any long term side effects I no longer have any rectal pain while sitting. I do ride my bike but hard seat is uncomfortable after some time so cant ride as long as I use to. Riding the lawn tractor is no longer a problem.
On a very personal note erections are still there un-aided by meds, but certainly not what they were 10 years ago (age 68). There is no ejaculate and has been none since the seeding took place.
Each time I get my PSA results I prepare myself to see that it has started to creep back up. Of course the long term effects of external beam radiation and seeding may result in other forms of cancer. Bladder and rectum are not out of question. No one knows with certainty. Only time will tell. Feel free to contact me. God bless Terry Wagoner
I continue to have diagnostic PSA tests every 6 months and was last tested on 6-03-15 and the reported number remains normal at <0.03 ng/ml. My family physician follows my care now as Medicare wont pay for the follow-up testing at the Dattoli Cancer center where I was treated in Sarasota Florida. For the first time I got some push back when I called to ask the doctor to call in the order to the blood lab. I told the nurse it was time again for my 6 month PSA test and she placed me on hold and when she came back to the phone she asked "who told you that you need to have your PSA tested every 6 months". I told her that Dr. Dattoli recommended it and that I have prostate cancer and no one has ever used the "cured" word. So I intend to be ever vigilant regards early detection of recurrence. The doctor agreed to call in the order.
As far as long term side effects it has been 8 years since I had IMRT external beam and Seeding. I am 69 years old and I experience frequent urination and some leakage. I don't know if it is entirely attributed to my treatment or father time or a combination of both.
I do experience some discomfort if I ride a bicycle too long. Otherwise I have no symptoms.
Always willing to discuss why I chose Dattoli with anyone.
If the cancer comes back my plan now is to see Dr. Snuffy Myers. If you don't subscribe to his videos suggest that you do. If not the best I think he is among the best oncologist in the business today.
Terry Wagoner
I do have some discomfort riding bicycle for extended time period and riding lawn tractor without soft cushion on seat. I usually have to get up one or two times at night to urinate. Otherwise no other problems. I am now 70 years old.
Up until last year I was getting PSA diagnostic test every 6 months, but in 2015 after discussion with doctor have reduced frequency to once a year. Just had it performed in June 2016 and it was 0.030 which is where it has been for long time now.
Have no regrets and would recommend that anyone should evaluate Dattoli before they make their final treatment decision. I understand that High Freq Ultrasound is here now. I would also take close look at that and like all these technologies it makes a difference who you have do the procedure. Easy to hang out a shingle, but no substitute for experience and proven/consistent results.
Should it come back I would most likely go see Dr. Snuffy Myers as my first step.
Best Wishes
Terry Wagoner
It has been 10 years since I had external beam radiation followed by seed implants performed at the Dattoli Cancer Clinic in Sarasota Florida. I am 71 years old. I have no regrets and would chose same treatment and same provider again.
Have a PSA diagnostic test performed every 6 months. Has remained at <0.03 for about 9 years now.
I have to get up at least once a night to urinate. Usually around 0330 to 0400. That may be a function of my age as much as the long term effects of the radiation treatment.
I think biggest challenge for any man is making an informed decision to undergo any type of treatment based on whether his tumor is aggressive or not. I still don't think anyone can tell you with certainty what kind of tumor you have. It is frustrating and a bit maddening. Comes down to what is your risk tolerance and if you can live with monitoring vs. undergoing the rigors of the treatment and the resulting short term and long term side effects.
I frequently think about if I will end up with rectum or bladder cancer due to the radiation dose that anatomy received. I don't dwell on it, but the question is always there. I asked about it when I did my due diligence and never got a very good answer. Of course there is risk of rectal fissure during the treatment and that is a question you must have a discussion with your radiologist to find out his track record. I asked each doctor I consulted with how many men he had treated and how many experienced a rectal fissure. One would have been too many for me even if the doctor had treated thousands of men. Of course you are trusting these doctors to be forthright with their answers.
Lastly, don't let anyone tell you that you will be the same man after treatment. That is baloney. You will be changed to some degree as far as incontinence and erectile dysfunction is concerned. Depending on your age this can be a very big deal or just an inconvenience.
Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Terry Wagoner
In December of 2018 it will be 11 years since I completed my last treatment at the Dattolli Clinic in Sarasota Florida. In April 2007 I was diagnosed and underwent IMRT (now DART) external beam radiation. In August 2007 I had 81 seeds implanted (Brachytherapy Palladium-103 ) and in December of 2018 I had 8 more IMRT treatments.
Post treatment I was getting my PSA checked twice a year for quite a few years until my insurance company balked and would only pay for once a year. So for the last 6 years or so I have been getting the PSA Diagnostic test every June. It has been at 0.30 each time for a long time.
As far as symptoms go I do have frequent urination and stream is not as strong as it once was. I have no painful urination. In past couple of years been getting up 3 to 4 times per night. Recently had testing for Diabetes and I do not have it. My Doctor believes it is Nocturia and no underlying condition other than age (72).
After all this time I still cannot sit on hard surfaces very long ie bicycle seats, lawn tractor seats etc.
Otherwise I am doing well and no regrets regarding my choice of treatment or where I had my treatment.
When diagnosed I just asked the Lord for 5 more years. I am pushing 11 years and that time as flown by. I guess when compared to eternity I wonder sometimes what all the fuss was about!
Take Care
Terry Wagoner
It has been 12 years since I was treated at the Dattoli Cancer Center in Sarasota Florida. I had IMRT external beam radiation and brachytherapy (radioactive seed implants). Near term side effects included sore rectum and some bleeding. For several years it was uncomfortable to ride a bicycle or lawn tractor. Most recently I have little discomfort with either of those two activities. I do have to get up on average 3 to 4 times a night to urinate. I am not taking any meds for this condition. This problem may be in part due to radiation treatment or it may be primarily due to age (73). Only follow up I have is annual PSA test. I get the Diagnostic or Ultra-sensitive test and not the screening test. My PSA level has been reported by the lab at <0.03 ng/mL for many years now.
My 70 year old brother has had the old fashioned perineal prostate surgery. Post surgery he had to have more than one "roto-rooter" scraping to remove scar tissue strictures that blocked urine flow. Just a few months post surgery his urologist called to say he needed to have radiation treatment. He suffers from impotence and incontinence.
What ever method you chose there will be the rigors of the procedure and quality of life issues. I don't think anyone is ever the man they once were regardless of the treatment method.
When I was doing homework to decide on my treatment two things I found very difficult to get accurate answers were 1. Do I have the kind of prostate cancer I will die with or the aggresive kind I will die from? and 2. If I select radiation treatments, will I be at much higher risk years out for cancers such as rectal, anal, colon? I never got the answers.
I am now out 15 years and so far so good. For quite sometime continued to see Urologist and have PSA tested every 6 months. Not seeing Urologist anymore and my Primary care doctor orders PSA Diagnosic test once a year. Just had Colonoscopy and they found one polyp that came back from lab as benign.
For quite a long time I had very sore rectum. Could not ride bike very long, sit on hard chairs, ride lawn tractor etc. without discomfort. That condition is pretty much gone now.
I have no regrest having chosen to be treated at the Datolli Cancer Center in Sarasota. Would likely make the same decision again after studying the advancement in treatments since 2007.
Only remaining question I have is if my cancer comes back can I have surgery and/or can I have radiation again. Most of what I read says "no" to both procedures. Will cross that bridge should it manifest its ugly self again. All on borrowed time and I am blessed to have gotten 15 more years.
Terry Wagoner
Immediately after my external beam radiation and radio active seeding I had sore rectum and it was uncomfortable to sit on hard chairs and could not ride bicycle or lawn tractor. Also, had some sorness and bleeding that was treated with cortisone suppositories. Saw two different GIs who wanted to treat it with either Formalin swabs or RF ablation. I decided to wait it out using the suppositories and eventully soreness and bleeding went away.
When I was performing my research could not find any one who could share incidence of rectal or colon cancer and how many years after it occured. I have colonoscopy every 5 years and so far so good. It has been 16 years since I was treated. I have PSA test annually with my primary care doctor. It remains undetectable.
I would not do anything different today if diagnosed.
As of November 2024 I don't have any long term side effects that are attributable to my treatment at the Dattoli cancer center that I am aware of.
My PSA remains undetectable. I have no rectal soreness of any kind. I have no rectal bleeding.
I have always had it in the back of my mind that I could end up with rectum or bladder cancer, but so far so good. I don't dwell on it. I feel blessed that I survived from April 2007. At that time I was asking God to grant me 5 more years.
At 78 years of age I am now seeing a Nephrologist who has diagnosed me with early stage kidney disease (CKD). He tells me it is not related to my prostate cancer treatment in 2007. I hope dialysis is not in my near future.
Terry Wagoner
Terry's e-mail address is: wagstw46 AT aol.com (replace "AT" with "@")
