Once we collect information on prostate cancer and treatment options in the context of our cancer stage and surgical profile, we commit to a treatment path. Learn about Mark's treatment decision path and the dimensions of Robotic Prostatectomy.

Mark:



There's a longer term concern that is much more serious, and that is the recurrence of cancer. It gets to be very striking when I'm told, at 54 years old, you could watchful wait, and you probably won't be symptomatic for ten years.



Text:



Immediate treatment might not make sense for men who have very slow growing cancer or early treatment cancers.



Mark:



That didn't sound very good to me.



Julie:



There was no way we were gonna do watchful waiting. Neither one of us had the temperament for that.



Mark:



I was aware of the different approaches with radiation: the seeds, the breaking therapy, the external beam type approaches. And they are certainly good options for the right kind of patients. But what was driving me more towards the surgery, rather than the radiation, is with the physical exams you only get one side of the prostate. And you never know for sure exactly how much cancer is there unless you take it out and you section it and you look at it.



Text:



Another major emotional problem patients cite is the unpredictability of their future.



Dr. Tewari:



He has a reasonably significant score of cancer, which, given his long life expectancy, could bother him down the road. That's the reason he wanted to be having a definitive approach.



Mark:



I feel like I'm a good surgical candidate. I'm generally healthy. I would have more peace of mind just having it removed.



Julie:



I was very supportive of the surgery. Immediately we would deal with it and we would go on.



Mark:



Once you've made a decision and you go forward with it, be optimistic about what you've done.