Never Forget Their Sacrifice

As you gather today with your family and friends, please take a minute or two to remember all of our service personnel who are maintaining our freedom around the world and who won't be able to gather like you and me.
Give thanks for them and pray for their protection, especially today. Pray also for those families who are experiencing their first Christmas without their loved one.
Thank God for your blessings.

Blessings today,
Rick

Family For Christmas

I will be enjoying the next several days with family for Christmas and will not be posting until next Monday.

I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!

Blessings,
Rick

Proton Beam Therapy Video. The bottom video is of IMRT.

This video will answer most questions that you may have about Proton Beam Therapy. Although I was treated at Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute in Bloomington, Indiana, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas is another one of the five centers currently offering Proton Beam Therapy. Forty four different types of cancer are treated with proton beam and it is especially useful when treating cancerous tumors in critical areas of the body where other organs or tissues could be damaged by other treatments. Proton beam is particularly useful when treating head and neck tumors where precision is critical.

Have a good weekend.
Blessings,
Rick

Jingle Bells never sounded like this before. What fortitude. Enjoy.

Check this National Public Radio interview out with Dr. William Hanson about new technologies in medicine. About 8 minutes into the interview he talks about Proton Beam Therapy. Just click on the Listen Now icon and you can listen to this very informative interview.

Have a good Thursday.

Blessings,
Rick

Stereotactic Transperineal Prostate Biopsy

Prostate Cancer Discovered in 40 Percent of Men Who Test Negative

A new study reveals that a standard office biopsy isn't enough to properly detect prostate cancer. In fact, 40 percent of men with prostate cancer may not even know they have it, according to this research study by the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Chicago. Researchers used an advanced biopsy technique called stereotactic transperineal prostate biopsy (STPB) on patients with persistent elevated PSA levels who previously had at least one negative office biopsy. Performed as an outpatient procedure, STPB allows more comprehensive sampling, compared to the transrectal method, which takes fewer samples through the rectum.
"Men who have negative transrectal biopsies and continue to have elevated PSA levels should consider STPB because 40 percent will harbor malignancy," says Michelle Braccioforte, director of research and education for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Chicago. "Our level of confidence is greatly enhanced with regards to the presence or absence of cancer, and more specifically, the exact location of the cancer within the prostate."

We'll have to watch this study.

Have a good Wednesday.
Blessings,
Rick

"Gold Standards Aren't Always Golden"

I'm sure we've all heard lately about Bernard Madoff, the ex-Wall street heavyweight who was arrested last Thursday for bilking billions of dollars from investors. He became such an icon because he delivered on the promises he made to make a huge return on investment for those who put their trust in him. Unfortunately what he promised came crashing down by the recent financial breakdown. He was in some circles, the "gold standard" of investing. People just invested with him because of who he was. He promised what he said.

The story brought to mind the "gold standard" of prostate cancer treatment, Radical Prostatectomy. It has been the trusted one for many years and as other comparable treatment options have come on the scene, it has remained the "gold standard" mainly because people have willing put their trust in it without doing due diligence.

Like the investors in the Madoff pyramid scheme, we should always do our due diligence when trying to reach a decision on anything. Especially when it pertains to our health.

Have a good Tuesday.
Blessings,
Rick

Lets Say Thanks

My daughter, Elizabeth, in Knoxville, TN. put me onto this site where a person can go, like you, and send a thank you note to a member of our armed forces to say thanks for their service to our country.
Please take a minute to do this. It will mean alot to them all for what they are doing to maintain our freedoms.
Thank you and God bless,
Rick

Cancer Rates Coming Down?

A new report from the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and other scientific organizations, indicates cancer diagnosis rates decreased by an average of 0.8 percent each year from 1999 to 2005. Death rates continued to decline as well, falling an average of 1.8 percent each year from 2002 to 2005. The decline is primarily due to a reduction in death rates from certain common cancers, including prostate cancer and lung cancer in men, breast cancer in women and colorectal cancer in both sexes. The incidence of prostate cancer has declined by 4.4 percent a year from 2001 to 2005, after annual increases of 2.1 percent a year for several years.
"Each year that you see these steady declines it gives you more confidence that we're moving in the right direction," said Dr. John E. Niederhuber, director of the National Cancer Institute. "This is not just a blip on the screen."
The report indicates these reductions may be a result of healthier lifestyles, improved screening, and advances in treatment. However, the drop in annual incidence rates is harder to interpret. While the data may indicate a real decline in the occurrence of some types of cancer, this decline may reflect inconsistent screening practices, causing some cancers that used to be detected to now go undiagnosed.

Have a good Wednesday.
Blessings,
Rick

Enjoying The Benefits Of Proton Therapy

I was able to enjoy my granddaughter, Christina's, Christmas program last night thanks to the proton therapy I received to treat my prostate cancer.
Oh sure, there were no doubt guys there last night who were also enjoying the program who used other options to treat their prostate cancer, but thankfully I never went through what they did to get to that point.
Every good thing that comes about from here on is just an added benefit to my decision to treat with protons.

Have a good Tuesday.
Blessings,
Rick

New Blood Test To Replace PSA Test?

The following story tells of a new blood test being developed at Johns Hopkins to better detect the presence of prostate cancer. With 1.6 million biopsies done each year and 80% of those showing negative for prostate cancer, this test hopes to eliminate unnecessary biopsies. This article appeared in The Good Earth April 26, 2007.

WASHINGTON, April 26 U.S. researchers say an experimental blood test for prostate cancer may detect more tumors and reduce unnecessary biopsies.
In a study published in the April issue of the journal Urology, Johns Hopkins Hospital researchers said EPCA-2 testing is more accurate than the current PSA test in identifying cancer in the prostate.
The PSA test measures a protein normally produced by the prostate, while EPCA-2 detects a chemical primarily made in cancerous tissue, The Washington Post reported.
Robert H. Getzenberg -- professor of urology and director of research at the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine -- said PSA testing often erroneously highlights non-cancerous conditions and can miss some cases of cancer.
Getzenberg, lead author of the study, said approximately 1.6 million men undergo prostatic biopsies in the United States annually, and roughly 80 percent of them have negative results.
Johns Hopkins Hospital is working with Onconome Inc., a biomedical company based in Seattle, to bring the test to market within the next 18 months.

Have a good Monday.
Blessings,
Rick

Us TOO PEORIA Update

Last night we had our Us Too Peoria support group meeting. We had changed the date because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Dr. Tom Rashid was our speaker and it was the 5th time he has addressed our group. He is always very informative and takes every minute to answer whatever questions the audience has for him. He has been one of our biggest supporters and that is very much appreciated.

He is connected with OSF in Peoria and he spoke of the importance of early screening. He told of a family member who had died this year of prostate cancer and I believe we all felt his pain. He is a urologist and this member could have benefited from his expertise. His testimony spoke volumes to all of us to always encourage those close to us to be sure they are properly screened.

Well, the weekend is upon us and it's cold, so I hope everyone stays safe this weekend and that you enjoy your time with family and friends.

Blessings,
Rick

CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer

Experts Weigh in on CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer
While hospitals around the country aggressively market Cyberknife for treatment of early prostate cancer, this trend has sparked debate over whether this treatment option represents an important advancement or the latest example of an expensive and potentially profitable new technology. While its advocates say the CyberKnife offers prostate cancer patients a safe and effective alternative to traditional radiation treatment, many experts fear that it could leave men unnecessarily vulnerable to recurrences or potentially serious complications. Cyberknife supporters argue that there is sufficient evidence that this approach is at least as good as standard therapies, and since it can precisely target tumors with higher doses of radiation, it could prove to be safer and even more effective.
"This is really pushing the envelope," said Anthony L. Zietman, president-elect of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. "It might be as good and more convenient. It may be better and more convenient. But it could turn out to be a disaster. No one knows."

Have a good Wednesday.

Blessings,
Rick

Snowed Out

Well, I attempted to travel to Bloomington, Indiana yesterday for my three year follow up appointment, but after driving 45 minutes and just covering 15 miles, I decided that another day would be better. In one ten miles stretch of road I saw 15 cars in the ditches. This was all the encouragement I needed to turn around and head for home.

I just called and my new appointment is for December 29th, so we'll see if the weather cooperates that day.

I feel great and had my annual physical two weeks ago. Everything looked good except for a possible problem with my heart. I am currently wearing a monitor for 30 days. I guess we'll know something after that time. My father died of a heart condition, so I want to take every precaution. I have five granddaughters and another baby on the way. Those are reasons enough to take care of things.

Well, I hope you all have a good Tuesday.

Blessings,
Rick