Prostate cancer survivor preaches early detection
Greg Thompson may not have known he had prostate cancer if his wife hadn’t pushed him to get a physical.
A simple blood test showed Thompson had a high PSA (prostate-specific antigen) score, and he was eventually diagnosed with prostate cancer at 48.
“I had no symptoms, nothing,” said Thompson, now 50, a Baptist Home Health employee. “I had no family history of cancer.”
For treatment, Thompson turned to Western Baptist urologist Donald Spicer, M.D., for da Vinci robotic surgery. Thompson had researched it himself and learned that patients normally experience less blood loss and faster recovery than with traditional surgery.
Faster recovery with da Vinci
“Many patients having prostate surgery now experience less post-operative pain and shorter hospital stays,” Dr. Spicer said of the da Vinci’s benefits.
Thompson said he had a textbook recovery, and he now encourages his peers to have a prostate screening after 40. He said many men have a false confidence after scoring high on prostate screening quizzes on the Internet.
“I scored high on the written exam,” Thompson said. “Those tests cannot indicate cancer. Only a PSA and a blood test can show if you have cancer.”
Prostate cancer may not cause symptoms in early stages. More advanced prostate cancer may cause trouble urinating, blood in urine, swelling in your legs and discomfort in the pelvic area.
One in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. A physical exam and simple blood test to establish a baseline PSA score today could help save a life later, Dr. Spicer said.
Since Western Baptist became the area’s first hospital to offer the da Vinci surgery in early 2009, Dr. Spicer has used it hundreds of times for prostate and kidney surgery. It is also used for hysterectomy and throat cancer surgery.
Brunch Bunch
Dr. Spicer will speak on da Vinci robotic surgery for prostate cancer at Western Baptist Hospital’s next free Brunch Bunch from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, in the Baptist Heart Center auditorium. The da Vinci robot will be available for demonstrations.
Lunch will be provided. Space is limited, so reservations are required by phoning (270) 575-2851.