Diagnosis: Prostate Cancer
Treatment: High Intensity Focused Ultrasound
Thank you very much for coming to talk to me today about Prostate Cancer and about your treatment. Can you tell me a little bit about how you got diagnosed? And then about how you decided for treatment?
“Well, I had run regular checkups with my doctor, my primary care, and my PSA was starting to show elevations. And that was changing, so that triggered a follow up. And when the follow up came the PSA was elevated, and it was considered that I might have to do prostate surgery or treatment for prostate. So I decided to look into it.
I knew that there were some concerning operations. Some of the procedures out there were really concerning to me. I did a lot of research. This could be a long discussion, because it took me a while. The short version is that I ultimately decided to go with your services, the service High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, as an alternative to surgical procedures or radiology that was proposed. And I did speak with radiologists and I did speak with surgeons. Neither of them could guarantee me that there was going to be a minimal amount of impact on my sexual organs and my sensation in that area, which to me as an adult male were important considerations. The radiology procedure was going to be at least 8 weeks – 5 treatments a week for 8 weeks – and that was an extraordinarily time consuming and intrusive process with a lot of side effects. Surgical procedures were outlined and those were going to have side effects, including the possibility, the likelihood, because the doctors are very candid about this, that they were going to cut one of the key nerves because they’re going in there and they’re cutting out the prostate. And inevitably, some of those nerves in that area are cut and that was going to affect sensation and other kinds of experiences that as an adult male you are accustomed to having. I was genuinely concerned about all of that.
So I did my homework. And after reading a number of articles and looking for a practitioner in the area, your name was prominent among them. There were a lot of high recommendations, a lot of commentary about the quality of your services, and I contacted you and asked you to do the follow up. So you ran blood tests, got a high PSA rating. Then we did the procedure where you go in and take some samples to look at the tissue, and that tissue showed that there were indications of cancer in the prostate. So right down the line, every step of the procedure, without enumerating every single step, I have written them all out here, and I thought that was useful. A friend of my brother’s had asked me about the procedure, because I had gone through it, and my brother’s friend said that he had a likelihood of prostate cancer, and I had enumerated it every step of the way. The point of it being, you guys are very attentive, professional, and responsive. Which I found a welcome change from a lot of the experiences I had had. You have a Patient Portal, where all the information is made available that I can look up immediately online. You have given me your cell phone number and if I needed to, which I did in a couple of occasions, I reached out to you and you responded. Other physicians don’t return calls, that’s my experience.
So I was struck. And this is at a time of great personal upset and challenge, to see that you were so supportive. Your staff is very friendly and supportive, and that meant a great deal. As things proceeded, and there’s a succession of treatments that have to be done. One the test, to determine where the cancer cells are, and then the TURP, the Transurethral Recession of the Prostate, was recommended and was done, and then after that the recovery period, and then the HIFU, the High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, was done. In between that, there was a period of recovery where I needed to have a catheter, and I had a little difficulty with that. During that, your staff was very helpful with the catheter, it’s not something I had had before. But I liked how everyone was so responsive, made themselves available.
And at the end of it all, I wanted to conclude by saying that the procedure was successful. My PSA levels are at 0.86 – previously it was at 9. So it looks like the whole thing has been very successful. My sexual function has not been affected, my sensation and my passing of urine is going normally. Very relieved about all of that. So I feel like the whole experience has been very successful. And I’m deeply appreciative of the service you guys have given me. So that’s the short version.”
Thank you very much. That was very meaningful, and I’m sure that people who are watching this video are going to find your words very, very helpful.
“Yes, I think someone who has actually gone through the process speaking from their experiences will be very helpful. And I can highly recommend for those of you watching, I can highly recommend Dr. Gluck and his staff, they’re attentive and professional and highly competent. Very impressive. Thank you very much, Dr. Gluck.”
Below, after the video of the above testimonial, please find a detailed list of all services and treatments Dr. Gluck performed for this patient. Additionally, you may download a copy of the document here: Complete List of Prostate Cancer Treatments
