Today’s blog marks my one year anniversary of the beginning my 3rd round of treatment for prostate cancer at the Dattoli Cancer Center in Sarasota, Florida since being diagnosed in January of 2012, almost 5 years ago. THIS treatment consisted of 8 weeks of radiation (this time to my lymph nodes in my abdomen) coupled with one year of hormone therapy (Lupron injections) along with the following regime of off-label prescription drugs (pictured) (off label means they are being prescribed for treating something other than what the drug was intended to be used for):
Metformin, Casodex, Cabergoline, Celebrex, Finasteride, and Bicaludamide (Bicaludamide is actually intended as a complementary treatment with hormone therapy).
This is anything but conventional treatment. This is a radical all out effort to try and eradicate a cancer that does not reveal itself via MRI, CAT scan, bone scan, or any other scan but continues to lurk somewhere in my body after leaving my prostate. The only signal I have of progressing cancer is a rising PSA. Dr. Dattoli is “aiming” for a cure that conventional medicine says is not possible. Based on his years of treating the disease, he is convinced the cancer is lurking in the lymph nodes of my abdomen. Lymph nodes are usually the first destination of metastatic (spreading) prostate cancer on it’s way to bone. If we can’t wipe it out, maybe we can at least slow it down. Mindy and I are hopeful but know the possibility of a “cure” is actually pretty low.
One year ago today, Mindy and I were standing at the kitchen counter of our temporary home in Sarasota, FL for the next 8 weeks. The angst leading up to that week surpassed all of my other cancer angst the previous 4.5 years. I was diagnosed with PC in Dec. of 2011 in Santa Cruz. Based on biopsy results (T2a / GS of 6) we opted for an radical prostatectomy (RP) in Santa Cruz using robotic surgery in Jan of 2012. Final biopsy post surgery is T3b, with 70% involvement of prostate, GS 7 (3+4), and perennial invasion around the bladder neck – oh shit. My prostate specific antigen (PSA, which is the chemical marker for prostate cancer progression) hit it’s nadir or lowest point of 0.05 after the RP. Since my PSA did not go to zero my urologist recommended adjuvant IMRT radiation to the prostate bed and we followed suit for 8 weeks in May and June of 2012 with IMRT prostate bed radiation. PSA never goes below 0.05 and starts to rise within month after that. With a doubling time of about 8 months – yikes again. MY urologist referred us to UCSF cancer center and the oncologist there kept steering me towards a clinical trail of ARN509 (another hormone therapy drug) if my PSA kept rising (it did) with no real hope of a cure – he did not give us any other recommended alternatives to HT (hormone therapy). Fortunately, after much prodding from our new family physician in Santa Cruz, Dr. Rachel Abrams, we contacted Dr. Mark Renneker who consults with cancer patients in San Francisco. He referred us to Dr. Keith Block in Chicago.
Dr. Block and his team of experts was a breath of fresh air. I would highly recommend ANYONE who has been recently diagnosed with cancer to go to Keith Block and get a second opinion before moving forward with ANY cancer treatment. Anyway, Dr. B sends us to…………………Dattoli cancer center. Dr. Dattoli says with my profile, he gives me a 70 to 80 percent chance of a CURE. Guess which path we took? Much respect for the UCSF team, but a bit enraged that other options were not offered other than the ARN-509 study.
So here I sit in my bed exactly one year later since beginning the Dattoli treatment. Here is my summary to date:
1. FEAR was way to big of an influencer early on in my cancer treatment. FEAR will lead you to making wrong decisions. I am not going to let FEAR be factor in my decision making on ANYTHING EVER AGAIN.
2. Make no mistake, cancer is a business, a huge business. Millions of people rely on cancer treatment as a form of income. Every doctor is in a different segment of the cancer business – take the time and money to find a doctor that you can work with.
3. Very few oncologist (Dr. Block being a wonderful exception) have sufficient knowledge on nutritional intervention as an adjunct to traditional treatments. PROSTATE CANCER IS A FOOD BORNE ILLNESS. I know my garbage diet, coupled with excessive alcohol consumption were the major contributors to my development of cancer My experience has been that a whole food plant based diet during my treatment has helped to mitigate if not outright eliminated most of the common side effects associated with traditional prostate cancer treatments. There is NO DOWNSIDE TO NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION in addition to standard western medicine treatment.
I was horrified of the known side effects of hormone therapy. I was horrified of the known side effects of each of my treatments! All of which include but are not limited to: fatigue, depression, weight gain, and impotence to name a few.
Really important:
Whole food plant based diet forever – please talk to me about the science behind this. Chances are your doctor simply is not aware of the power of diet.
Meditation every day to mitigate and control the extreme stress and anxiety that comes along with a cancer diagnosis – It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s scientifically proven to lower stress levels.
Exercise and movement throughout the day every day. Also, easy and powerful.
Because of my DIET and secondarily because of my exercise regimen:
– I did not gain any weight – I was told to expect around a 10 pound weight gain in my mid section
– hot flashes – got them, but not as bad as advertised.
– My sex drive during hormone therapy definitely decreased however my wife and I have found ways to be intimate in different ways.
– Some fatigue, but not a lot.
– With the exception of the 8 weeks of daily radiation coupled with drugs that made me feel awful (read “nausea” for 8 weeks) I feel………GREAT. I can still surf, I can still have sex with my beautiful wife, and I have EXTREME APPRECIATION FOR EACH AND EVERY DAY that I have NEVER had before in my life, ever.
My PSA has been “undetectable” for the last 10 months. “PSA anxiety” as well the anguish of waiting for PSA test results is by far the WORST side effects of prostate cancer and the treatments I have endured the far. Having a zero PSA this past year has relieved more stress from Mindy’s and my life than I can express here in this blog.
The hormone therapy will wear off in the next few weeks, testosterone will begin flowing again in my body and we will just have to wait and see what happens. I can feel the anxiety beginning to creep up again as my next PSA test approaches. We know we are going to have to learn to live with this for the rest of my life. Cancer will be stalking me for as long as I live. Learning to cope with this and the finiteness of life has given me a greater appreciation for life that, ironically, I don’t think I would have experienced without cancer. Weird, huh?
My experience is only one of millions of victims on the cancer continuum. My life is dedicated to helping others deal with their own journey. The best way I can think of to get started is to share my experience without any filters. Please share and stay tuned…………….
great blog bruce – keep up the good work!
Whole-food plant-based is the way to great health! I’ve been certified in it since 2009 Bruce.
Dr. Campbell knows his stuff! Great inspiration for others. Keep up the good work. I have some great recipes too if you ever want some.
Brenda
It’s like changing religions going plant-based. Kudos for your success and of course Mindy’s too.
Thanks Brenda. I would love to see and share your favorite recipes on bruceandmindy.com
Your honest and “no filter” blog about your journey through the cancer storm is remarkable. Thank you Bruce for sharing your story. It’s at once terrifying and hopeful. I wish you many, many decades of undetectable PSA results. And, Mike and I are boarding the vegan train. I’m looking forward to learning a ton from you!
Thanks for all the support John! Look forward to being on your show soon!
Sending you love and prayers always from San Diego! Thank you for sharing your journey Bruce!
Thanks Lisa! Hope all is well with you.
Hi Bruce.
My name is Leah Husk. I am a presenter with DCAC Fitness conventions and work closely with Shannon Elkins in Virginia.
I read your blog with great interest. Glad to know that you are on the mend! Your story is an inspirational one and needs to be shared.
My older brother was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and after some insane conventional treatments, decided to explore the benefits of a diet void of processing, caffeine, alcohol, preservatives, etc.
He practices yoga, exercises and meditates daily.
He has been symptom free for years and his last MRI showed NO lesions on his brain or spinal cord.
He has written a book that you might be interested in reading. If you wish, check it out on his website.
http://www.bobcafaro.com
He is a cellist with The Philadelphia Orchestra and a Juilliard Graduate. His book is called When The Music Stopped; My Battle & Victory Against MS.
Even his Doctors were astonished at his recovery.
Take good care of yourself. Hope to see you and Mindy soon at DCAC.
Leah Husk
Who Leah! What an inspirational story. I’ll also check out his web-site. Thanks for sharing, Bruce
Bruce,
Thank you for sharing and for everything that you and Mindy do to promote wellness.
I attended a seminar with you last Ausust and was introduced to a plant based diet. I have since read the China Study and my family is (mostly) following a plant based diet. I thought we were following a healthy diet before… But wow what I have learned.
So thank you (both) for sharing what you have experienced and learned, and helping us to be healthier.
Please take a few minutes to watch this doctor who believes in the power of good nutrition, fruit and vegetables in your diet. You can contact me if you would like more information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH9nJk-CslM
Thanks Linda – I’ll check it out!
Absolutely wonderful you took charge of your health. And plant based diet is the only way to go. Keeping you and Mindy in my thoughts and prayers
Hi Starla:
Thanks so much for the encouragement – stay tuned for more!