The word cancer never entered Jim Truemper’s mind. He’s a 22-year career military veteran, former Communications Director for the Department of Defense, and an instrument rated pilot. We thank him for his service.
Jim says, “I’ve jumped out of airplanes, I took part in special operations, I went to war twice, I thought of myself as bullet proof.” Cancer doesn’t run in Jim’s family, so he said, “It was never on my radar. When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer I took it very matter of factly, I’m a problem solver. So I wanted to know, what are my options?”
Jim’s PSA level was just above 5, which at that point many doctors might recommend watchful waiting. A PSA level between 4 and 10 is considered borderline high, but it doesn’t mean cancer. Jim is grateful and credits his general practitioner for recommending further testing.
Jim says, “Even then I hadn’t given cancer a thought, but after the results of the CAT scan, the MRI and biopsies came back positive, discovering 3 lesions, with one tumor being aggressive, I thought what? How is that possible and what does that mean? Good heavens, my doctor just told me I have cancer.” Jim adds, “It was a bit surreal to me. It wasn’t until I got home that night when I really started thinking about it, and I went wow, this could be real, this can be serious, and then I thought okay, this thing is broken, how can we fix it?”
Jim’s urologist, Dr. Nelson Terzian, explained his full range of treatment options, from the most intrusive, which is surgery, to the least intrusive, which is CyberKnife radiation therapy.
At that point Jim says, “When Dr. Terzian explained CyberKnife to me I said, there’s no question, that’s what I want to do. That night I took out my laptop and went to work researching CyberKnife and was more convinced than ever that it was the best option for me. I was very impressed with the technology. It’s right out of Star Trek. It’s targeted radio-surgery and you can’t dismiss the success and cure rates.”
Jim discovered CyberKnife for prostate cancer treatment has a high success rate, especially for low-risk patients. The five-year disease-free survival rate for low-risk patients is 97-to-99%, and the 10-year survival rate is 93%. For intermediate-risk patients, the five-year survival rate is 88-to-97%.
CyberKnife is a type of radiation therapy that can treat prostate cancer without surgery and has lower risks of long-term side effects than traditional radiation and surgery.
Jim’s next step was to meet the medical team at the CyberKnife Center of Miami, which is where his urologist recommended he go for treatment.
Jim says, “I’ve never experienced anything like the team at CyberKnife Miami. First I met Maria, the office manager. She is so friendly, warm and welcoming. You’re not just a client, you’re a person, and they care about you. When you call with questions, Maria is happy to answer any question you may have. You’re not getting an answering machine, and if you do she calls you back right away.”
“Then I met Mario, the lead radiation therapist, and he was just as warm and welcoming. He took me into the CyberKnife room, explained the technology, showed me how it all works and answered all my questions. Mario and I had many conversations during my treatments, he was truly interested in getting to know me.”
“Then I met Dr. Mark Pomper, the Radiation Oncologist, and what a nice, warm, knowledgeable, professional he is. I was impressed by the technology, but what impressed me most is the amazing team he put together.”
CyberKnife uses missile-guided radiation technology to target tumors with pinpoint accuracy, delivering radiation directly to the tumor site, while leaving healthy surrounding tissue unharmed. That in turn greatly reduces the risk of side effects, like urinary incontinence and impotence. The missile technology also tracks the tumor even when a patient moves or breathes normally, all without the use of immobilization devices.
The treatment is done on an outpatient basis, is painless and takes about 50 minutes. Afterwards most patients go about their daily routine.
A big advantage is the CyberKnife treats prostate cancer in 5 treatment sessions over 10 days, unlike lower dose radiation treatments requiring 40 plus sessions over several months.
Nothing is required of the patient except to relax and listen to music while on the CyberKnife table.
Jim says, “I took a nap during half the treatments. The other radiation treatment options were grossly inconvenient because you needed so many more treatment sessions, and the radiation beams aren’t as targeted so they hit adjacent tissue, resulting in a greater risk of side effects. To me, CyberKnife was the only decision to make, there was no comparison.” Jim says after the 4th CyberKnife treatment he had a bit of a urinary issue, “My stream was less forceful and I had a little swelling which is normal, but I had no pain or discomfort. You’re on a bit of a restricted diet during the treatment period, so after my last treatment I got up off that table and went to the nearest Mexican restaurant, and even had a cocktail,” he laughs. Jim then said, “But there is a downside to CyberKnife. After getting to know this fantastic team, when I asked Dr. Pomper what was next, he said I’d probably never see them again. It’s a bit sad I’ll never see this great team again, but that’s how successful this treatment is.”
“Nearly two months after my treatment I had my first follow up with my general practitioner and I got to shake his hand and say thank you, you saved my life. My PSA is .07 and I can’t be more enthusiastic considering I had cancer treatment. And when I tell my close circle of friends about the treatment and the team at CyberKnife Miami, they are intrigued.”
“In fact, a gentleman in my urologist’s office overheard me talking about having CyberKnife, and told me he had it too, and that his PSA was 14 at the time of treatment but 6 months after treatment it was down to 4. I’m hoping for the same results.”
“As for my cancer diagnosis, it has not changed me, I don’t feel like I had cancer. As far as I’m concerned we’ll adjust course as necessary. If cancer comes back I will only do CyberKnife treatment. The science and technology, with AI and the new Stargate initiative, is fascinating to me. Who knows what the future holds, but right now we have CyberKnife, the leading edge in cancer technology. Anyone can walk up to me and ask me about CyberKnife and I will happily tell them everything they need to know.”
Prostate cancer is one of the cancers we treat the most at Cyberknife Miami. Our team is among the most experienced worldwide because we have been doing it the longest, and it’s all we do every day. Experience can make a big difference in your treatment outcome.
If you’d like to set up a consultation to see if we can help you, call us at 305-279-2900, and go to our website now for more information and to see more patient testimonials. www.prostatecancertreatmentmiami.com