The Medical Oncologist Weighs In On The Treatment Plan

Yesterday I had a meeting with my medical oncologist to talk about the role of drugs in the treatment of prostate cancer. You can spend all the time you want reading peer reviewed research papers and listening to smart and accomplished people working in the PC world (and you should), but there is nothing like a face to face with a doctor who knows you. There are two big takeaways from our conversation. First, regarding treatment approaches, the doc said that there are a lot of data and a lot of protocols, but instead of applying them blindly it's better to form a plan for "the man in the room" based on that man's specific circumstances. Second, my desire to avoid androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) at this time is acceptable to him and he supports the treatment plan. He mentioned that newer technology like SBRT is showing tremendous value in individual cases, but it will take years to collect enough data to change the standard of care. I mentioned this in my book. Take survival statistics with a grain of salt, because to analyze something like  survival rates over ten years requires ten years worth of data. The best treatments for PC ten years ago have improved considerably. This is the same with many other cancers and diseases other than cancer. 

I feel good about the meeting because the doctor that I know and trust supports the plan, confirming that my choices are not mistakes. I also feel privileged to have such a solid team of doctors and healthcare professionals looking after me.