Husband Robert Treated 2005 · Posted 2012

"We are so thankful that our urologist here in Houston didn't think he could remove all the cancer with an operation back in 2005 — that prompted me, Robert's wife, to do further investigation."

Robert Young, age 66 now, was diagnosed with protstate cancer in the summer of 2005. His Gleason score was 8 and his PSA 114. He was T3b and possibly N0-N1.

We are SO thankful to our urologist here in Houston who told us he didn't think he could remove all the cancer with an operation back in 2005. This prompted me, Robert's wife, to do further investigation.

In the meantime, the urologist's only hope was life-prolonging hormone deprivation treatment (which my husband was on for about 4+ years). To make a long story short, we found LLUMC and proton treatment (plus pelvic photon treatment) which my husband completed in February of 2006.

I was very worried that with such a high Gleason score, proton therapy might not do much good for my husband.

Our urologist still will not admit to this day that proton treatment was the decisive factor for my husband's good outcome, but for the last two an a half years my husband has been off all medicines (Casodex, implanted hormone deprivation, and another medicine I can't remember) and his PSA has been steady at 0.1 for all that time.

Robert sees a urologist every three months and has his PSA checked often. Every time for the last two and a half years the score has been 0.1. This is a miracle!!!

In 2009, we flew from Houston to LLUMC for a check-up. His doctor there said Robert's prostate felt as if it "had been removed."There were no digital detection or masses felt.

My husband is very active and continues to enjoy offshore fishing and maintaing our home, as well as a good pool game from time to time.

Since Robert's diagnosis, three other of his seven male cousins have been diagnosed (that's 4 out of 7!). We believe it is definitely hereditary in his family (maternal grandfather died from it in the late 50's).

We are so very thankful for proton therapy and do all we can to help educate others we come into contact with who have been diagnosed. I send them Bob Marckini's book!

—Cherry Young, [email protected]