He then ordered an MRI & bone scan, and found no evidence of cancer outside the prostate. Since that seemed to be the case, I was a very good candidate for cryo.
In early February, ten days after the biopsy, I had my cryo. The treatment apparently went wonderfully. Dr. Scionti was very satisfied with the freeze. It was supposed to be an outpatient treatment, but the hospital closed the outpatient section before I came out of recovery, so I ended up spending the night in the hospital. I had some swelling, but no bruising or tenderness; I did have a catheter (suprapubic) for about 2-3 weeks. About a week before the catheter was removed, I began urinating normally, which went smoothly. Initially, I had minor incontinence but it resolved itself in about two weeks. Before the catheter was removed my activity was rather limited. I went out to eat, but I was slower to get into sporting activity or exercise.
I feel very good about having chosen cryo. Given that I had such a large prostate for so long, I think it was really the smart option. It seems to me to be a very logical solution. I'm very pleased that Dr. Scionti offers different treatment options and makes intelligent recommendations according to the circumstances-there is not one treatment that's right for everybody.
Curriculum vitae:
- 73 years old at time of procedure
- Retired from a career in finance
- South Carolina
Treatment history:
Initial diagnosis: January 2005
PSA: 13.7
Biopsy: Positive
Gleason grade: 3+4=7
Initial treatment: Cryotherapy, February 2005
Results: First follow-up PSA <0.1
