[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/05\/johns-brachytherapy-story\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/05\/johns-brachytherapy-story\/","headline":"John\u2019s Story: How Brachytherapy Helped Treat His Prostate Cancer","name":"John\u2019s Story: How Brachytherapy Helped Treat His Prostate Cancer","description":"<p>John researched treatment options after receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis. His search led him to UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Horizon\u2013Shenango Valley.<\/p>","datePublished":"2024-05-29","dateModified":"2024-05-29","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC Hillman Cancer Center","url":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-hillman-cancer-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/GettyImages-1406496671.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/GettyImages-1406496671.jpg","height":867,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/05\/johns-brachytherapy-story\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z"],"wordCount":609,"articleBody":"When his close friend suffered a mild stroke in fall 2022, he asked John when the last time was that he had a physical. It had been years.John Ryder, 58, finally scheduled a wellness exam. His doctor ordered routine bloodwork as part of a physical. The results showed that John\u2019s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was a worrisome 6.78 mg\/mL \u2014 an indicator of possible prostate cancer.A biopsy confirmed he had cancer, and John began researching treatment options and cancer specialists. His search ultimately led him to UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Horizon\u2013Shenango Valley in Farrell, Pa.Prostate Cancer ScreeningPSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland. When there\u2019s a problem with the prostate, PSA levels can rise above normal levels. Elevated PSA levels can be a sign of an enlarged prostate, inflammation, or prostate cancer.According to the American Cancer Society, men with a PSA level between 4 and 10 mg\/mL have a one in four chance of having prostate cancer. Additional testing is usually done to determine what\u2019s going on.In John\u2019s case, after his initial PSA rise in mid-2022, a biopsy was performed and came back negative. His PSA continued to be monitored, and he had a prostate MRI, which also came back negative. John\u2019s PSA began to rise again in mid-2023, which prompted a prostate core needle biopsy performed in the summer of 2023. The result: It was positive for cancer.With a diagnosis, John\u2019s next step was deciding what treatment to pursue. He initially met with William Eric Spielvogle, MD, a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Horizon\u2013Shenango Valley.Dr. Spielvogle confirmed that the cancer hadn\u2019t spread beyond the prostate. After speaking with John, Dr. Spielvogle referred him to Uzoma Iheagwara MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist and clinical director, radiation oncology, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Horizon\u2013Shenango Valley. Dr. Iheagwara reviewed all of John\u2019s treatment options, including:Active surveillance (closer monitoring over time).Surgery (to remove his prostate).Radiation therapy (external beam, stereotactic body radiation therapy, or brachytherapy).\u201cI knew I didn\u2019t want to waste any time,\u201d John says. \u201cI could have chosen active surveillance. But I figured if I have something, I might as well do something now.\u201dProstate Seed ImplantationJohn decided against surgery, but he still wanted to be proactive with treatment. He elected to have low-dose rate brachytherapy, given the convenience of the one-time, same-day procedure.With brachytherapy (a form of internal radiation therapy), doctors place tiny radioactive seeds inside the prostate. The seeds emit radiation that destroys the cancer cells, sparing surrounding healthy tissue and organs.Dr. Iheagwara referred John to Peter Daloni, MD, a urologist at UPMC Horizon.Both doctors were at John\u2019s side when he had the brachytherapy procedure at UPMC Horizon in January 2024. During the three-hour procedure, 94 radioactive seeds were placed inside his prostate.A follow-up test done a month later showed his PSA level dropped to 2.57 mg\/mL, which is in the normal range.\u201cWhen I got those results, I called my wife right away,\u201d says John. \u201cMy PSA level was never that low.\u201dJohn says he appreciated having doctors who listened to his concerns and took time to explain treatment options. He also praised his doctors and the staff at UPMC Horizon for the care he received. The nurses in the radiation oncology department were \u201cespecially helpful and exceptionally nice,\u201d he added.\u201cI had confidence in them. I knew from my research that the doctors at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and UPMC Horizon were top-notch,\u201d John says. \u201cEverything went smoothly. The care I received was excellent.\u201d"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2024","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"05","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/\/05\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"John\u2019s Story: How Brachytherapy Helped Treat His Prostate Cancer","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2024\/05\/johns-brachytherapy-story\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]