Posted 11/5/2021 4:30 AM (GMT -5)
Dear HW friends,
I've been off the grid for a while. Some other Saipanese who have been diagnosed with PCa recently have come to me for advice, and that's brought it back to mind, so I'm checking in.
It's been only good news for me, with continued undetectables every 3 months. My oncologist (more below) has moved me to 6-month PSAs. It's to the point where I don't think about it every day, which is a relief. I'm so far from monitoring advances in treatment that I no longer feel I have a base of knowledge from which to contribute on most issues.
about two years ago, our only Saipan hospital recruited a Stanford-trained medical oncologist about whom I can't say enough good things. He's brought in grant money and created our first-ever oncology unit, which is able to provide state-of-the-art chemotherapy and immunotherapy. (No radiation therapy yet, but there's always hope.) Newly diagnosed cancer patients now have someone on island who can advise them on treatment options. The difference between now and 2017, when I was diagnosed and largely left to my own devices, is indescribable.
Best wishes to all,
SP.