Vol. 7, No. 2

Fall/Winter 2008

Jerry Bylander, Editor  jerryby@cableone.net

The Director's Column

I have a favorite gripe that I will share with you.  It is that women seem to run all the prostate cancer programs I go to.  They do an OK job, but they have no appreciation for the problems men have, and don’t seem to be interested in finding out about them.  Why they dominate this area (as seemingly every thing else) is beyond me.  In particular the psychological problems that go along with chemical castration (ADT) and with hot flashes (“now you know what women go through”-but only for a limited time I might add) is of no interest.  In fact this attitude may also be the one associated with why boys drop out of school at a great rate, and why there is 60/40 ratio of women to men in colleges.  This ratio leads to the better educated women getting the high paying jobs and to the stay-at-home dad etc. 

Those of us at an age to have prostate cancer probably don’t need to worry about this problem to any great extent; just don’t expect sympathy or understanding from women.

Next Meeting

"Have You Met Your PSA Lately?

Date and Time:  Tuesday Evening,  November 18, 2008
Location:  Classroom 1,  Wilson N. Jones, 500 N. Highland, Sherman, TX  

Sponsored by:  US Too! Texoma and Wilson North Jones Medical Center

6:30 PM - Social & Coffee
7:00 PM - Program

Speakers:  USToo! Texoma Board Members.  Our speakers will answer your questions, and Don Riedl will take your diet questions related to PC therapy.

Topic:  Since PSA for failed therapy patients is widely used to establish therapies such as androgen deprivation therapy, we will want to understand its place in therapy choices.  And, as well, PSA velocity is important for men over age 60.  You will want to understand PSA epithelial plus glandular numbers, Gleason and Parton scores.  These scores are important to newly diagnosed, as well to plan their therapies choices and life expectancies.  Come to the meeting to learn some questions to ask you urologist or oncologist to clarify you therapy choices.

New Meeting Plans:  We plan to continue our telephone tree to help get the word out.  We will ask those who want us to continue meeting, to take some names and call before the next meeting.  Please send us names and phone numbers of interested men.

As always the group does not recommend any particular treatment, therapy, physician, or hospital. US TOO Sherman is a prostate cancer group formed for the purpose of sharing information, education, and mutual support.   

Past Meeting

Topic:  A Urologist’s Role in Prostate Cancer Therapy, and Problems with Incontinence

Speaker:  Dr. Michael Hilz, MD 

Dr. Hilz was unable to attend.  Instead Jerry, Henry, and Tom led an interesting discussion following their description of various incontinence solutions.

Other Important Events

Your organization's meetings listed here.  Contact the Editor at jerryby@cableone.net .

Editor's Notes

Material posted here is intended for educational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for informed medical advice from your own physician.

Jerry Bylander, Editor