Patient Stories: Abbey

Abbey’s Prostate Cancer Story

It was the shock of Abbey's lifetime to learn he had prostate cancer. But he knew he had to be stronger than cancer.

"I just thought, OK, I want to live," Abbey said.

He chose Memorial Cancer Institute and Dr. Mark Soloway, chief of the uro-oncology program, for experience and expertise he could trust. His close friend recommended Dr. Soloway, and Abbey's own research kept drawing him to the reputation of this leader in the field.

"Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers currently in western society," said Dr. Soloway. "Abbey wisely decided to look at his options. He considered surgery and radiation therapy, as well as not doing anything – active surveillance."

After a lot of discussion, Dr. Soloway and Abbey decided that surgery offered the greatest chance for a cure.

"He wanted to go to someone who had a lot of experience, who was able to do the best job of curing him, preserving his urinary control and, if possible, retaining his sexual function," Dr. Soloway said.

Memorial Cancer Institute scheduled Abbey's surgery quickly, and after an uncomplicated procedure, he was able to go home the following day. Just a week later, Abbey was well enough to return to work.

"One can perform the surgery with little impact on a patient's quality of life, and get him back to his normal activities very promptly," Dr. Soloway said.

There are a lot of misconceptions about prostate cancer, Dr. Soloway said, including the idea that all prostate cancers need to be immediately treated.

"In prostate cancer, rapid treatment is not always critical," he said. "But we're here to help people, and the anxiety of not being treated is not very helpful."

For prostate cancer, the individual biology of each patient's cancer is more important, even, than early detection, according to Dr. Soloway. "And that's why judgment is so critical," Dr. Soloway said. "In prostate cancer, probably more than any other cancer in the human body."

Collaboration is also important. Memorial Cancer Institute's multidisciplinary approach means patients benefit from an entire team working together to plan the strongest course of care for each patient.

"I think one of the advantages of Memorial Cancer Institute is it's a team approach," Dr. Soloway said. Whether patients need surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments, Memorial Cancer Institute is on their side. "We have the technical capability and we have the expertise to manage each aspect of cancer care."

Memorial Cancer Institute's commitment to patient- and family-centered care really made an impact on Abbey. He truly valued the Memorial Experience.

"They even took excellent care of my wife," Abbey said. "She wanted to stay with me during the day of the operation and stay overnight, so they moved us to a bigger room and even brought in a little rolling mattress for her to be more comfortable. The attention was superb. We couldn't ask for better."

When it came to fighting cancer, strong was Abbey's only option. He was stronger in his fight against prostate cancer with Memorial Cancer Institute. There is nothing positive about cancer, but Abbey is glad he chose Memorial.   

"From the beginning, when I first came to the hospital, the attention, the professionalism, the follow through, was all superb. My experience was great," Abbey said.  

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