Prostate Cancer Patient: Walter’s Story

Without a family history of prostate cancer, Walter Nothstein never expected to be diagnosed with the disease. It was routine monitoring that helped to diagnose him at an early stage.

“It was surprising to me because no one in my family has had this,” he said. “I stayed aware because I wanted to be sure I didn’t have any problems with it. I had been monitoring for a long time.”

A fluctuation in his PSA levels moved him to get an official prostate cancer diagnosis from a urologist. After presenting a number of treatment options, Nothstein’s urologist recommended he visit St. Louis CyberKnife to learn more about stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

“I met with Dr. Bedwinek and was really happy with him,” Nothstein said. “He took the time to sit down in his office on the first visit and he laid out different plans and talked about the options available to me at the time. He showed me CyberKnife® and all the studies associated with it and I was really impressed with it.”

In recent years, SBRT for the treatment of prostate cancer has earned a growing amount of support. Leading healthcare organizations and insurance providers such as the American Society of Radiation Oncology, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Wellpoint Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have all updated their policies to include SBRT as a treatment option for certain types of prostate cancer patients.

As an early stage prostate cancer patient, Nothstein was eligible for SBRT. To deliver this treatment, CyberKnife uses advanced image guidance software to target the prostate and administer high doses of radiation to the prostate with sub-millimeter accuracy. The reduced side effects of this noninvasive procedure allowed Nothstein to continue his work schedule without interruption. His treatment was completed within five sessions.

“I work four days a week and CyberKnife was very easy to incorporate into my work schedule,” he said.

This is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your health care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor.