Mr. Donn Rosenauer
For ten years, Donn Rosenauer and his doctor had been monitoring a PSA level that he described as a roller coaster. But since he had no other symptoms to suggest cancer and the level of elevation wasn’t dramatic, Donn’s doctor recommend the “watchful waiting” approach - repeating tests regularly to watch for any changes. So, when it was time to test again last year, Donn wasn’t worried.
This time, however, Donn’s doctor said he had prostate cancer, and laid out the treatment options, including a standard radiation therapy – 50 treatments over a ten-week time frame. He wondered if there was a different option, one that eliminated the possible side effects of incontinence and impotence. He had another reason for seeking a second opinion: he was scheduled to fulfill a lifelong dream with a visit to Florence, Italy in eight weeks time, and he wanted to make that trip.
That’s when he heard about CyberKnife.
“My doctor said he was impressed with the technology, and that he definitely thought I should get in touch with Dr. Fuller to see if they were still accepting patients,” remembers Donn. “I went home and researched everything I could about CyberKnife on the Internet. The more I read, the more excited I became, and so I was very happy when I made the call and found out that the protocol was still open and that I might qualify.”
Donn then met with Dr. Fuller of CyberKnife Centers of San Diego, who had reviewed his charts and told him that he did qualify for the study. He also outlined the CyberKnife treatment process.
“I liked his ‘just the facts’ delivery,” says Donn. “He was thorough, precise and to-the-point, which I think that anyone who is facing a cancer treatment decision can appreciate. I had already made up my mind to follow through with CyberKnife treatment when I asked him if I should cancel my trip in June, seeing as it was now April. His response was ‘We can do this.’
Donn underwent a course of four CyberKnife treatments that were so painless he actually fell asleep. His only reported side effect was a slight bit of nausea the day after treatment was completed, which disappeared within 24 hours. In June, approximately eight weeks after treatment, this seasoned traveler was in Florence, walking the city, taking in the sights and sounds and “eating the best food I’ve ever tasted in my life.” His PSA level has fallen dramatically and is in the normal range, the lowest it has been in fifteen years.
“I would encourage anyone who is facing a decision about cancer treatment to look into CyberKnife,” says Donn. “My experience was as good as I could imagine, and everyone connected with the Center has been wonderful, from start to finish.”