Unexpected Prostate Cancer Diagnosis Changes Patient’s Mindset

Bob Lane, a prostate cancer survivor on Erleada (apalutamide), shares how an unexpected diagnosis shifted his mindset.

What started as a diverticulitis concern led to a surprise prostate cancer diagnosis after routine testing. At first, Bob did not worry, thinking it was a mistake. But when his doctor confirmed cancer from biopsy samples, the reality hit hard. He cried and sought support from a close friend who helped him find the right specialists.

Bob emphasizes the importance of having a partner or loved one during diagnosis conversations to help absorb information and provide emotional support. After surgery, his cancer was fully removed with clean margins, and he stayed off medication for three years with regular PSA monitoring. When his PSA rose in 2017, it marked a new chapter in his journey.

Transcript

Can you walk us through what it was like to go from a diverticulitis concern to learning you had prostate cancer and how this kind of shaped your mindset early on?

Yeah, I can do that. It was quite fortuitous, although I don’t believe in coincidences, so I think it was meant to be for whatever reason. The doctor really had no reason to be testing for it, especially since he had done so just four months earlier. When he told me, that’s when I stopped thinking about the diverticulitis. At first, I actually thought it was just a mistake, so I wasn’t worried.

As the testing went on, I realized how serious it was. I remember the day the doctor called me three hours from home and said, “It’s cancer,” based on 12 core samples, that’s when it really hit me. I said, “Oh, crap.” I literally cried for 20 or 30 minutes, then called a friend of mine who is an anesthesiologist. He talked me down, helped me calm down, and connected me with the urologist team. It was a very impactful life event, quite moving. I don’t even remember driving home after my meeting, though I obviously did.

That experience gave me a reference point to share with others: it’s good to have a partner, a loved one, or a significant other with you for these conversations. When a diagnosis hits you out of nowhere, your brain kind of stops, and it helps to have someone else there to take notes, think clearly, and hear everything more clearly than you can. That was important to me, and at some point, I pivoted with that thought.

After the surgery, I was pretty much okay. They got it all, the margins were clean, and we moved forward. I wasn’t on any meds for about three years, and we checked every 90 days, but the PSA was always zero. When it stopped being zero in 2017, that’s when it took on a whole different meaning for me.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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